I have attended International Conference held during Nov 28 to 1 Dec. in Sheraton Walker Hill. This conference held biannually in Seoul normal attendees are around 1,800 to 2,000. This year was half of the number though. Family with attendees were assigned to stay at Lotte Hotel World Jamsil, this year. Conference organizers provided us the information about the group conference room booking rate for one week before and after the conference. This group rate, what I understand is agreed much before between sales representation of hotels and conference organizers, that is why conference attendees provided written information.

When I and my husband checked in on 8:00 pm. 26 Nov 2022. A male clerk in front desk advised other booking rate than I got informed, but we checked in anyway, we believe we can fix this misinformation of the clerks, because we have written information from the conference organizer. After little chat with some of conference attendees, I enquired front desk about the room rate again, one day before check-out. Same male clerk responded in Korean to me. My husband is an English speaker, but he could not understand him. "it is confirmed rate from sales manager. But, It is weekend rate, if your disagree with the rate, get your organizer, not with front desk. His English was pretty bad for front desk information staff working at International hotel and attitude was pretty rude, perhaps not respectful to group booking stayers. But for sure, he will be very rude to local Korean people as well. He was not informative, not helpful for hotel customers, and even with rude attitude "As I said this rate to you, this room rate will be fixed. I will not consult to senior manager or whoever other associate reps, in the hotel. So you are the one who bring your organizer's referral or opinion"

Same night of 30 Nov, I contacted a female clerk again, her response was she does not know, but there is message saying that this price is confirmed and fixed by sales reps. So she will have sales reps to call our room, she asked about our sleep time and wake-up time. But it did not happened until we check out. If she could not reach one, she should have informed us about her efforts at least. This female staff looked not so well trained form the team.

In the midday when I checked out, a front desk clerks still said it is confirmed price, they cannot change the system! What a poor excuse on the contrary to their inefficiency and rude attitude. If the clerk has lower level of data entry access, if required, by permission of supervisor or other team consultation, they can fix new data. This customer has agreed written information between hotel sales reps and conference organizer. But this was not the case of system fixed room rate, as soon as the organizer call the front desk staff, she straight away fixed the rate with the contact details of the organizer.

What I found issues of front team in Lotte Hotel World

1. Integrity issue: "I cannot change the system data, this is fixed by somebody else"
2. Authority Issue: "But, I do not want to discuss with this to supervisor or whoever within the Hotel"
3. Misinformation: "there is group booking information, but I do not want to read thoroughly and I do not care to deliver misinformation, as long as I over-charge it is better than under-charge.
4. Authority and Rude Manner Issue "Because I said this rate to you, this is fixed rate in system and this is confirmed price from manager. I saw the written information from the organizer's,, but you group booking stayers has to put the organizer's on the phone to me. Otherwise you will pay the room rate what I said. This is my sole authority"

I hope this unpleasant customer service skills should be revised, if possible, corrected. I still do not understand why Lotte Hotel World has given the powerful sole authority to the male front desk clerk not even a higher level of position.