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      1. Best Practices & Standard Operating Procedures
      2. Property Agents

      Guest Compensation & Refund Process/Policy

      🌟 1. Acknowledge & Empathize (Always First)

      Objective: Make the guest feel heard and cared for.

      • Listen carefully to the guest's feedback.

      • Acknowledge the issue even if it appears minor.

      • Say something like:

        “I’m truly sorry this affected your experience. That’s not the standard we aim for at ACME, and I appreciate you bringing it to our attention.”

      ✅ Do this whether the guest is still in-house or post-departure.

      📋 2. Assess the Situation & Gather Facts

      Objective: Determine if compensation is warranted and to what extent.

      • Review work orders and guest communication logs (Breezeway, HubSpot, etc.).

      • Identify:

        • What was reported?

        • Was it resolved?

        • Was there delay or discomfort?

      🔎 Common qualifying issues: Broken amenities, unresolved maintenance, pool/spa heat failure, HVAC failures, check-in delays.

      📘 3. Know the Policy

      Refund Guidelines from ACME’s Rental Agreement:

      • Refund Cap: Typically 15% – 25% of lodging rent for the night affected (excluding fees).

      • Satisfaction Clause: The refund is full satisfaction for the issue.

      • Review Waiver: Guest agrees not to post a negative review upon accepting a refund (reference Sections 9.a and 36).

      🤝 4. Offer Immediate Resolution (If Obvious)

      If the issue is clear and policy-eligible, resolve immediately to de-escalate:

      • Examples:

        • Pool heat didn’t work for 1 day → Refund 1 day of paid pool heat.

        • Check-in delay caused inconvenience → Offer late checkout or small refund.

      🎁 You may also offer comped late checkouts, gift baskets, or gift cards as resolution tools.

      📞 5. Contact the Guest to Negotiate

      Objective: Clearly explain the offer and gain guest agreement.

      Say:

      “Thank you again for your patience. We’d like to offer a refund of $XXX for the inconvenience that you experienced. If you'd like to move forward, I can go ahead and start the process of refunding your card on file. A gentle reminder that, as outlined in your rental agreement, accepting this refund confirms that the matter is resolved and you agree not to leave a negative review.”

       or:

      “Our goal is always 100% satisfaction, so we want to make this right. Based on the issue and how it affected your stay, we can offer you a refund of $XX, which represents [10/20/25]% of the nightly rate for the affected night(s).” If you'd like to move forward, I can go ahead and start the process of refunding your card on file. A gentle reminder that, as outlined in your rental agreement, accepting this refund confirms that the matter is resolved and you agree not to leave a negative review.”

      ✅ Get verbal or written confirmation.
      📝 If they agree, move to documentation.

      📑 6. Document the Agreement

      Create a Guest Refund Work Order in Breezeway:

      • Urgency: Low

      • Title: Guest Refund – [Issue] (e.g., Guest Refund – Spa Not Working)

      • Date: Guest departure date

      • Assigned To: Property Agent Manager

      • Description:

        • Guest name & reservation #

        • Refund amount

        • Summary of issue

        • Work order links (if applicable)

      • DO NOT ADD COST

      • Link any related HubSpot tickets in the comments.

      Processing a Guest Refund - Watch Video

       

      📲 7. If Guest Is Unreachable

      Leave a voicemail:

      “Hi [Name], this is [Agent] from ACME House Company. I’m sorry to hear your stay didn’t meet expectations. I’d love to make it right, including discussing a possible refund. Please call us at (760) 537-6722.”

      Send a follow-up text:

      “Hi [Name], I just left a voicemail. I’d love to talk about how we can resolve your recent stay experience. Please call or text back when you’re available.”

      🕒 If no response after 24 hours:

      • Escalate to a manager.

      • Post in Property-Agent-Family Slack for team awareness.

      • Continue follow-ups until resolved.

      🧨 8. If Guest Declines the Offer

      • Do not push.

      • Escalate the case with full documentation to a Manager or Operations Lead.

      • They will decide on next steps or potential increased offer.

      🚨 9. Escalation Format (For Supervisor Review)

      When escalating to management, include:

      • Guest name & reservation #

      • Nightly rate & reservation total

      • Pool heat charge (if applicable)

      • Work order links related to issue

      • Your notes from the guest call

      💻 10. Notify Owner (If Refund Is Approved)

      Create a HubSpot ticket to notify the owner if the refund will affect their statement (not needed if ACME is covering the refund).

      💡 Important Notes

      Item Detail
      🎯 Guest must be contacted within 3 days After departure, for OTA reservations
      ⏳ Refunds in Track Only possible if the stay was within the past 6 months
      💳 Older than 6 months Send to Michael Bowe – incurs a 3% processing fee
       

      ✅ Best Practices

      • Always remain empathetic.

      • Stick to ACME’s policy ranges unless instructed otherwise.

      • Avoid email-only negotiations. Phone calls are preferred for tone and clarity.

      • Keep records updated in Breezeway and HubSpot.

      Refund Cheat Sheet

       

      🛠️ Major Component Failures (25% refund per affected night)

      Applies when a key comfort feature failed and was not resolved the same day or within 4-6 hours.

      Refund 25% of nightly rent for each night affected:

      • ❌ Pool/Spa Heat Failure

      • ❌ HVAC/Air Conditioning Malfunction

      • ❌ Total Electrical or Plumbing Failure

      • ❌ Sewage Backup or Biohazard

      ✅ Must verify a work order was opened, and issue was unresolved that day.

      ⚠️ Minor to Moderate Disruptions (10–20% per affected night)

      Applies to inconveniences that impact comfort but not core livability.

      Refund 10–20% based on impact and delay in resolution:

      • 🔌 Appliance Failure (e.g., oven, fridge, dishwasher)

      • 🚿 Hot water or shower issue (not total plumbing outage)

      • 🧹 Cleaning/Missed Items (only if verified or guest sends photos)

      • 🔐 Lockout issues (delayed entry or key malfunction)

      • 📶 Wi-Fi or TV issues

      🎯 Default to 10% for minor impact, 20% if unresolved longer than 24 hours or multiple issues occurred.

      🌪️ Uncontrollable External Issues (0–5% or future credit)

      Use empathy, but refund only at minimal levels unless directed by leadership.

      Refund 0–5%, or offer a return guest credit if applicable:

      • 🚧 Construction noise nearby

      • 👂 Noisy neighbors

      • ⚡️ Utility company power outages

      • 🌴 Wind/weather interruptions

      • 🐾 Local wildlife or desert pests (if not due to poor upkeep)

      💬 Use these moments to express sincere regret and offer non-cash goodwill gestures (e.g., return guest credit, gift basket, gift card).

      🧠 Quick Reminders

      • Refunds apply only to affected nights (not the entire stay).

      • ACME caps refunds at 25% max per night unless escalated.

      • Do not exceed these ranges without manager approval.

      • Always note the work order(s) and document guest confirmation.

      • Offer a call, not just email/text — tone matters.