these are just from today (aka, why I want to quit, long, rant, language)

[smileyeagle1021]

Today was really bad, this will be long, for your amusement, and my venting, I present to you the following rants

Travel agent needs to learn how to do her job

God how I hate some travel agents (i know, most of them are good hard working people... these aren't the ones calling us)

This TA calls our St Paul East location, asks to speak to the reservation desk, then proceeds to ask what is available at the airport in Houston... first off are you calling the hotel in St Paul for if you need Houston, either call the 800 number of look up the hotels number on the internet. So anyway, here's the conversation

me-
sc-

me- thank you for calling the (hotel) St Paul East reservation desk, this is smileyeagle speaking, may I ask with whom I'm speaking?
sc- this is suckty travel agent with sucky travel, are you able to bring up what's available in houston?
me- yes I can bring up the availability at our houston hotels, and which of our houston hotels will you be reserving at?
sc- one by the airport.
me- and was that Houston Hobby or George Bush International?
sc- either one
me- ma'am the two airports are on opposite sides of the city... are you sure you don't have a preference?
sc- just whichever
me- ok, I'll do the hotel by George Bush (namely because I'm more familiar with the property, less work for me).
round and round we go, we finally figure out which rooms she needs
me- ok, so I'll go ahead and reserve you the two rooms for this upcoming saturday...
sc- ok, thanks, bye

... wtf... do you think she really was so stupid to think that just by saying I'm going to reserve them I'll magically have all the information I need to make the reservation... or even if they do think that I have all the information you'd think that they'd at least know they needed to wait for the confirmation number.

what's funny is that I got her when she called back... she didn't ask why she never got a confirmation number, she just wanted the hotel's direct number...

you're an employee, you should know this

this time the sc is an employee at one of our hotels

sc- I know it's past the deadline, but can I still cancel my reservation?

seriously, you should know that answer, just because you're an employee and an asshole doesn't mean we'll make an exemption for you.

yet another dumb employee

yet another employee called in

se- yeah, I need you to make a reservation for one of my guests.
me- ok, and which nights would they be staying?
se- they'll be checking in on monday, staying 9 nights.
me- and that was at (se's location), correct?
se- yes
so I put in the dates and the hotel code... oops, saturday is sold out
me- i'm sorry, but it looks like the saturday no longer has availability.
se- oh, so that's why my system wouldn't let me book the room

ok seriously, you tried it on your end it didn't work so you thought it would magically work on my end... oh and how the hell do you not know your hotel was sold out on one of the nights after trying it.

know what type of hotel you are calling

now, in the sc's defense, we do have some extended stay properties... this is not one that he called.

me- thank you for calling (hotel) reservation desk, this is smileyeagle speaking, may I ask with whom I'm speaking?
sc- what is your monthly rate?
first, that is not the correct answer to "who am I speaking with", second we are a four star resort property, not an extended stay.
me- i'm sorry but I don't have a monthly rate, let me see what I can do with the nightly rate though.
sc- yeah, I'm checking in friday, what do you have?
me- so it looks like I have a room with a king nonsmoking (sales spiel) and it looks like the best rate I can do is $139 per night
sc- doesn't that seem too expensive for a month?
me- yes, but it seems very reasonable for 28 individual nights at a resort hotel.

seriously, when did it become a requirement for hotels to discount month long stays... just because you are staying a month?

other misc complaints

Ok, no, I didn't sell out the hotel just because I knew you were coming
yes, I need a credit card to hold you a room... it's not that I don't trust you, that's company policy and I'm bound by it as much as you are
God Fucking Damnit I'm not a woman, I have listened to my calls, I know I don't sound like a woman, stop calling me Ma'am
I don't set the rates, and yes, even if I did I think that for the amenities and location it is a fair price.
While on that topic, yes, rates are higher during special events
Oh there is no reason why rates have to be the same every day, rate changes are normal... oh and management reserves the right to change rates at any time... this is why you should reserve early to lock your rate in.
eta- i was so tired I forgot to add this one... don't tell me you want an email copy of your confirmation and when I ask for your email address tell me you don't have one... if you don't have one why the hell did you just ask for a confirmation email?!?!

and yes, all those things have happened to me today... i'm seriously planning on applying other places tomorrow... i've completely burnt out where I am now.

though on the bright side, I found out today that I have one less final to take next week, that should help more than y'all could possibly imagine

[Apathy]

Ok, no, I didn't sell out the hotel just because I knew you were coming.

Yes you did. I know you did. You jerk.

That doesn't sound like an enjoyable day. I'd want out of there too.

[thehippie777]

I am not a fan of Travel Agents merely because they shove their "customers" into whatever room we have left...and apparently believe will will get a guest into a nonsmoking room even if the only thing we've had left for 2 weeks are smoking rooms... Guess who the guest yells at? You win a cookie.

It's for sure not easy being a reservationalist nor a front desk clerk...cuz apparently one should be able to do anything at a moment's notice.

Sometimes I personally have to sit back & realize that only a few people are actually sucky, the rest of the guests are actually manageable.

[marasbaras]

I rarely use a travel agent these days. With all the tools available to us on the Internet, they're complete overkill for my simple needs.

[smileyeagle1021]

Sometimes I personally have to sit back & realize that only a few people are actually sucky, the rest of the guests are actually manageable.

this gives me great faith in my decision to apply at a small mom and pop hotel (i'm kinda hoping my current company doesn't have a non compete clause, because it would be nice to pick up extra hours there as an on call).

hate to say this, we get a disproportionate number of sucky people at the call center because normally the people at the hotel are more willing to work with one of the decent guests than a sucky one who they will immediately send to central... sadly the ones that they are so desperate to get rid of are the ones that can only be helped by someone at the hotel which makes it even harder, because not only does the customer suck, but your sitting there silently agreeing with ever damn thing they say, but you aren't allowed to because that would destroy your credible presence if you were to agree with them that you didn't like the employees at the particular hotel they had called.

[smileyeagle1021]

today isn't looking good

already in the last hour I've had a hotel worker misquote availability, been called ma'am twice, had people say they want an email confirmation without having an email address... and my new favorite, after offering an email confirmation and them declining them later asking, Oh, is it possible to send that by email as well... why yes it is douche, i just offered that 5 seconds ago if you didn't notice.

well, on the bright side, it looks like so far I'm the most qualified person to apply for the night audit position that I'm going for... so wish me luck on that.

[depechemodefan]

eta- i was so tired I forgot to add this one... don't tell me you want an email copy of your confirmation and when I ask for your email address tell me you don't have one... if you don't have one why the hell did you just ask for a confirmation email?!?!

well, on the bright side, it looks like so far I'm the most qualified person to apply for the night audit position that I'm going for... so wish me luck on that.

Goodluck!

[Peppergirl]

I am not a fan of Travel Agents merely because they shove their "customers" into whatever room we have left...and apparently believe will will get a guest into a nonsmoking room even if the only thing we've had left for 2 weeks are smoking rooms... Guess who the guest yells at? You win a cookie.

Excuse me? How would you like it if a Travel agent stood up and generalized about all HOTEL workers?

Guess what? I've been doing this for TWENTY years and I'm damned good at it. Not all of us suck and some of us make a decent living at providing good customer service and helping people make informed choices.

I have NEVER knowingly placed a customer in a smoking/non smoking room (whatever ISNT their preference) without telling them what I've done.

Did you ever stop to think that perhaps a particular customer is, oh I dont know, LYING when they say 'but my TA says....'.

Yeah, 'cuz customers never lie, right?

Case in point: When I was married to my ex husband, I confirmed him and his buddy in a double bedded smoking room for the INDY 500 race. When he arrived, he was told by the hotel clerk that his TRAVEL AGENT had reserved him a KING BEDDED/NON SMOKING room. My ex said that was funny because, the TA was his WIFE and that he was fairly sure she didnt want him sleeping with his buddy. I guess based upon that little incident, I should generalize and decide that all hotel workers suck now, right?

So, on behalf of all good travel agents out there, THANKS to those of you who have roundly decided that my profession is unnecessary and that we suck.

[Peppergirl]

I rarely use a travel agent these days. With all the tools available to us on the Internet, they're complete overkill for my simple needs.

Check back with me the next time one of your 'simple needs' you booked on line results in an issue that you need customer service on. Good luck with that.

[PuckishOne]

Stop this now or this thread is closed.

[smileyeagle1021]

Check back with me the next time one of your 'simple needs' you booked on line results in an issue that you need customer service on. Good luck with that.

ok, kinda acting as the peace keeper... I know how you feel peppergirl... I hear the same thing all the time about how my job is going to be obsolete because of the internet... yet here I am...

and peppergirl I think i speak for most hotel workers when I say that we know most travel agents do a good job... sadly going back to technology and the nature of the work, we almost never work with the good ones on the job (technology has made it so a lot of the time a TA never needs to call a hotel anymore) and as we know, more customers will complain about the ones that screw up than will compliment the ones who do well... so on our end there are days when we truly do have to remember that there are good TAs out there and we just pray we eventually get to talk to one.

I'm sure on your end it is similar, you will almost never hear anyone talking about the good hotel worker but hear them complaining about the bad ones and probably sit there waiting to have someone calling to thank you for booking them at a hotel with good workers

[Peppergirl]

Thanks SE.

I apologize for snapping off in your thread. You've never generalized about TA's ever, and for that I'm appreciative.

Yes, I've dealt with plenty of sucky hotel workers, but I know they are the exception rather than the norm.

Until I joined this forum, I didn't realize how many people disliked travel agents. I'm starting to know how lawyers feel now!

[Brightglaive]

Peppergirl.... I have no problem with travel agents.

And smileyeagle I think my brother worked in the same call center you're in a long time ago (10+ years) if it's the hotel chain I'm thinking of. I got to hear all of his complaints and I let him know mine cause I worked at <major bargain computer company that no longer sells any computers in the US.>

My bro was pretty good at his job and you sound just like him.....

We all have sucky customers and there are a lot of sucky employees. So what am I saying??? You know.... I don't know what I'm trying to say except "Can't we all just get along!!!!"

[Evil Queen]

Poor Smiley. *hugs* I know you hate your job. But you'll get a better, newer, more improved job soon so I'll be a good little girl and wish you luck.


*hugs on Pepper too*
Pepper, I only ever had to deal with a travel agent once but she was very nice and well informed so I base all my TA assumptions on her. The hug is because you needed one.

[thehippie777]

Excuse me? How would you like it if a Travel agent stood up and generalized about all HOTEL workers?

Guess what? I've been doing this for TWENTY years and I'm damned good at it. Not all of us suck and some of us make a decent living at providing good customer service and helping people make informed choices.

I have NEVER knowingly placed a customer in a smoking/non smoking room (whatever ISNT their preference) without telling them what I've done.

Did you ever stop to think that perhaps a particular customer is, oh I dont know, LYING when they say 'but my TA says....'.

Yeah, 'cuz customers never lie, right?

Case in point: When I was married to my ex husband, I confirmed him and his buddy in a double bedded smoking room for the INDY 500 race. When he arrived, he was told by the hotel clerk that his TRAVEL AGENT had reserved him a KING BEDDED/NON SMOKING room. My ex said that was funny because, the TA was his WIFE and that he was fairly sure she didnt want him sleeping with his buddy. I guess based upon that little incident, I should generalize and decide that all hotel workers suck now, right?

So, on behalf of all good travel agents out there, THANKS to those of you who have roundly decided that my profession is unnecessary and that we suck.

I wish more were like you! I have rarely used the "travel agent" excuse...luckily. I tend to blame the evil cooporation or simply tell the truth.

I am sorry if I made a bad generalization, odds are I have gotten the turn over employees that make everyone look bad.

I truly appologize.