Tweet
I'll try to explain this as clearly as possible.
Some booking websites take down your credit card details to guarantee your reservation but only you are only charged when you check in. Others take the money immediately and the place you stay at charges the company card when you check out.
(we get sent paperwork beforehand to know what to do)
On our credit card machine we have a function called 'pre authorisation'. Basically it's a security deposit done by typing in an amount and running a CC through it. The property holds onto the money for 7 days before it's automatically returned to the owner. It cannot be reversed during that time. This is usually done in case of damages, but we take down guest CC details anyway without charging them anything else so we rarely do the authorisation.
Now to the meat of the problem. (Some moments may be abridged)
I was on morning shift and this guest is checking out. She was a prepaid guest, but she still wanted an invoice for the stay. I tried to tell her that since WE weren't charging her directly but the AGENT was, she had to get an invoice from them. She then changed gears and asked about the authorisation.
It was (insert amount here) yes? Yes
And it won't go back to my account until 7 days right? Right.
The lady went off at me and demanded that we give the money back immediately. I thought something was up, so I checked the pigeonhole with all her documents. There was just the booking note and the check in form, but no receipt indicating a pre-authorisation.
I was trying to remain calm, despite a head cold, and tried to probe so I asked the guest if the clerk from last night ran her card through the machine. I couldn't get a straight answer because she couldn't remember and then went on and on like a broken record asking for the money, so I couldn't really probe any further.
Through all her raving, I picked up that the clerk last night took down her Photo ID detail and CC (standard) but it didn't seem like an authorisation was done. But the guest was still roaring on, so I gave my supervisor a call.
This was a TERRIBLE idea.
I got through and told my supervisor the situation, but she kept talking over me and missing details. She told me if there was a receipt and I said no, so I tried to convince the guest but the left in a huff. I got back on the phone with my supervisor and they started raving on how I didn't know how to use the CC machine without hearing my side of the story, so now I'm stuck doing a crash course on my next shift.
In my defence, I was taught about the authorisation when I first started working here and I may have done one a while ago. I knew what it was, I just didn't know if it spat out a receipt.
Well, that lady did say she would take care of it herself. Hope she has the brains to at least check her bank balance.
(There's no excuse people. You have smart phones with portable internet. USE IT.)
Probably should have kept a cool head, but my cold wasn't having any of that. I can see the one star review coming a mile away.
Also, to my supervisor, please hear out the employee before giving them a lecture. PLEASE.
Some booking websites take down your credit card details to guarantee your reservation but only you are only charged when you check in. Others take the money immediately and the place you stay at charges the company card when you check out.
(we get sent paperwork beforehand to know what to do)
On our credit card machine we have a function called 'pre authorisation'. Basically it's a security deposit done by typing in an amount and running a CC through it. The property holds onto the money for 7 days before it's automatically returned to the owner. It cannot be reversed during that time. This is usually done in case of damages, but we take down guest CC details anyway without charging them anything else so we rarely do the authorisation.
Now to the meat of the problem. (Some moments may be abridged)
I was on morning shift and this guest is checking out. She was a prepaid guest, but she still wanted an invoice for the stay. I tried to tell her that since WE weren't charging her directly but the AGENT was, she had to get an invoice from them. She then changed gears and asked about the authorisation.
It was (insert amount here) yes? Yes
And it won't go back to my account until 7 days right? Right.
The lady went off at me and demanded that we give the money back immediately. I thought something was up, so I checked the pigeonhole with all her documents. There was just the booking note and the check in form, but no receipt indicating a pre-authorisation.
I was trying to remain calm, despite a head cold, and tried to probe so I asked the guest if the clerk from last night ran her card through the machine. I couldn't get a straight answer because she couldn't remember and then went on and on like a broken record asking for the money, so I couldn't really probe any further.
Through all her raving, I picked up that the clerk last night took down her Photo ID detail and CC (standard) but it didn't seem like an authorisation was done. But the guest was still roaring on, so I gave my supervisor a call.
This was a TERRIBLE idea.
I got through and told my supervisor the situation, but she kept talking over me and missing details. She told me if there was a receipt and I said no, so I tried to convince the guest but the left in a huff. I got back on the phone with my supervisor and they started raving on how I didn't know how to use the CC machine without hearing my side of the story, so now I'm stuck doing a crash course on my next shift.
In my defence, I was taught about the authorisation when I first started working here and I may have done one a while ago. I knew what it was, I just didn't know if it spat out a receipt.
Well, that lady did say she would take care of it herself. Hope she has the brains to at least check her bank balance.
(There's no excuse people. You have smart phones with portable internet. USE IT.)
Probably should have kept a cool head, but my cold wasn't having any of that. I can see the one star review coming a mile away.
Also, to my supervisor, please hear out the employee before giving them a lecture. PLEASE.
Comment