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About a year ago I took a trip to Philly and then Washington DC to visit friends and generally get away from it all. In Washington we stayed at this hotel just off the highway which was very recently renovated from the inside out. It was so recent that Expedia had pictures from before the renovation, so we were pleasantly surprised at the cleaner look and that nice "new carpet" smell when we arrived.
I guess they also updated their computer systems because the front desk clerk was a little slow on it, and explained to us she had just been trained on the new reservation system and asked us for our patience. Being good customers we were perfectly understanding and didn't fret about it.
Our accomodations were your typical run-of-the-mill standard quality three-star hotel; no pool or valet, a standard two queen-sized beds with basic cable, just enough that's necessary to sleep, which is what we were perfectly satisfied with. We weren't in DC to stay at a resort, we were in DC to explore the nation's capital, and the hotel was appropriately priced for what it was, and thus we were satisfied customers. If there was anything I'd complain about, it was that the continental breakfast wasn't free and was way overpriced for the basic food you'd get, but hey, we have legs, we'll just walk to the nearby IHOP for something else.
On our last day, while I was waiting in line to checkout, the woman ahead of me was livid about her entire experience. She was talking on the cellphone to someone, and from what I gather, it was probably her boss or someone in her company who gave her these "abysmal accomodations".
EW: "I am totally dissatisfied and above all insulted that you guys would put me in this dump! The clerks up front don't know what to do... yes, they are computer ILLITERATE. The clerk said she was having a problem running my credit card because the computer was slow! ...uh huh... yeah, and I have to tell you about the MOOOLD in this place. It's ALL OVER THE PLACE"
The place was so new there wasn't a chance there could be mold. She was either hallucinating, mistaken, or just plain lying.
"And get this: The so-called breakfast is $15 per person, and all they had were bagels! And they close their breakfast at 10!"
Oh, the humanity! Most hotels I've been at close their breakfast before 10. And besides, what are you doing getting breakfast at 10? You're on a business trip! Aren't you supposed to be in the office by now? I do agree their breakfast was overpriced, but it's nothing to blow your top over. Go someplace else!
"And the air conditioner was so loud, I couldnt' sleep! It was the worst night I've ever had!"
Yes, the A/C was loud. It was one of those typical units that rested under the window and like many of the sort, they tended to be loud. But for me it's white noise. I'm still able to get to sleep and that noise is better than the alternative, sweating in bed.
"It didn't help I had heartburn."
Now you're just being supremely idiotic. How on earth is your heartburn the hotel's fault? Did you pack antacids? I sometimes get heartburn myself, so I always remember to pack Tums.
Now, keep in mind, she's still in line, talking in front of the clerk. I'm trying to kind of motion to the clerk that I'm waiting to checkout, but she looks at me and shrugs her shoulders. I can't be served at the moment until this biatch gets off the phone. I'm like wtf, but whatever. At that point she interrupts,
"Excuse me, are you thinking about casting me aside so you don't have to worry about me anymore? You've got some nerve. Let that guy wait for me to finish or get someone else to come help him, if you can help him."
I'm starting to get huffy, and I can feel myself becoming an SC. I'm a patient guy and usually good natured, but I really needed to checkout because we needed to drive 12 hours back home and I wanted a headstart to beat the rush hour traffic in Baltimore. My impatience was more directed towards this EW than the clerk, but I really wished the clerk was able to get EW off her case. She's still on the phone with her employer...
"Listen, you're going to correct this for me. I'm not going to stay another minute in this heap of crap, and you're going to give me a suite with something more than just a bed and a toilet. If you don't do it, there will be hell to pay."
At this point she angrily hangs up the phone and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. She then faces the clerk.
EW: "Okay, look, frankly, I don't give a shit if you don't refund my night because that's [employer]'s business. But you're going to have to do something to make up for my horrible night."
Clerk: "What I can do is discuss this with my manager."
EW: "And where is he?! He's supposed to be here, isn't he?"
Clerk: "I'm the manager on duty, but only the general manager can approve special cases such as this."
EW: "I have trouble believing this is a 'special' case! I think there must be hundreds of other customers you've had to deal with who had the same problems."
Clerk: "To be honest, most of our customers are satisfied with our rooms. We finished our renovations this past month and customers actually reported--"
EW: "I don't believe you. There was mold in the bathroom. MOLD."
Clerk: "Okay, well, I apologize that your room did not meet your expectations. The general manager is scheduled to come in at 12 noon today and--"
EW: "I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG! I HAVE TO VISIT MY CLIENT AT 9 AM!"
Clerk: "Ma'am, you do not have to be here when he arrives. I have your phone number, and I have logged your complaints and will discuss them with him and see what we can do."
EW: "You had BETTER bend over backwards to make up for my troubles here. If you don't, I'll be forced to take it to the next level."
Clerk: "Okay. Well, until the manager comes, this is the best I can say at this moment. Let me finish your transaction."
EW: "FINE."
The clerk does something on the computer and then gives her some paperwork.
FINALLY the idiot leaves the lobby. I could tell the clerk needed to take a break to unwind from that. I tried to be as pleasant as possible, and the clerk greatly apologized for making me see that and said she really could not assist me while she was even on the phone because she was in the middle of the transaction and if she canceled out she would have to spend a few minutes reconstructing it, which is why she had to shrug her shoulders back then. I could totally understand that if EW was finished with her call and found she needed to redo everything, it would make things even worse.
I could tell the clerk was on the verge of tears or possibly physical violence. I assured her that, having worked behind a counter before, I totally understood where she was coming from.
Man, I hate SCs. Even if their complaints are valid and acceptable, it's still no reason to be rude and scream at clerk.
I guess they also updated their computer systems because the front desk clerk was a little slow on it, and explained to us she had just been trained on the new reservation system and asked us for our patience. Being good customers we were perfectly understanding and didn't fret about it.
Our accomodations were your typical run-of-the-mill standard quality three-star hotel; no pool or valet, a standard two queen-sized beds with basic cable, just enough that's necessary to sleep, which is what we were perfectly satisfied with. We weren't in DC to stay at a resort, we were in DC to explore the nation's capital, and the hotel was appropriately priced for what it was, and thus we were satisfied customers. If there was anything I'd complain about, it was that the continental breakfast wasn't free and was way overpriced for the basic food you'd get, but hey, we have legs, we'll just walk to the nearby IHOP for something else.
On our last day, while I was waiting in line to checkout, the woman ahead of me was livid about her entire experience. She was talking on the cellphone to someone, and from what I gather, it was probably her boss or someone in her company who gave her these "abysmal accomodations".
EW: "I am totally dissatisfied and above all insulted that you guys would put me in this dump! The clerks up front don't know what to do... yes, they are computer ILLITERATE. The clerk said she was having a problem running my credit card because the computer was slow! ...uh huh... yeah, and I have to tell you about the MOOOLD in this place. It's ALL OVER THE PLACE"
The place was so new there wasn't a chance there could be mold. She was either hallucinating, mistaken, or just plain lying.
"And get this: The so-called breakfast is $15 per person, and all they had were bagels! And they close their breakfast at 10!"
Oh, the humanity! Most hotels I've been at close their breakfast before 10. And besides, what are you doing getting breakfast at 10? You're on a business trip! Aren't you supposed to be in the office by now? I do agree their breakfast was overpriced, but it's nothing to blow your top over. Go someplace else!
"And the air conditioner was so loud, I couldnt' sleep! It was the worst night I've ever had!"
Yes, the A/C was loud. It was one of those typical units that rested under the window and like many of the sort, they tended to be loud. But for me it's white noise. I'm still able to get to sleep and that noise is better than the alternative, sweating in bed.
"It didn't help I had heartburn."
Now you're just being supremely idiotic. How on earth is your heartburn the hotel's fault? Did you pack antacids? I sometimes get heartburn myself, so I always remember to pack Tums.
Now, keep in mind, she's still in line, talking in front of the clerk. I'm trying to kind of motion to the clerk that I'm waiting to checkout, but she looks at me and shrugs her shoulders. I can't be served at the moment until this biatch gets off the phone. I'm like wtf, but whatever. At that point she interrupts,
"Excuse me, are you thinking about casting me aside so you don't have to worry about me anymore? You've got some nerve. Let that guy wait for me to finish or get someone else to come help him, if you can help him."
I'm starting to get huffy, and I can feel myself becoming an SC. I'm a patient guy and usually good natured, but I really needed to checkout because we needed to drive 12 hours back home and I wanted a headstart to beat the rush hour traffic in Baltimore. My impatience was more directed towards this EW than the clerk, but I really wished the clerk was able to get EW off her case. She's still on the phone with her employer...
"Listen, you're going to correct this for me. I'm not going to stay another minute in this heap of crap, and you're going to give me a suite with something more than just a bed and a toilet. If you don't do it, there will be hell to pay."
At this point she angrily hangs up the phone and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. She then faces the clerk.
EW: "Okay, look, frankly, I don't give a shit if you don't refund my night because that's [employer]'s business. But you're going to have to do something to make up for my horrible night."
Clerk: "What I can do is discuss this with my manager."
EW: "And where is he?! He's supposed to be here, isn't he?"
Clerk: "I'm the manager on duty, but only the general manager can approve special cases such as this."
EW: "I have trouble believing this is a 'special' case! I think there must be hundreds of other customers you've had to deal with who had the same problems."
Clerk: "To be honest, most of our customers are satisfied with our rooms. We finished our renovations this past month and customers actually reported--"
EW: "I don't believe you. There was mold in the bathroom. MOLD."
Clerk: "Okay, well, I apologize that your room did not meet your expectations. The general manager is scheduled to come in at 12 noon today and--"
EW: "I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG! I HAVE TO VISIT MY CLIENT AT 9 AM!"
Clerk: "Ma'am, you do not have to be here when he arrives. I have your phone number, and I have logged your complaints and will discuss them with him and see what we can do."
EW: "You had BETTER bend over backwards to make up for my troubles here. If you don't, I'll be forced to take it to the next level."
Clerk: "Okay. Well, until the manager comes, this is the best I can say at this moment. Let me finish your transaction."
EW: "FINE."
The clerk does something on the computer and then gives her some paperwork.
FINALLY the idiot leaves the lobby. I could tell the clerk needed to take a break to unwind from that. I tried to be as pleasant as possible, and the clerk greatly apologized for making me see that and said she really could not assist me while she was even on the phone because she was in the middle of the transaction and if she canceled out she would have to spend a few minutes reconstructing it, which is why she had to shrug her shoulders back then. I could totally understand that if EW was finished with her call and found she needed to redo everything, it would make things even worse.
I could tell the clerk was on the verge of tears or possibly physical violence. I assured her that, having worked behind a counter before, I totally understood where she was coming from.
Man, I hate SCs. Even if their complaints are valid and acceptable, it's still no reason to be rude and scream at clerk.
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