SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS Conference Hotel Changes ? You manage a large hotel that is used by organizations and businesses for meetings and conferences. A recent storm has damaged part of your hotel, which means that you have fewer rooms available for

Question

meetings. You now have nearly 20 percent fewer guest rooms for conference participants and four less meeting rooms for smaller sessions. You estimate that room repairs will take nearly a month, but the Association of Intercultural Studies is scheduled to arrive for a three-day conference in two weeks and has booked all the rooms. Now there are not enough rooms for the conference. ? Required: As manager of the hotel, write a letter to the meeting manager for the association. Tell the manager the bad news regarding the damage to the rooms and provide an alternative of using rooms at a nearby hotel.

Answer 1

Write the letter inductively, beginning with a buffer that leads to the reasons for the bad news.
Use a buffer paragraph to introduce the idea that you are looking forward to the arrival of conference attendees in two weeks. Remind the meeting manager that your hotel has an excellent reputation for quality service and an experienced staff to handle large conferences.

Present the facts about the recent storm and how it affected the local area.

Present the bad news of the damage to the hotel, but emphasize the large number of rooms still available for the meeting. Reassure the meeting manager that your staff is prepared to handle changes and that you have already made alternative arrangements.

Explain that a nearby hotel will accommodate the overflow of guests and meetings. Your hotel will provide a free shuttle and reduced room rates for all attendees.

Close with a positive idea that the conference will be a success and that attendees will enjoy their stay at your reputable hotel.

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A proposed solution follows:

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Dear Ms. Chastain:

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It has been over a year since you contracted our hotel for the annual conference of the Association of Intercultural Studies. In two weeks, your conference participants will arrive and will have the opportunity to enjoy our wonderful cuisine, pool and spa, and luxurious accommodations. You have made a great choice in hotels. As you know, we are one of the most highly rated hotels in the city for providing conference facilities.

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We are particularly known for working closely with meeting and event planners to ensure that everything runs smoothly for conferences. Our staff is highly skilled, creative, and can quickly adapt to the frequent changes that come with managing conferences. You now have the best hotel staff in the city ready to make your three-day conference one of the best ever.

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You may have heard about the storm that hit our city this week. We, like many other businesses, suffered some damage to rooms. Thanks to our neighboring Hilton Hotel, we can make alternative arrangements. 20 percent of the participants will be provided rooms in the equally luxurious Hilton Hotel. Our discount rate will apply to these rooms. We have had to relocate four of the meeting room conferences to the Hilton Hotel. The shuttle service will be available regularly to transport your participants between the Hilton and our hotel and will run continually during these sessions.

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We assure you that we are equipped and ready to provide all the services you may need. Call if you have any questions about these changes. We eagerly await the arrival of the guests from the Association of Intercultural Studies. I think they will love our hotel and enjoy the extra amenities of the Hilton which will be available to everyone.

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Sincerely,