Sometimes it pays to complain...

By Faye
@FayeHazel (40250)
United States
February 26, 2017 11:35am CST
Of course this is not a wholesale saying. Don't fall into the trap of complaining all or even most of the time. My dad, for example is a really negative person. The more negative he gets it seems like the worse his life is. Some of his complaints are out of his control. But some of them he, himself makes worse. Another ex-friend of mine - all she could do was complain about being single. I often times wondered what she would do if she would have found Mr. Right. Whine about how single she is and chase him away? However - I find that sometimes it is helpful to complain when justified. Seeing as I had written about my casino adventures recently and another recent post I wrote about filling out surveys I found this to be a great follow up post. Back in early Feb. I went to the casino. Didn't have much of an adventure because I ended up getting a head cold and fever and going to bed early in the room I had rented. My first clue that the room hadn't really been cleaned well was that the shampoo and conditioner were used. It wasn't a huge deal, I just went to the front desk and requested new ones. By the evening when I was staying there I was really not feeling well that night, however when I woke up in the morning I discovered myself coated in cookie, cracker crumbs and blonde hair. (I'm not blonde.) Well, wasn't much I could do at that point as I was checking out anyway. A few days later I received a link to a survey about my stay. I took this one and let them know about the used shampoo and conditioner and the hair and crumbs in the bed. I didn't think they'd do anything about it - so I was really surprised when I got a physical letter in the mail from the manager of the casino hotel - offering me a free 2-night stay for the trouble. Don't let negativity ruin your life, but don't hesitate to complain when it is justified.
Complain definition, to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault: He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor. See more.
14 people like this
16 responses
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Feb 17
We have found this too. Depending on the business, most don't want 'bad press' even if it is likely to be just word of mouth. And now with sites like Trip Advisor they are probably even keener to avoid bad publicity. Were you able to use the extra two days at some stage - and even more importantly, had their standards improved?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Feb 17
@FayeHazel You will have done them a favour really and it seems like they realise this what with giving you free nights.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
27 Feb 17
I look forward to using the 2 nights sometime upcoming. I hope they are more clean -- everyone I have encountered working there has been ever so pleasant..... so they're doing good as far as that goes...
2 people like this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
26 Feb 17
I wholly agree with that.
2 people like this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
26 Feb 17
@FayeHazel When complaining is reasonable, then it is fine to do it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
All in balence
2 people like this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
26 Feb 17
Wow that is awesome they did that for you. This time though check the room as you enter it so if the room is unclean you can request another one. I would be sick to my stomach waking up in those dirty sheets!
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
It was pretty gnarly. I was already not feeling well, and then when discovering that I was like Ugh, what a fine kettle of fish this is.... good point, check first next time.
2 people like this
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
26 Feb 17
There are times that we really have to voice out what we feel about something.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
So true - it is a healthy thing to do
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53601)
26 Feb 17
Hair and crumbs in the bed? I would say that certainly needed complaining about.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
Ugh... it was so gross....
1 person likes this
@pammooratan (4668)
• India
26 Feb 17
I agreed. I don't like to be effected by negativity and don't fear to complain where it is necessary.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
I find it is a delicate balance. If I allow it to happen I , too, can be very negative. However it is necessary to complain when justified.
1 person likes this
• India
27 Feb 17
@FayeHazel I am agree to you.
2 people like this
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
27 Feb 17
I once went to a hotel that we use to visit annually because my brother lived there. The last time that we were there, the bathtub was so dirty, I wrote the date in the dirty tub. I wasn't going to complain but decided to. The manager called the house keeper who said that he had cleaned it until he saw the date written in it.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6002)
• United Kingdom
27 Feb 17
Sounds like the maid hadn't been in the room to clean and change the linen. I get paranoid about hotel rooms at the best of times and your experience would have freaked me out. Well done you for complaining. Hopefully next time you will be well and can enjoy it.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
27 Feb 17
Well, good for you
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
26 Feb 17
Well done! Justified complaints should be made and not held back.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
27 Feb 17
@FayeHazel Last year I bought a wardrobe and when it was delivered I noticed that a hinge was missing. The shop is quite far away from our house, too far to walk there. I don't drive. The bus connection there is bad. So I took a taxi. I got the hinge without problems. I told the man in charge that I had to take a taxi because of the missing hinge (which wasn't his fault) and would like to have a compensation. Without arguing he gave me voucher covering the costs for the taxi. I was pleased about this and took a bus back to town.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
I've heard that justified complaints actually help the company that they're made against, because that's how they learn
@ptrikha_2 (45331)
• India
28 Feb 17
@MALUSE Some shop and business owners are good, and do not argue with a customer who complains rightfully. However, once I came out of a shop after buying a shirt, which had this grey color plastic stuck to it(which normally is taken out at the billing counter). The year was 2009. I realized that this plastic had not been taken out. So I went back to the shop, and asked them to take the plastic out. However, the manager at the billing counter started arguing that this is not possible and we probably had not paid, or had bought the shirt at some other shop. Finally, he agreed to have the stuff removed but I made my mind never to buy again from that shop.
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Feb 17
You have to be selective and pick and choose the moment to complain.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
Like so many other things, this too appears to be all in balance.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
28 Feb 17
I pretty much don't complain, although I might have about that. My girlfriend definitely would have.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129095)
• Israel
8 Nov 17
Would you want to go back there even for free with the experience it sounded like you had?
@Happy2BeMe (99426)
• Canada
26 Feb 17
I am glad that they did the right thing and are trying to make things right. You had every right to complain about that. Every room should be clean and tidy when you check in.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
26 Feb 17
I agree - it is a shame that whoever did the cleaning didn't take enough pride in a job well done...
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99426)
• Canada
27 Feb 17
@FayeHazel I agree. They should not be working there if they aren't doing their job right.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
27 Feb 17
@Happy2BeMe Particularly where cleaning standards are implied... I shudder to think about the food service industry sometimes...
@ptrikha_2 (45331)
• India
28 Feb 17
@FayeHazel Indeed, it does helps to complain at times, and especially when related to something of hygiene and health. Its good that you got apologies from the manager of the hotel you stayed, and hopefully they will keep things cleaner and in order from the next time.
@Hate2Iron (15731)
• Canada
28 Feb 17
I agree... if it is justified, I think the business should know about it. That's pretty disgusting!! And good for the company offering you a free little vacation.