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A few stories from the other side of the Front Desk.
People wanted the shuttle van take them to the mall (how, dear Guest, do you suggest we get it out of the parking lot? Plus it's for freaking HOSPITAL runs).
Whining over the satellite TV being out (we're getting 3 inches of snow an hour, if we brush the dish off it's going to be covered again in 10 minutes). I understand the frustration but there's nothing we can do. Most people were annoyed but understanding, though. The only really sucky person was all "I'm here with 4 kids i have to have TV!" Umm...people figured out how to entertain their kids without television for thousands of years, I'm sure you can do it too.
One lady standing there with a smartphone in her hand demanding we look up information for local businesses for her. Line? What line? Also it's our fault her son's SCHOOL laptop is blocking Netflix. And that he has strep. Not her fault for travelling with a sick kid, nope, not at all. Oh and thanks, lady, for shoving his germy laptop at me so I can try to get it to work. Ewwww. Where's the Purell? (Edit, she was exhausted and hadn't eaten since 7am that morning...ok she gets a pass for being grumpy).
No, Dear Guest, it isn't my fault the cab companies have 30 minute hold times. Have you looked out the window? Use Uber. Stop whining about "I have to sign up for thaaaaaat." Sorry but Uber is about the only way you're getting anywhere today. The cab companies don't have 4WD vehicles. Many Uber drivers do.
The phone would.not.stop.ringing. I get that, lots of people trying to get a room because the airport shut down, so lots of calls is not sucky in itself (stressful but not sucky). The response to the fact that the roads to the airport were closed for part of the day got interesting, though. We'd tell callers that nobody could get to or from the airport, they'd say "but my parents are stuck there" and pause as if that changed everything and we could magically go pick them up.
No, 50th person on the phone to ask me this, we DO NOT have an airport shuttle. The hotel is 45 minutes from the airport on GOOD roads. We do not, and have never, provided transportation to and from DIA. Also, see previous point about the ROAD BEING CLOSED.
I may have used the phrase "Hulk Smash Phone" at some point.
Also some good stuff:
Most people were understanding about the TV issues. We posted signs about what newscasts stream their broadcasts, and offered to help look up flight info for anyone who needed it. Most guests found ways to entertain themselves. The internet was still working, but I saw folks in the lobby enjoying a good book by the fire. My coworker reported that on the evening shift, an impromptu poker tournament popped up in the lobby (think they were betting candy). Maybe this was the start of some friendships that wouldn't have happened if TV had been keeping everyone in their own little cells.
Bossman was a calming presence on a crazy day. I was getting frustrated with my dyscalcula and the non-stop suite shop purchases. He reminded me that lots of successful people have learning / info processing issues. While having a week-old infant at home and presumably working on not much sleep. I love my boss.
Sales manager took me out to dinner after my shift. The snow stopped and one of the nearby restaurants was open. Dinner was nummy. Especially because my 6:30am shift stretched from a completion time of 2:30 to 4:30pm and I'd had a bagel and a lemonade that day.
People wanted the shuttle van take them to the mall (how, dear Guest, do you suggest we get it out of the parking lot? Plus it's for freaking HOSPITAL runs).
Whining over the satellite TV being out (we're getting 3 inches of snow an hour, if we brush the dish off it's going to be covered again in 10 minutes). I understand the frustration but there's nothing we can do. Most people were annoyed but understanding, though. The only really sucky person was all "I'm here with 4 kids i have to have TV!" Umm...people figured out how to entertain their kids without television for thousands of years, I'm sure you can do it too.
One lady standing there with a smartphone in her hand demanding we look up information for local businesses for her. Line? What line? Also it's our fault her son's SCHOOL laptop is blocking Netflix. And that he has strep. Not her fault for travelling with a sick kid, nope, not at all. Oh and thanks, lady, for shoving his germy laptop at me so I can try to get it to work. Ewwww. Where's the Purell? (Edit, she was exhausted and hadn't eaten since 7am that morning...ok she gets a pass for being grumpy).
No, Dear Guest, it isn't my fault the cab companies have 30 minute hold times. Have you looked out the window? Use Uber. Stop whining about "I have to sign up for thaaaaaat." Sorry but Uber is about the only way you're getting anywhere today. The cab companies don't have 4WD vehicles. Many Uber drivers do.
The phone would.not.stop.ringing. I get that, lots of people trying to get a room because the airport shut down, so lots of calls is not sucky in itself (stressful but not sucky). The response to the fact that the roads to the airport were closed for part of the day got interesting, though. We'd tell callers that nobody could get to or from the airport, they'd say "but my parents are stuck there" and pause as if that changed everything and we could magically go pick them up.
No, 50th person on the phone to ask me this, we DO NOT have an airport shuttle. The hotel is 45 minutes from the airport on GOOD roads. We do not, and have never, provided transportation to and from DIA. Also, see previous point about the ROAD BEING CLOSED.
I may have used the phrase "Hulk Smash Phone" at some point.
Also some good stuff:
Most people were understanding about the TV issues. We posted signs about what newscasts stream their broadcasts, and offered to help look up flight info for anyone who needed it. Most guests found ways to entertain themselves. The internet was still working, but I saw folks in the lobby enjoying a good book by the fire. My coworker reported that on the evening shift, an impromptu poker tournament popped up in the lobby (think they were betting candy). Maybe this was the start of some friendships that wouldn't have happened if TV had been keeping everyone in their own little cells.
Bossman was a calming presence on a crazy day. I was getting frustrated with my dyscalcula and the non-stop suite shop purchases. He reminded me that lots of successful people have learning / info processing issues. While having a week-old infant at home and presumably working on not much sleep. I love my boss.
Sales manager took me out to dinner after my shift. The snow stopped and one of the nearby restaurants was open. Dinner was nummy. Especially because my 6:30am shift stretched from a completion time of 2:30 to 4:30pm and I'd had a bagel and a lemonade that day.