Throwing in the towel just because you’re British

What would you do if you knew a customer had stolen a towel? Or a mug, or a pillow? Whilst most successful business owners do not get to where they are by being a pushover, the problem of guests stealing items from their hotel rooms is epidemic in the UK.

Data published this week by flight booking website Just The Flight, suggest that around 43% of Britons admit they ‘would steal’ (read: ‘have stolen’) from a hotel. Of these honest thieves, 60% say that they do it because they ‘do not see it as stealing’. It’s true that many hoteliers do regard it as part of the reality of being an operator – some people are scummy and will load the suitcase with goodies before wheeling out of the reception.

Other revelations from the study, which surveyed 1,000 people, included demographics. Older people are less likely to steal, 25-35s are more likely, suggesting it is a generational thing.

But this means we have an awkward British problem. In polite society, and especially hospitality, we do not like to confront each other for fear of being seen as rude or aggressive – precludes challenging customers over petty issues. Is it really viable to get the housekeepers to report the inventory of a room immediately the room is vacated, then dig out the contact details of the last person who stayed there, ring them up and demand that they return a teaspoon?

One suspects that elsewhere in the world, hoteliers are doing exactly that. The principle of having something stolen – no matter how small – is too offensive to ignore. The pace at which technology in the hotel sector is advancing could mean that one day everything in every room is ‘tagged’ and it’ll be easy to find out when something has been half-inched. But for the time being, being less British and more bullish will mean replenishing that inventory need happen less frequently.