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Read Much??
OK, so I recently started working for one of those travel websites where you can make your own arrangements. Mine specializes in hotels, and is one that Captain Kirk might use.
Luckily, my job is to handle email inquiries and requests made through our website, and NOT to handle inbound phone calls... although we sometimes do have to place calls to hotels and guests if necessary.
This week I got a request from a guy shortly after he placed his reservation. Fairly simple request, on its face... He stated that he was traveling with his dog, who will be staying in his cage throughout the hotel stay and he needed to know if the hotel would be OK with it. If not, he needs to cancel his reservation.
Well, it looks simple enough... just a normal special request, right? Except for two things: 1. Hotel PROHIBITS pets. This is stated clearly on their page. 2. The room you booked? NON-REFUNDABLE!!! This means that once you book it, you're paying for it and it's tough titties to you if you can't go!
Like I said, I only do emails... Good thing, as I would have been FIRED had I actually gotten this by phone... for laughing at this guy. I mean, did you actually READ the information on their page? I would think that if you were booking a NON-REFUNDABLE room you would check FIRST to make sure they allowed your dog, right???
Anyway, it turned out OK for this guy. Since it was only about an hour between the time he placed it and the time it showed up on my screen I called the hotel. I told the nice clerk that our guest can't read very well and explained the situation (and sort of laughed about his lack of sense..). As Reservations hadn't taken his deposit yet she told me the hotel would waive the cancellation fee. Only bad thing is the guy will try this again and think he'll be able to get the fees waived every time. And the clerk told me he'd have a hard time finding a hotel in that area that will take pets. Theirs will take guide dogs/seeing eye dogs, of course, but not PETS. And a dog staying in a cage obviously won't be good in that capacity.
My sup advised me not to tell a hotel that the guest can't read... oops...
Luckily, my job is to handle email inquiries and requests made through our website, and NOT to handle inbound phone calls... although we sometimes do have to place calls to hotels and guests if necessary.
This week I got a request from a guy shortly after he placed his reservation. Fairly simple request, on its face... He stated that he was traveling with his dog, who will be staying in his cage throughout the hotel stay and he needed to know if the hotel would be OK with it. If not, he needs to cancel his reservation.
Well, it looks simple enough... just a normal special request, right? Except for two things: 1. Hotel PROHIBITS pets. This is stated clearly on their page. 2. The room you booked? NON-REFUNDABLE!!! This means that once you book it, you're paying for it and it's tough titties to you if you can't go!
Like I said, I only do emails... Good thing, as I would have been FIRED had I actually gotten this by phone... for laughing at this guy. I mean, did you actually READ the information on their page? I would think that if you were booking a NON-REFUNDABLE room you would check FIRST to make sure they allowed your dog, right???
Anyway, it turned out OK for this guy. Since it was only about an hour between the time he placed it and the time it showed up on my screen I called the hotel. I told the nice clerk that our guest can't read very well and explained the situation (and sort of laughed about his lack of sense..). As Reservations hadn't taken his deposit yet she told me the hotel would waive the cancellation fee. Only bad thing is the guy will try this again and think he'll be able to get the fees waived every time. And the clerk told me he'd have a hard time finding a hotel in that area that will take pets. Theirs will take guide dogs/seeing eye dogs, of course, but not PETS. And a dog staying in a cage obviously won't be good in that capacity.
My sup advised me not to tell a hotel that the guest can't read... oops...
But if that's how it works maybe this guy got booked without seeing what hotel first to check.
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