My card declined, compensate me.

[dekydrose]

So I recently found out I'm pregnant which means that I am a ball of raging hormones. Yesterday to top it off, I was having a particularly vicious attack of morning sickness/the head cold that I got last time I was pregnant that has decided to befriend me yet again. Bottom line is that yesterday I was NOT in the mood to deal with escalated calls and whiny guests. Yesterday was the day of revenge if you will since I was a bit more harsh than normal with them. This woman is an idiot....

Me: Senior Case Manager, this is dekydrose, how can I help you, Ms. Smith?
SC: Have you read the case notes?
Me: Yes I have...I understand that you had booked a reservation through priceline for one night at the Holiday Inn express San Francisco, CA. When you arrived, your card declined to authorize for incidentals. You had the hotel contact your bank, you spoke to your bank and transferred funds over, and then your card went through. To compensate you, the hotel upgraded you to a junior suite. From what I understand, you have booked a second reservation through priceline today for tonight and the hotel has advised you will need to switch rooms to the room typed booked through priceline as they are sold out of the suites.
SC: Ya...let me tell you about this. So first off, they TELL me that my card declined. That was SO embarrassing. I mean, they were SO RUDE to me...they told me that my card declined in front of my friend. Now, they never told me that if I wished to extend my stay, the room type may or may not be available. Now they want me to move rooms to a "standard" room. I REFUSE to move. REFUSE. I was put into this room to compensate for their incredibly poor customer service skills and now they want to move me? I used to be a General Manager for the Express in Lodi, CA. I DEMAND to be kept in this room.
M: Ok....So they put you in a suite for the problems you experienced last night. Your reservation was for one night. You decided to stay an additional night today and you're upset that they won't extend you in your room because they are sold out?
SC: Yes.
Me: Well, if the hotel does not have the suite available, they don't have it available. In addition, it doesn't make sense for the hotel to compensate you for both nights.
SC: Well...what are you going to do for me?
Me: I will NOT provide you compensation.
SC: Why not?
Me: It is not warranted.
SC: WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT IS NOT WARRANTED?!?!?! I BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH ENTITTLEMENT WHORE BLAH BLAH BLAH (she was screaming like a banshee so I could not understand her. Finally I cut her off)
Me: The hotel should not have compensated you to begin with. YOUR card declined. It is YOUR responsibility as a consumer to have funds on YOUR card. As a former General Manager you are aware of this. I will absolutely NOT compensate you in any way, shape or form and I will call the hotel and advise that I do not feel compensation is necessary.
SC: But...
Me: No. YOUR card declined. You stated the hotel was rude because they told you this in front of your friend. What are they supposed to do? Write it on a note and pass it over the desk? Your attitude has been horrible and I will NOT tolerate it anymore.
SC: I want to talk to your manager.
Me: She will have to call you back then. What's the best number?
SC: The hotel.
M: And...your room?
SC: 301.
Me: Ok. My manager will give you a call back.
SC: and if she can't get me to stay in this room, i'll take it above her head and her head and..
Me: *click*

I HATE guests at hotels....i don't know HOW hotel workers deal with them in person. If it wasn't for the mute button, I'd go insane.

[Chanlin]

Wait, let me get this straight, the hotel compensated her the first time around for the "inconvenience" caused by her credit card declining. Now I realize sometimes it could be the hotels system that caused it to decline, but they verified it declined due to lack of funds... and they still compensated her? Can someone explain that decision to me.

I applaud you sticking to your guns.

And OT congrats on the new baby on the way

[digilight]

She's bragging about being the GM for a express in Lodi, (Lodi is a little rinky dink town that is but a wart compared to San Francisco). That would be like me compairing my shop to Kinko's, I would get laughed at for it.

Oh yeah, and she's a gigantic stinky hole too.

[Aethian]

Congrats on keeping your cool and on the up and coming arrival.

I can't believe that EW was so sure of her suppority she needs to be taken down even more pegs then this.

[tropicsgoddess]

I call bullshit on the SC's claim that she was the former GM of a Lodi hotel. Why is it that the biggest SC's and EW's always claim that they were in management in some customer service sector job?!! Kudos to sticking your guns,but I still can't believe that the hotel compensated that SC when HER card declined. Congrats on your pending special delivery!

[powerboy]

I used to be a General Manager for the Express in Lodi, CA. I DEMAND to be kept in this room.

I am basically down the street from Lodi, CA.

1. Not all of us Northern, CA peeps is bad people. She is one of the few
2. She is just a jackass

[Bright_Star]

Since when is having a credit card declined supposed to be a big bad secret that the merchant is required to whisper to you? That happens all the time.

[karma_gypsy]

SC: Well...what are you going to do for me?
Me: I will NOT provide you compensation.

PWND!!!

[bainsidhe]

(she was screaming like a banshee so I could not understand her. Finally I cut her off)

~blink blink~ Wait, but...that's my name. Well, different spelling so...hmmm. I swear it wasn't me.

[dekydrose]

As to why the hotel compensated her to begin with, the management told me it was because the front desk clerk was a timid 80 year old woman who doesn't do well with people getting in her face. Apparently the SC caused a huge scene and was screaming at the poor woman...to top it off...the hotel manager had to discipline the desk clerk for providing this guest compensation for no reason. =/.

[Hyndis]

Since when is having a credit card declined supposed to be a big bad secret that the merchant is required to whisper to you? That happens all the time.

I've had cashiers hand me a note to let me know that my PIN number was entered incorrectly. I'm not sure why they have to do that, putting a piece of paper into the register printer to print out the message for me, particularly considering how easy it is to enter the wrong PIN number. A lot of those screens are very badly calibrated, such that when you go to push one number it'll push a completely different number.

[smileyeagle1021]

I HATE guests at hotels....i don't know HOW hotel workers deal with them in person. If it wasn't for the mute button, I'd go insane.

by remembering that I have a computer that works, a phone that works, the ability to do homework on the clock, and not having to deal with the MACRO TMs BS on maintaining credible presence (no I'm not bitter about my time in the call center, why do you ask )

oh and at least that hotel apparently dealt with it by pawning it off on you

I however deal with these people without problem because on most of my shifts I'm acting manager on duty and people understand that if I can't do it whining to corporate won't get them anything because guess who corp will call

eta- in response to the desk clerk getting in trouble... *does happy dance* can I get the assman in trouble for her lack of spine now

[Evil Queen]

Well Deky, since no one else said it; congrats on being preggers. I hope your spawn is as awesome as you are!

The nice thing about dealing with your guests in person is if they get to be really belligerent, you can kick them out and refuse to do business with them.

[BroSCFischer]

I HATE guests at hotels....i don't know HOW hotel workers deal with them in person. If it wasn't for the mute button, I'd go insane.

I find that maintaining a smile, even though the "guest" is being a nut, usually drives them out of their mind, and makes my smile bigger.

And once they cross the line, I don't have to sell them a room. Negotiations are at MY discretion, and I won't go lower than I think you deserve, nor so low that my boss yells at me.

SC

[burnedout]

I kind of wish my current job were like that hotel, where I wouldn't always have to be scared of being fired for doing my job.