The Power of Empathy in Service Recovery
During a recent work trip, I returned to a hotel I had loved so much the first time that I knew I would stay there again. When I checked in, the guest experience agent suggested a different part of the hotel so I could experience a new style of room. It sounded great, so I happily agreed.
What I didn’t expect was what happened next.
When I entered the room, it was pitch black, so dark that I couldn’t see a thing. Before I even realised it, I had taken a hard fall down two unexpected stairs. Thankfully, my landing was softened by the bed. But I still injured my foot, and the experience immediately triggered the memory of a traumatic accident I had three years ago, a fall after missing two stairs that left me with multiple broken bones, 12 months of learning to walk again, and a painful reminder to never text while walking down stairs.
Shaken and in pain, I made my way back to the front desk to seek assistance. A different team member was there, and when I shared what had happened, their response was simply: "Oh, I'll get someone to check the room then." And that was it. No concern. No empathy. No acknowledgment of my distress, even though I was visibly upset.
The next morning, at checkout, I was asked how my stay was by another guest experience agent. As I was asked, I shared my experience and questioned if there had been any record of my fall. There wasn’t. I left, assuming that was the end of it.
But then, something changed.
One team member, someone who simply sensed that something wasn’t right took the initiative to escalate the situation. They shared my experience with the general manager, who then personally reached out to me. And that made all the difference.
The general manager’s approach was the complete opposite of what I had previously encountered. They were deeply empathetic, concerned, and above all, human. Their first priority was making sure I was okay. As I shared my story, I also voiced a broader concern, what if it had been someone elderly? What if there hadn’t been a bed to break my fall? And most of all, why had no one checked on me?
The general manager listened. They assured me they would investigate, use this as a training opportunity, and address the root cause, both the sensor light failure and the lack of follow-up.
The next day, I received a thoughtful email offering a two-night stay or a refund as an apology. While I never sought compensation, this was a classic example of service recovery done right. When things go wrong, things that never should have happened—simply fixing the problem isn't enough. The perception of the experience doesn’t change unless you also fix the person’s experience of the moment.
For me, the phone call alone would have been enough. But that extra gesture, the plus one turned a negative experience into a positive one. And this doesn’t have to come from a general manager. Every team member can play a role in service recovery, if they are empowered to do so.
This incident reminded me of three Key Lessons in Service Recovery:
Train your team to respond with care – There are always two parts to handling complaints: fixing the problem and fixing the person’s experience.
Empathy is everything – A simple check-in, a follow-up call, or a heartfelt acknowledgment can make all the difference.
Service recovery matters – A well-handled recovery can not only restore trust but also turn a guest, customer, or client into a loyal advocate.
I will definitely be returning to this hotel, not because they got it right the first time, but because when they didn’t, they cared enough to make it right.