Tweet
I work in a mid-sized independent hotel in a vacation area. So, it being Spring Break for many people, we're starting to see a raise in guests. This is always such a double-edged sword. More people means more money and more business. But, it also means a better chance of seeing awful people. I had two cases tonight that, I'm sure, have raised my blood pressure.
***Our hotel policy is we must receive either an authorization for the full stay (or $1,000.00 whichever is lower) on a credit card or the full stay (or $1,000.00 whichever is lower) and a $250.00 deposit in cash. This is because we advertise as a smoke-free pet-free hotel and we get a lot of people with allergies and breathing difficulty. The cost to clean a room that was smoked in (or another other strange smells) is 250.00, it's not just an arbitrarily large amount.***
The First
A couple walks in, full of smiles and cheer. They ask about a room and tell me how they want to get away from our nearest Big City for the weekend. I quote a rate and they don't immediately walk away, which is a good sign. We go over room specifics and hotel amenities and then, it seems, we're all set. I've made a reservation, printed their registration card and they are pulling out their wallets. But, as soon as the cash comes out, I let them know our policy on cash.
"Just to let you know, if you are going to pay in cash only, I will need the full amount plus 250.00 for a security deposit."
Their jaws drop. It's as if I had just murdered a kitten in front of them. The cash immediately gets put away.
"Why the hell would you need all that money? Do we even get any of it back?"
"Yes, you would get the 250.00 back after we confirm the room is in good condition and smoke-free. It's merely a safety deposit."
"I don't get it. I want to stay here and give you my hard-earned money and that's not good enough for you, is it?"
The couple walked out of the door never to be seen again (Well, I hope anyway.)
The Second
The second guest began much like the first, in good spirits. Sadly for them, it seems my job today is dissappointing people. So, we go through the standard procedures. I am mostly through the check-in process when I hit the tinsiest little snag. His credit card is declining. I let the guest know and ask if he'd like to try another card (He already mentioned not knowing which card to put this on.) We try the second which also declines.
Guest: (While smiling still) "Well, it'll be there in the morning. It just takes a while to go through, you know?"
Me: "I'm sorry sir, I really must get an authorization before I can check you in."
Guest: "Well, what am I supposed to do?"
Me: "Do you have any other forms of payment?"
The guest begins pulling cash out of his pocket. Now he's pissed and I know that nothing good can happen from this point on.
Me: "Just to let you know, with cash we do need to have an additional 250.00 for a security deposit."
Guest: "You've gotta be kidding me! If I had known all this, I wouldn't have made the reservations. They should have told me on the phone before I left my house 3 hours ago."
Me: "I'm very sorry sir. This is just standard procedure for us."
Guest: "Ok, well let me get my parents on the phone and they can give you their card. (By the way, the guy has to be at least 40 with his own kids and wife waiting)"
Me: "Alright, if we're using their card I can fax them over our credit card authorization form and we'll just need a copy front and back of their credit card and ID"
Guest: "No f***ing way! This is ridiculous!"
Another minute is spent by the guest randomly either cussing or blaming us while pounding his fist on the counter. I'm standing their, smiliing, genuinely concerned that this will escalate into him getting physical. Then, he grabs all his things and walks out saying he will be back.
After he left I went through everything in my mind. The guest was upset because 1.) We didn't tell him over the phone that he would need money to stay here. And 2.) That I didn't trust him that he had money after his credit cards all declined. This is one of those cases when you sort of hope the guest will complain to your supervisors because the claims are so laughingly strange, nobody will take him seriously.
***Our hotel policy is we must receive either an authorization for the full stay (or $1,000.00 whichever is lower) on a credit card or the full stay (or $1,000.00 whichever is lower) and a $250.00 deposit in cash. This is because we advertise as a smoke-free pet-free hotel and we get a lot of people with allergies and breathing difficulty. The cost to clean a room that was smoked in (or another other strange smells) is 250.00, it's not just an arbitrarily large amount.***
The First
A couple walks in, full of smiles and cheer. They ask about a room and tell me how they want to get away from our nearest Big City for the weekend. I quote a rate and they don't immediately walk away, which is a good sign. We go over room specifics and hotel amenities and then, it seems, we're all set. I've made a reservation, printed their registration card and they are pulling out their wallets. But, as soon as the cash comes out, I let them know our policy on cash.
"Just to let you know, if you are going to pay in cash only, I will need the full amount plus 250.00 for a security deposit."
Their jaws drop. It's as if I had just murdered a kitten in front of them. The cash immediately gets put away.
"Why the hell would you need all that money? Do we even get any of it back?"
"Yes, you would get the 250.00 back after we confirm the room is in good condition and smoke-free. It's merely a safety deposit."
"I don't get it. I want to stay here and give you my hard-earned money and that's not good enough for you, is it?"
The couple walked out of the door never to be seen again (Well, I hope anyway.)
The Second
The second guest began much like the first, in good spirits. Sadly for them, it seems my job today is dissappointing people. So, we go through the standard procedures. I am mostly through the check-in process when I hit the tinsiest little snag. His credit card is declining. I let the guest know and ask if he'd like to try another card (He already mentioned not knowing which card to put this on.) We try the second which also declines.
Guest: (While smiling still) "Well, it'll be there in the morning. It just takes a while to go through, you know?"
Me: "I'm sorry sir, I really must get an authorization before I can check you in."
Guest: "Well, what am I supposed to do?"
Me: "Do you have any other forms of payment?"
The guest begins pulling cash out of his pocket. Now he's pissed and I know that nothing good can happen from this point on.
Me: "Just to let you know, with cash we do need to have an additional 250.00 for a security deposit."
Guest: "You've gotta be kidding me! If I had known all this, I wouldn't have made the reservations. They should have told me on the phone before I left my house 3 hours ago."
Me: "I'm very sorry sir. This is just standard procedure for us."
Guest: "Ok, well let me get my parents on the phone and they can give you their card. (By the way, the guy has to be at least 40 with his own kids and wife waiting)"
Me: "Alright, if we're using their card I can fax them over our credit card authorization form and we'll just need a copy front and back of their credit card and ID"
Guest: "No f***ing way! This is ridiculous!"
Another minute is spent by the guest randomly either cussing or blaming us while pounding his fist on the counter. I'm standing their, smiliing, genuinely concerned that this will escalate into him getting physical. Then, he grabs all his things and walks out saying he will be back.
After he left I went through everything in my mind. The guest was upset because 1.) We didn't tell him over the phone that he would need money to stay here. And 2.) That I didn't trust him that he had money after his credit cards all declined. This is one of those cases when you sort of hope the guest will complain to your supervisors because the claims are so laughingly strange, nobody will take him seriously.
Comment