To wonder wtf is going on with Premier Inn?

[CristosBreakfastPie]

I remember when Premier inn were a company with amazing customer service. The quality was very consistent, and you could pretty much guarantee a clean room, a good breakfast, and even a refund if there were any issues (there were rarely ANY) .Premier inn was a brilliant, yet affordable option for families.
Lately I’ve had to stay in a few for work, and the experience has been nightmarish. But it seems I’m not alone. Typing #premierinn into Twitter reveals an endless stream of horror stories, really dangerous oversights (hygiene and health and safety), and absolute failures of basic customer service standards.
My personal experience was horrible enough (bed bug infestation in the room 🤢🤢🤢), but it seems this is far from unique … there are countless TripAdvisor posts with photographs of bugs and bites, all with generic responses from whitbread.. "we’ll get back to you about this shortly" type responses. And it doesn’t stop at bugs. Filth, doors that don’t lock, disregard for fire safety regs, mould…. It just goes on and on.
Premier inn has ways to make complaints, including an online form and a customer services line. But none of them are working. They occasionally (once a fortnight )engage with the Twitter dm function, but only to request more information and prolong the complaints procedure.
Even the hotels themselves no longer seems to answer calls at all ?
What is going on at Premier inn???

I think people who turn to vent their frustration on Twitter do so because they’ve exhausted other avenues and received no response?
I don't think is necessarily the case, it might be in some cases but I think a lot of people's default position is to take straight to social media. The number of things that get posted on local facebook groups that should be a phone call to the police or answered with a quick google is ridiculous. A lot of younger people in particular are really reluctant to talk to people face to face (ever tried to get a graduate in their 20's to make a phone call??) so I suspect they wouldn't complain at reception. I stayed in a new PI recently that didn't even have a reception, just self check-in machines.

Why would you not speak to the manager at the hotel if you had any issues?

When I stayed in the summer holidays in the UK mine was incredibly reasonably priced. I definitely couldnt afford to stay anywhere else other than Premier Inn or Travelodge, have you seen other hotel prices? I guess they all vary on price as some places are in higher demand than others and you pay for location perhaps? They are businesses so I think if people are paying the prices thats fair surely. I think they are brilliant and they make holidaying affordable and have never had a problem or complaint to make.

I stayed in the Glasgow city centre one on Monday and saw none of this, got a Premier Plus room for £36. Bargain,

I have to say the staff in my most recent hotel were hardworking and mostly lovely. But it seems they have to run every complaint by their evasive ‘head office’ customer service team, who are simply unavailable and evasive.
I’d also say they were limited in resources and used to apologising and minimising the state of the hotel, which was desperately in need of serious renovations.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy the manager was unavailable. I was assured he would call me . Several times. Still waiting.

I'd say staffing plays a big part in it too. I recently stayed at a Doubletree by Hilton and it was woeful. From reception to an utterly shambolic breakfast where people couldn't find, or be provided with, coffee/tea; bread for toasting; milk for cereal. Hospitality has of course primarily be staffed by people from EU member states, well-trained, highly motivated. None of the British staff were, in my opinion.

I have used them for years. I am disabled, with two disabled kids.

In June we stayed in Milton Keynes. Hotel rammed. Sat night, lots of groups of young people, partying.
We were locked out of our room about 6pmdue to a 'fault with the keycard system'. We were told to wait outside our door whilst they fixed it. The 5 men in the room next door came out and noticed us. They were already slightly drunk. They told us to 'get some rest now as you won't sleep tonight, we are partying hard' When I didn't 'banter back# they became verbally aggressive & scared kids.
It took an hour to get into our room during which we had to go down to reception 3 times to try to resolve it. Whilst there I asked the manager if we could change room. She said she'd speak to the men. I said it might escalate things. an hour later I was in the lift alone and one of the me threatened me for 'snitching on him'. I was scared. I reported this but was told 'there was nothing they could do: best to just stay in your room and phone the Police if you are really worried.'. They offered us a free breakfast. We stayed locked in and ordered a pizza delivery to the room so we could eat without having to leave. We got no sleep. Th My prepaid breakfast 'was not able to be refunded'. I called when I got home and complained. 3 weeks later someone called me back and said that it was 'not their fault'.
I said that if we had not been locked out of our room then it might only have been broken sleep, not also threats and verbal and physical intimidation of a solo disabled women (on double crutches) and two disabled kids. The PI Cusomer Service person said they'd look into it and call back. They didn't. I got £33 refund 2 months later. Not impressed. I have always felt safe before.

Premier inn have been particularly hit by Brexit because they directly employ their housekeeping staff, so not just a case of bringing in another agency.

Their pricing algorithm hasn’t changed so a lot of hotels were considerably cheaper due to lower occupancy this year.

I’ve not had any problems in any of the ones we’ve stayed in recently.

None of the British staff were, in my opinion

That's quite offensive! I can assure you I am motivated, well-trained, intelligent and experienced. I am one person though and when I am a receptionist, a housekeeper and a waitress, I am spreading myself quite thinly for minimum wage!

I agree. We have one on the coast nearby that we've used a lot. Got a standard response when I complained. Broken outer door (anyone could have walked in) two very thin pillows on a double bed, generally very tatty, even the newest bit of the hotel.

@Queen, that was my personal experience and perception. You are not in a position to gainsay it.

Nobody actually wants to listen to the reasons do they. Just rant. Ok. Tweet the CEO of Whitbread then.

As an aside to the person who asked why I didn’t speak to the manager, am I the only woman who now slightly fears being branded ‘a Karen’ when asking to speak to a manager ?!
I always assume that most members of staff in an organisation know how to escalate a complaint to the relevant senior, depending on the seriousness of the situation…
I spoke to reception. They gave me a complaints form which I filled .They told me the manager would call me. He never.

[quote midsomermurderess]@Queen, that was my personal experience and perception. You are not in a position to gainsay it.[/quote]
You're quite used to talking down to people you perceive beneath you, aren't you? "Gainsay"? What year is it?!! I think people just say contradict nowadays...Let me doff my cap and slink away.

As an aside to the person who asked why I didn’t speak to the manager, am I the only woman who now slightly fears being branded ‘a Karen’ when asking to speak to a manager ?!

That would have been me.

If you can't talk to the manager, you ask to speak to the assistant manager. Or the team leader or WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE. Stop being fobbed off.

On average DH stays in Premier Inns more nights a week than he stays at home and has rarely had cause for complaint. The few issues he has had have been resolved quickly.

I spoke to the person ‘in charge’.
She referred my complaint to head office.

@QueenofKattegat why are they cutting staff? Cost cutting?

This is the only way you can contact them via email (as they don’t answer the phone).

They will apparently reply within 35 days!

They no longer have cheap labour from abroad. English people don't want that kind of work and won't accept shit pay and conditions.

@Howshouldibehaveit has been more than 35 days since I did just that!

@ Shehasadiamondinthesky I don’t agree. My late teens son and many of his friends work in hospitality while they study. They’ll take any work that pays really… loads of people will.

I think many, many Brits work for shit pay and shit conditions , especially our young people.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

Why would you not speak to the manager at the hotel if you had any issues?

They just direct you to the online form. We were given a card with the details on of how to complain to head office