It’s the best of times and the worst of times for frequent business travelers. On one hand, CBS Marketwatch reports that hotels are following airlines and introducing radical cutbacks in service. There are fewer people staffing the front desk when you check in and also fewer working valet parking and bell service. Once you finally manage to get checked in and get your bags, you may find that the business center and gym are closed for the day and that room service shut down 20 minutes ago.

Travelers are caught in a sheer numbers crunch. According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, hotels are facing the lowest occupancy rate (59.2 percent) since 1971, and the rooms that are occupied are selling for less. The hotels are trying to recoup those losses by cutting services, especially for late-night arrivals. In 2002, 60 percent of U.S. hotels eliminated jobs and shifts and cut back on how long restaurants and other facilities are open.

The result is that in more expensive hotels there may not be a doorman to help hail a cab, you’ll wait longer for laundry pick up and package delivery, and niceties like turn-down service with chocolates on the pillow are often a thing of the past. In cheaper hotels, you may have to make a special request to have your towels and linens changed daily.

So exactly where does the “best of times” part come in? It can be tough to remember this as you’re standing in the rain waiting for the combination valet attendant/doorman/security guard to bring your car, but the hotels need you more than you need them. In other words, complain. If you return at the end of the day to find your room isn’t made up, don’t chew out the overworked housekeeping staff, but rather make a direct call to the general manager. In a hotel that’s only 60 percent full, the odds are high you will receive a room upgrade. If you wait 90 minutes for room service, you should get the meal for free.

One key to successful complaining is to go straight to the top. Even if they express regret for your inconvenience, a parking attendant, waiter, or desk clerk can offer very little in the way of compensation. The general manager, on the other hand, has the power to offer you compensation at once. It’s also important to address the issue immediately; a well-worded letter once you return home won’t get you much more than a well-worded apology.

Personal coach Talane Miedaner, author of Coach Yourself to Success (Contemporary Books, 2000), writes that you can say almost anything as long as you say it in a neutral tone of voice. Ranters and ravers are quickly discounted, but if you stay calm, they’ll hear you out. And Miedaner advises you to turn your complaint into a request. Tell the manager exactly what you’d like, and as long as the request is reasonable, it will likely be granted.