I am what I am. And I am....

[Evil Queen]

A BITCH!



This guy comes in to check in this evening. No problem. it's pretty easy since his reg card was preprinted, keys made, etcetera. We had two very big groups come in today so we just pre-printed everyone's cards. This guy wasn't sucky, so I posted it here.

WBG: Would be Guest.
Me: The Bitch.

Me: What's your last name?
WBG: Do*, but it's under my Mom's name. Ving Nugyne*.
Me: Okay. Is this her Credit Card?
WBG: Yeah.
Me: Is she with you? I need her authorization to run the card.
WBG: She's in New York.
Me: Oh, well I can send her an Authorization Sheet. She'll need to fax it back before I can check you in though.
WBG: Oh man, she doesn't have fax. Can you e-mail it?
Me: No. I don't have that ability. I can put it on your card until she can get the papers back to me.
WBG: How much is it going to be?
Me: It'll be <price> after taxes.
WBG: oh... I don't have that much on my card. Can you give me the authorization sheet?
Me: Sure. <gives>

Dude gets on his phone and leaves. I don't see him again.

Okay, so how often does this happen? I've done this for over 3 years and have never come across this problem face-to-face. Generally only over the phone (you may or may not remember the Bitch that refused to fill out an authorization form because, ZOMG< it was HER CARD but she's calling me in HOUSTON from NEW YORK and JUST BELIEVE ME OKAY?!? Yeah... No.)


*Names changed just because.

[prb]

I have once used someone else's card. It was a company card but a card couldn't be issued in my name in time for the trip. So I had a letter printed on company letterhead authorizing the use of the card and faxed it to the hotel a few days ahead of time to make sure it was okay.

[Peppergirl]

EQ -

We get calls like this ALL the time on the emergency travel line, after you guys at the hotel (rightfully) tell them that the pre-paid auth hasn't been received.

It's particularly funny when they run to the far end of the lobby or go outside the hotel and call us and expect us to fax over the auth sheet (thats sitting on some random desk hundreds of miles away usually) after you've told them no.

[Evil Queen]

It's enough to make me want to pull out my hair.

[Peppergirl]

It's enough to make me want to pull out my hair.

Dont do that. Im sure your hair is too pretty for that.

Another funny thing about prepaid auth forms:

Have you ever notice the ones that show up and (for whatever reason) the auth form was never received, the vast majority claim to have NO means of paying for the room for a night?

In this day and age, unless it was an emergency situation, who in their right minds would head out on a trip (especially a business trip) without SOME sort of back up plan?

I am absolutely ASTOUNDED at the number of people who call me upon attempting to check in at a hotel where the auth form was not received, and claim to have NO way to pay for the room!

If my boss sent me someplace and swore on 1000 bibles that she prepaid the room, I would STILL have a back up plan, just in case.


There is one MAJOR CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM here in the US that always prepays rooms for their staff who attend conferences. Due to the sheer number of transactions, occasionally a mistake will be made, and the auth form was not received, or sent, or whatever:

"ZOMGGGG!!!!!Eleventy!!!!!! The front desk doesnt have the form! I dont have any money to pay! What do I do????"

For this school system, we have been given the name of an emergency contact who works for them, who has a fax machine in her home, and can generally fix the issue within a matter of minutes, when called. We have instructions to tell the stranded staff member to contact her directly, along with the cell number.

You would be ASTOUNDED at the number of people who STILL bitch and moan about it, even after offering them a solution to the problem!

Wow - this turned into a giant rant! Sorry. Can ya'll tell this is one of my hot-button topics at work?

[Broomjockey]

I don't really see where you're a bitch in this. But that might be because I've done that exact thing to students. Usually we're willing to cut them a little slack if their fees aren't paid on exact move-in day, but you'd not believe how many students think an email, or a scrap of paper with some numbers on it are going to be good enough.

[persephone]

This is exactly why, if I ever did have to use an auth form on something, I would CALL THE HOTEL when I faxed it to make sure it got there. I would also not be an SC and assume I could use a card not in my name without some kind of arrangements made before hand.

But then again, I guess I'm logical and not a crazy person like these SCs!

[smileyeagle1021]

you know... this is why I tell people, when they reserve, to get a copy of the person's DL and a signed statement JUST IN CASE. We would prefer an official authorization form, but a signed letter with a copy of a signed picture ID is sufficient for the CC company if they later dispute that they authorized the charge... oh and EQ, I don't know about the hotel level at your company, but at least here we are authorized to 3 way the caller claiming to be the card holder and Visa/Mastercard(don't think others will do that) and have the Visa person put me on hold while they verify the caller is the card holder and bring me off hold and tell me the charge is approved (i've only done it once and intend to never do it again because it is such a royal pain in the ass)

[Evil Queen]

I don't really see where you're a bitch in this.

Because I am? I dunno, it sounded good.

[Broomjockey]

*starts humming "Bitch"*

I like that song.

[Evil Queen]

You're so weird.

[Broomjockey]

You're so weird.

Your point?

[Yfandes]

I rarely travel on pre-paid authorization (its usually a reimbursement scenario). But when I do, I carry a copy of the prepaid authorization, plus a confirmation from the hotel saying they have the authorization, plus the phone number of the person who did the authorization

PLUS MY OWN FREAKING CREDIT CARD!!1!

Gah, how hard is this people?

[Peppergirl]

Gah, how hard is this people?

Very hard, according to my eardrums that are routinely blown out from having these idiot EW's screaming at me over it every weekend.

I think I, and all the hotel staff, collectively love you for having common sense with those dammed forms.