ESP wasn't on my job description

[shanmonster]

Me: Are you travelling on business or for conference?

Silly Guest (SG): No.

Me: I'll be just one moment while I check availability for you.

SG: Ok.

Me: I have a blah blah blah room with highspeed internet for $199. Would you like to book that room?

SG: Is that my corporate rate?

Me: ... Which company do you work for?

SG: IBM.

Me: Ok, I'll be just one moment while I look up your business rate.

SG: Ok.

Me: Yes, that blah blah room with highspeed internet would go for the IBM rate of $125. Would you like to book that room?

SG: Does it have highspeed internet?

Me: Yes, indeed it does.

SG: Ok. I'll call you back. *click*


And then there're the people who say they're not travelling on business, book a room, and then, while I'm doing the wrap-up with them, suddenly become all snotty and say, "THAT'S not my government rate!"

They really do expect me to be psychic, don't they.

Comments

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

no - they're simply answering the questions that you ask.

you don't ask them if they get a business discount - you ask them if they're traveling on business.

(of course technically if you're not traveling on business you aren't supposed to use the business rate, but i don't think anyone actually cares about that. at least at the level of the customer.)

[sageincave.livejournal.com]

Meh.

If they want to use that business discount, they need to call prepared to say that they are travelling on business.

Otherwise they are asking Shan to knowingly break the rules for them.

Since they are the ones who want rules broken despite that it's unethical, they should just go ahead and lie at the outset.

But the ethical requirement to avoid forcing someone else to knowingly collaborate in unethical booking is beyond these people. What's ethics compared to saving $74?

((all of the above is splitting hairs, unfortunately in customer service you have to pretend that you believe the customer, whatever their newest version of the truth is.
If you don't, they'll demand the manager, who will "believe" anything that makes the customer happy))

Hey Shan...you don't have to *prove* that you work for IBM to get the reduced rate, do you?

**plot**plan**chortle**

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Actually, you do have to present some sort of corporate ID on check-in to qualify for the rate. If the front desk remembers to ask you for it, that is.

[ngtmagicks.livejournal.com]

Why, yes you should be psychic. Then again, I get it as work and at home.