Would you take this situation to a higher, corporate level?

[bicker]

How much do you get paid versus how much those hotel workers get paid? I suspect that might be the source of the disparity in service quality.

 

[LoraJ]

Definitely write a letter to corporate. If more people weren't so complacent about lousy customer service, maybe there'd be a higher standard as to the way customers are treated.

 

[bicker]

Nah, complacency isn't the issue. Rather, the issue is willingness to pay a higher premium to those companies offering a higher level of service. Instead, most customers look at the bottom-line price, and make their purchasing decisions solely on that, assuming that quality is the same regardless of price.

 

[Skywalker]

I vote for letting it go. I really don't see the big deal here. They were obviously unaware that a queen bed was put into that room for whatever reason, you were proven right, and you got your proper room. Seriously, I fail to see an issue of compensation here. And as for embarassment, you were probably oversensitive because I can't imagine a lobby full of people snickering at you unless indeed you or your husband "lost it".

 

[Mercy]

How much do you get paid versus how much those hotel workers get paid? I suspect that might be the source of the disparity in service quality.

How much one does or does not get paid, is no excuse for bad customer service, or rudeness, sorry. The girl we initially talked to from the front desk was just downright rude.

 

[Mercy]

I vote for letting it go. I really don't see the big deal here. They were obviously unaware that a queen bed was put into that room for whatever reason, you were proven right, and you got your proper room. Seriously, I fail to see an issue of compensation here. And as for embarassment, you were probably oversensitive because I can't imagine a lobby full of people snickering at you unless indeed you or your husband "lost it".

I agree, they weren't aware that they had a queen bed in the hotel, but they shouldn't have argued with me about it either. AND it wasn't the customers in the lobby snickering, it was the hotel workers behind the counter!

 

[MariettaC]

Don't go to that particular hotel anymore - that's my advice.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I think the parking fee, the apology and getting the personal attention from the manager on your next trip is fine. I would have not kept arguing, but had them walk with you to the room and showed them they were wrong.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I stand by my answer and would write the letter. The attitude of the staff was terrible and corporate needs to know. If they would like to offer something, they can do so--I personally would not ask for it and would be more concerned about the situation being improved for future guests.

 

[bicker]

How much one does or does not get paid, is no excuse for bad customer service, or rudeness, sorry.

Who said it was an excuse? Rather, it was an explanation, and it is to be expected.

There is a very strong correlation between labor cost and service quality.
If I paid $100 for service I had better get better service than if I had paid $80 for that service. Why else would I pay the higher price?

Don't go to that particular hotel anymore

That's really the best means for consumers to express their sentiments. Unfortunately, when all hotels, in the same class, provide the same quality, then consumers are faced with the decision to either accept the situation, or pay more (assuming there are premium suppliers willing to provide better service at a premium -- in our economy, that's often not the case).

What's worse is that in many cases consumers who apply this very rational logic end up hurting themselves, as they bounce from supplier to supplier, sticking with each just until the luck-of-the-draw results in them getting low-quality service from that one, before they hop to the next. In the end, they would have gotten low-quality service just as often if they stuck with one supplier, and would probably have established enough of a relationship with the supplier that each time they got low-quality service, they would have learned how to more readily get more comprehensive and timely satisfaction.

 

[grlpwrd]

I'm usually a laidback person, but in this case I would be a bear about it. I wouldn't let it go because you didn't get what you paid for, but then what do you expect for compensation?

I think a big part of it is that you're in the customer service field and that your perspective is from the other end - good customer service.

It's your call.

 

[MariettaC]

Is this really a problem worthy of all this comment?

 

[bicker]

Do you have anything better to do this morning?

 

[luvdzny]

I wouldn't have made such a big deal in the first place. Once they started disagreeing with me on whether it was a king of a queen I wouldn't have argued with them. No point in that and it made you look and feel uncomfortable. I just would have said fine it was a king bed but I want another room anyway

I totally agree, what good did it do to keep arguing? Nothing was changed, letting it go and requesting another room would have been your best option.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I would let it go too.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, I probably would not have continued to argue with lower level staff people. I would have requested that the night manager walk with me to the room that had the smaller bed in it so he could see for himself. I would have then requested he find me a room that had the things I requested...a king size bed and a balcony. If the night manager refused to do any of these things, I would have requested the name of his superior, so I could contact that person then and there (yes, even if it was midnight) and inform them of the problem at hand. Of course, this all has to be done in a calm manner, because the moment you "lose it", you lose in the confrontation.

That being said, at this point, if it bothers you that much, contact the hotel's general manager, explain the difficulty you had and then move on. I would compliment the day manager who tried his best to help and accomodate you when you are speaking to the hotel's general manager.

As far as what you should "expect"...they offered you free parking. You didn't get it...I'm not sure why, but I guess in all the hoopla of the discussions it wasn't taken off your bill? I find that if I approach things from the perspective of "I am not looking for anything free, but this is a situation I feel you should be aware of" I get better results. Of course, when I say that, I am really not looking for anything free, but merely trying to improve the "system" for someone else.

 

[FayeW]

I'm usually a laidback person, but in this case I would be a bear about it. I wouldn't let it go because you didn't get what you paid for, but then what do you expect for compensation?

How do you figure they didn't get what they paid for?

They requested a king bed, and that is what they got after they changed rooms.

 

[DawnCt1]

How do you figure they didn't get what they paid for?

They requested a king bed, and that is what they got after they changed rooms.

No, they got a queen sized bed.

 

[tar heel]

Reread it -- they definitely ended up with a king.

This doesn't seem like a big deal to me. If I were lucky enough to go on a romantic getaway in a king suite, I wouldn't be sitting there waiting for a telephone call from the manager once I was in the room I wanted.

 

[Caradana]

To be brutally honest: you ruined your own trip, and I think there was a huge sigh of relief when you left ... and I'm sure there are comments on your record now, and no front desk agent there is ever going to look at you quite the same way. You traded off two feet of bed for a continuing relationship with a hotel you really like, and part of the reason was your approach - you took the vinegar route right off the bat, and honey would've gotten you a heck of a lot further.