If you want a room, actually book it

[thehippie777]

Not 10 minutes ago:

A gentleman calls, says he is in the parking lot & was wondering about our rooms. Kind of haggles on the rate, of course. We have 3 rooms left, I told him I have “a couple”, to which I remember he scoffed. Asks questions about the bar across the parking lot from us…etc…etc. Gentleman says he is on the way in, then. Okay. Does not give me even a name, let alone a credit card to hold it with. In 6 minutes I sold my last three rooms. I was working on the last gentleman, and the guy that was “in the parking lot” comes in & I tell him I sold my last room. He was not happy, obviously. “But I was in the parking lot!” Yeah, but you didn’t give me a credit card to reserve your room with did ya?? I didn't even get a name.

Then he refused to listen to my trainee say how to get to other hotels, literally only a couple blocks either direction from us. This guy kept thinking we meant “take the interstate” or something even though we were saying, “Just down the street from us.” He responded twice with, “You mean I have to take another street?” I think he was so upset that he just didn’t feel like listening.

What to do…what to do…

[MrSunshineState]

Haha! You snooze you lose!

[zigcat]

When I worked in airline reservations, we didn't even need a credit card to hold a reservation. Whenever I found an acceptable fare and itinerary for the customer I would almost practically beg them to take advantage of our courtesy hold because "fares are subject to change until ticketed and based on availability " Of course they needed to talk it over with their husband, wife, child , dog etc...so when they call back and the fare or itinerary is sold out:

parentheticals are my thoughts

SC: But I just called five minutes ago how can you be sold out?
ME: Well, we do offer a twenty four hour courtesy hold.
SC: No one told ME that. (of course not)
ME: Well, we have nine reservation centers with over 1000 agents working in each of them.
SC: So?
ME: (indeed) I have an earlier flight at that rate. Would you like to book that one?
SC: I want to speak to a supervisor.
ME (lot of good that'll do you) Sure one moment.

Gets transferred and of course gets told the same thing.

[marasbaras]

Gets transferred and of course gets told the same thing.

AND manages to lose out on the good deal for the ealier flight while indulging their inner SC.

[auntiem]

When I worked in airline reservations, we didn't even need a credit card to hold a reservation. Whenever I found an acceptable fare and itinerary for the customer I would almost practically beg them to take advantage of our courtesy hold because "fares are subject to change until ticketed and based on availability " Of course they needed to talk it over with their husband, wife, child , dog etc...so when they call back and the fare or itinerary is sold out:

parentheticals are my thoughts

SC: But I just called five minutes ago how can you be sold out?
ME: Well, we do offer a twenty four hour courtesy hold.
SC: No one told ME that. (of course not)
ME: Well, we have nine reservation centers with over 1000 agents working in each of them.
SC: So?
ME: (indeed) I have an earlier flight at that rate. Would you like to book that one?
SC: I want to speak to a supervisor.
ME (lot of good that'll do you) Sure one moment.

Gets transferred and of course gets told the same thing.

Welcome to my day. I will never figure out why they can't put it on hold and then go check with their dog / evil twin / magic 8 ball or who ever actually makes their decisions.

[greensinestro]

SC: I want to speak to a supervisor.
ME (lot of good that'll do you) Sure one moment.

Gets transferred and of course gets told the same thing.

Why do these people always think a supervisor is their salvation on getting something that no longer exists or is available? If it isn't there, it's not there! Get over it!

[BookstoreEscapee]

AND manages to lose out on the good deal for the ealier flight while indulging their inner SC.

Inner? I think their SC is out and proud!!!

[South Texan]

Why do these people always think a supervisor is their salvation on getting something that no longer exists or is available?

Because every SC knows that the supervisor has the ability to override reality and create additional seats on planes when all seats are sold out, unlock extra rooms at hotels that are never rented out by desk clerks, or pull extras of any item that is sold out nation wide from that now famous back room all stores have. An SC knows the supervisor is going to do it just for the SC because the SC is special.

[Rapscallion]

Haha! You snooze you lose!

Considering he was asking about the bar, "You booze, you lose!"

Rapscallion

[workerbee222]

I had a co-irker who left her car at a garage to get an estimate for repairs. She receives the call, and says, I'll have to ask my husband. Then she's pissed that the car wasn't ready two days later.

[Fiyero]

I book appointments for the NHS and always prompt patients to book anyway and cancel if it is no good, still annoys me that some say no then later wonder why it isn't available any more.

[csever01]

For those of you who were saying people do this with airlines, too, you should just ask them very tongue-in-cheek if they'd be OK taking a seat on the wing.