Some Things Make Me Very Happy

I came home today and my mother asked how work was. My response? "I'm so glad this isn't my career for life."

Ultimately, I don't think I'm subservient enough to work in the hospitality industry, at least not in a position where I have to deal directly with customers. When I first started at the hotel, I told them I wanted to eventually work in corporate. Which is true. What I didn't say is that I want to be part of the corporate in-house legal department. Which requires another three years of schooling, which I'm starting in 9 months. They don't need to know that.

But anyway, back to today. There was a request in one of the reservations, a woman staying for 9 days, to be on the first floor near the outdoor pool. So I rearrange the room blocking to give her the one room I have there. And then my supervisor writes all over the reservation to tell the guest that no smoking is allowed by the pool courtyard. She's stayed before.

So the guest calls later that day, to make sure her request was noted, and she tells me she wants a room with a balcony. Now I'm confused. The hotel doesn't have balconies. I tell her this, and she tells me we do. I go ask the AGM, and it turns out the rooms around the courtyard on the first floor have little patios. Which maybe I would know if I was ever, I don't know, given a tour? So I return to the guest on the phone and tell her that her request was noted and we'll try to give her that room, but it's not guaranteed. Which is what we're supposed to do. I'm never supposed to guarantee a specific room. And here we go.

"I want to talk to a manager! I'm spending the better part of 3 weeks (since when does 9 days equal 3 weeks?) there and spending upwards of $3000 (wtf? our hotel is not $300 a night) there and I want that room! Blah blah blah."

Fine, I transfer her to the AGM, who then comes out and asks me what I said to her. The other front desk person was there the entire time I was on the phone, and she agreed that I was perfectly polite and didn't say anything out of order. I tell the AGM that I thought we're not supposed to guarantee room types. This is what she's told me in the past. I had early check-ins today and very few rooms ready, and if I had to give that room away, at least the woman wasn't told she was definitely getting that room. Her response: If we had blocked a room for a handicapped person and that was the only room we had when someone came to check-in early, would you give it away?

Wow, that is a terrible analogy. A handicapped person is not at all equivalent to someone who wants to break the rules and smoke in the hotel. I am completely disgusted with this woman - she feels the need to complain to my manager and possibly threaten my job because she's addicted to nicotine? All I have to say is, she better not ask me for anything while she's here. I'm not helping her with shit.

And that is why I'm glad this isn't my chosen career path.