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Some Background Information:
I work in a mid-sized independant hotel. It's spring break still, but towards the end for us and business is lacking a little before our explosions of summer guets. As such, the rates get a little iffy sometimes. I try to keep competitive rates with the hotels in the area at our level. But, corporate also likes to get people in rooms. They have found a really troublesome way of getting people in. We have a banner posted on the side of the hotel offering a really great room rate (40.00 a night lower than our Average Daily rate and at least 50.00 less than our competitors.) The trick? We only have 3 of those rooms of our 97 that we can put at that price. What makes it worse? They are either right next to the elevator, laundry room or housekeeping. We at the front desk avoid putting people in those rooms at all costs. My general practice is to tell guests they are unavailable since EVERYONE complains about these rooms in the end.
The Incident:
I have a guest who comes in asking about room prices. This usually means that they are a walk-in with no reservation. I quote the ADR (Average Daily Rate) for our basic room. He mentions the banner. At this point, I didn't know that corporate had it put back up again.
Me: I'm sorry, but that rate was really more for pre-Spring Break check-in dates. But, let me see what I can do.
(I search through our inventory and, luckily, most of those rooms are being worked on by an electrician the next couple of days, at least I won't be lying.)Me: Unfortunately, the only rooms with available specials are unavailable. But, if you have AAA I can take 10% off of the 139.00 rate and bring it down to 125.00
Customer: Well, when I called a couple of days ago, the rate was 119.00, not 139.00.
(I know he must of called when my co-worker, W, was working, she quotes below ADR for some strange reason.)
Me: Well, yes, that was the price a few days ago, but as our occupancy rises, so do the rates. We've had more people book last-minute trips since then.
Customer: I see...I see.....Well, then here is my reservation.
(He hands me a printed copy of his reservation.)
Really? All that third degree questioning was just to make sure you got a good rate? The guy booked through Travelocity, wholesale rates are already pretty good. I'm not trying to scam you here, I'm just trying to keep competitive pricing!
So, I pull up his reservation, get his ID, credit card, the whole nine yards. We are mostly through the check-in procedure.
Me: Just to confirm, we have you in a room with two queen beds for two nights?
Customer: No no no no no no NO! I KNOW I booked a room with a king. A KING bed, I am one thousand percent certain that I booked one single king bed.
(We had TONS of king rooms, no biggie.)
Me: Alright, sir, that's not a problem. I have a single king bed room ready for you.
I change the room type, make the keys and the guest is on his way.
Or not....
He calls me in about 4 minutes from the room.
Customer: This room doesn't have a couch in it.
Me: No sir, that is our Deluxe room. It just has the king bed.
Customer: Do you have rooms with king beds?
Me: Yes, we do, but those are an additional 10.00 a night and the only one left is on the ground floor, not the second floor as you requested.
Customer: (Turning away from the phone to his wife.) It's on the ground floor. It costs more money but only 10.00. Well, that's only 5.00 a night (
I guess he didn't hear me.)
Customer: Alright, we'll take that one.
Me: Certainly, I'll have the new keys available for you in the lobby.
It's been half an hour now without much noise from them. I looked up their reservation we had received from Travelocity. I am one thousand percent sure I know how to read "Request 2 queen beds" But, you know, the customer's always right.
I work in a mid-sized independant hotel. It's spring break still, but towards the end for us and business is lacking a little before our explosions of summer guets. As such, the rates get a little iffy sometimes. I try to keep competitive rates with the hotels in the area at our level. But, corporate also likes to get people in rooms. They have found a really troublesome way of getting people in. We have a banner posted on the side of the hotel offering a really great room rate (40.00 a night lower than our Average Daily rate and at least 50.00 less than our competitors.) The trick? We only have 3 of those rooms of our 97 that we can put at that price. What makes it worse? They are either right next to the elevator, laundry room or housekeeping. We at the front desk avoid putting people in those rooms at all costs. My general practice is to tell guests they are unavailable since EVERYONE complains about these rooms in the end.
The Incident:
I have a guest who comes in asking about room prices. This usually means that they are a walk-in with no reservation. I quote the ADR (Average Daily Rate) for our basic room. He mentions the banner. At this point, I didn't know that corporate had it put back up again.
Me: I'm sorry, but that rate was really more for pre-Spring Break check-in dates. But, let me see what I can do.
(I search through our inventory and, luckily, most of those rooms are being worked on by an electrician the next couple of days, at least I won't be lying.)Me: Unfortunately, the only rooms with available specials are unavailable. But, if you have AAA I can take 10% off of the 139.00 rate and bring it down to 125.00
Customer: Well, when I called a couple of days ago, the rate was 119.00, not 139.00.
(I know he must of called when my co-worker, W, was working, she quotes below ADR for some strange reason.)
Me: Well, yes, that was the price a few days ago, but as our occupancy rises, so do the rates. We've had more people book last-minute trips since then.
Customer: I see...I see.....Well, then here is my reservation.
(He hands me a printed copy of his reservation.)
Really? All that third degree questioning was just to make sure you got a good rate? The guy booked through Travelocity, wholesale rates are already pretty good. I'm not trying to scam you here, I'm just trying to keep competitive pricing!
So, I pull up his reservation, get his ID, credit card, the whole nine yards. We are mostly through the check-in procedure.
Me: Just to confirm, we have you in a room with two queen beds for two nights?
Customer: No no no no no no NO! I KNOW I booked a room with a king. A KING bed, I am one thousand percent certain that I booked one single king bed.
(We had TONS of king rooms, no biggie.)
Me: Alright, sir, that's not a problem. I have a single king bed room ready for you.
I change the room type, make the keys and the guest is on his way.
Or not....
He calls me in about 4 minutes from the room.
Customer: This room doesn't have a couch in it.
Me: No sir, that is our Deluxe room. It just has the king bed.
Customer: Do you have rooms with king beds?
Me: Yes, we do, but those are an additional 10.00 a night and the only one left is on the ground floor, not the second floor as you requested.
Customer: (Turning away from the phone to his wife.) It's on the ground floor. It costs more money but only 10.00. Well, that's only 5.00 a night (
I guess he didn't hear me.) Customer: Alright, we'll take that one.
Me: Certainly, I'll have the new keys available for you in the lobby.
It's been half an hour now without much noise from them. I looked up their reservation we had received from Travelocity. I am one thousand percent sure I know how to read "Request 2 queen beds" But, you know, the customer's always right.
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