Divas

[Desk clerk knows all]

I had 2 taxis scheduled for the airport, one for 5:00AM and one for 5:15AM. At 4:45AM the cab company calls and said they had a cab break down, so they were short a taxi and could I see if the 5:15 people would be willing to go with the 5AM people.
So I call the room and explain the situation and ask if they could leave 15 minutes earlier, and she just rudely says "NO" and slams down the phone.
The cab takes the 5AM people and another cab comes at 5:15, at 5:20 the guest still hadn't come to the lobby, so I call the room and tell them their taxi was here, she just says "fine" and slams down the phone again.
They finally come down to the desk at 5:35, it was these two ladies all done up with perfect make-up and hair, and you could just tell they thought their shit didn't stink.
She then spent another 10 minutes yelling at me because I had ask her to leave 15 minutes early and if they had wanted to leave at 5 they would have scheduled their taxi for 5. And because of this she thought I should give her a discount. I probably would not have given her a discount anyway, but even if I had wanted to I couldn't because she had booked and paid through Expedia. She of course thought that was ridiculous. Then she complained that the heater was loud and they could hear the people above walking around. Finally she just said she'd take it up with Expedia, and finally got into her cab 30 minutes late.
We pay for the Taxi so I wish I could have charged her extra for making the taxi wait.

[Argabarga]

So, giving someone an option, which they are allowed to and in fact do decline, means a discount?

By that logic I should get a discount when I eat out because the waiter made some suggestions other that what I chose

[bainsidhe]

After she said "Fine" and slammed down the phone, I would've waited two minutes and then called back to tell them the taxi couldn't wait and was leaving NOW. I'd also mention that your company paid for a 5:15 pickup and once the taxi leaves, the customer will have to arrange their own transportation.

[emax4]

Yeah.. if she was bitching at you while the cab was waiting, I would have called the cab company and said, "You know what? Nevermind, We don't need a taxi.."

[Merriweather]

Quoth Desk clerk knows all

We pay for the Taxi so I wish I could have charged her extra for making the taxi wait.

That's exactly what I was thinking, until I read the last line. Too bad policy can't be changed to cover the taxi only for the fare to the airport, SC's responsible for the taxi, with meter running, from scheduled time until they actually show up.

Cause someone is getting screwed when an SC is that late. If the Taxi charges by the hour or runs the meter from the arranged time, the hotel is having to pay extra. And if the Taxi doesn't charge the hotel extra, then the Taxi company is losing money on the time spent sitting waiting instead of getting other fares. And in both cases, the poor Taxi driver loses money over the extra tips he'd make with more fares instead of sitting there waiting.

[Kittish]

Quoth Merriweather

Cause someone is getting screwed when an SC is that late. If the Taxi charges by the hour or runs the meter from the arranged time, the hotel is having to pay extra. And if the Taxi doesn't charge the hotel extra, then the Taxi company is losing money on the time spent sitting waiting instead of getting other fares. And in both cases, the poor Taxi driver loses money over the extra tips he'd make with more fares instead of sitting there waiting.

Plus, I guarantee you that those... erm... females... did NOT tip the driver, and quite probably treated him (or her) with the same condescension they showed to Desk clerk.

[Raveni]

Yeah, how DOES that work? As part of the money for the Expedia package you get, you have to taxi them back to the airport? What restrictions are on that if the customer was an hour or two late? Just suck it up and call another taxi?

[PepperElf]

Quoth emax4

Yeah.. if she was bitching at you while the cab was waiting, I would have called the cab company and said, "You know what? Nevermind, We don't need a taxi.."

yep. her fault for being a cunt after all
so let them get their own cab. or walk.