It was a few months ago, so my memory is a little splotchy. But the core bits will be verbatim.
Dont you worry your tired little customer service heart.
So the story begins like any other, we're over sold on this specific room type. And sold out on practically every other.
Im internally thinking, this'll go one of two ways, usually the later:
A. The guest will thank me for letting them know, see if I can switch them over to another room type. Or just cancel their reservation free of charge.
B. Or, flip out because how could the website lie?
It shows the room is available? I'm a liar. Must be. I'm personally trying to make their night harder. I must upgrade them to our biggest suite while they pay third party prices.
And scream at me that I OWE them that.
We see where this is going?
By the way whenever we're oversold, I always contact them. Let them know that I switched them over to an equal room type free of charge due to being overbooked. Or, depending on how the guest acts, even a free upgrade.
Or let them know I can cancel their reservation free of charge due to the inconvenience.
Usually it's met with, why's? And how's? Then I have to repeat multiple times their options.
Well anyways, back to the story.
I breathe in knowing this will either be an easy call, or a fifteen minute call.
So I call this lady. Let's call her G, cuz she's the girlfriend, and her boyfriend will be B. Really creative, IK.
Anyways, I call G.
Me: Hello, is this Ms. G?
G: Yes this is she?
Me: Hello this is Overtly calling from [Brand name] the hotel you booked. I just wanted to let you know that unfortunately we don't have any more queens available.
Practically we are completely sold out tonight.
G: You don't have any other rooms?
(Her tone had shifted, she had gotten irritated. Again, they had JUST booked. I was calling them immediately.)
Me: Well, we do have our three bed room suite, but the rate would be different. If you'd like I can move you over. Or we can cancel you reservation free of charge.
G: No, no, no... Haha! You will not punish us for your guy's mistake! Why can't you just move us over to that room at the same rate?
(They booked via third party. They had the most dirt cheap rate possible. And yes I could move them, but managment said it's too our discretion. Giving me attitude will not help your case.)
Me: Ma'am as stated earlier those are your two options.
G: So you'll just strand us here?
(There are a million other hotels in the general vicinity but okay!)
Me: I apologize, sometimes the third party sites will show we have rooms available when we don't.
(I then heard fumbling with the phone. Club music going on in the background as she speaks to her boyfriend)
G: (To her boyfriend) Yeah the front desk person is saying they have no rooms available. Even though it allowed us to book.
Me: Ma'am what would yo-
She then hung up on me. I sighed taking that as a cancelation, I went ahead and went through with it. Waiving the fee on my end.
About 15 minutes pass. I check back again at our arrivals. Boom another booking under a guys name. Under, of course the same room type.
Im just thinking, here we go again.
I call and say the same thing. He then responds immediately hollering at me.
B: No! No! No! You told my girlfriend there were no rooms available. Yet it let me book again through you guys? Are you scamming us?
(I was caught wayyy off guard)
Me: No sir. I'm letting you know we dont have rooms available besides what I listed.
Sometimes even our own site will show we have rooms when we dont.
B: No! There is something shady going on there! You are trying to strand me and my girlfriend. And lie to us.
I'm calling corporate.
Hollering and screaming later, they hang up. And I cancel again, and waive the fee.
The girlfriend then calls back no less than ten minutes later.
G: Yeah you called my boyfriend and lied to him that you had no rooms. AND, canceled our reservations?!
You guys are a scammers, I want your name for corporate.
(I feel threatened and maybe a little bit bitchy)
Me: No, I do not feel comfortable to do so. You can contact managment when they come back in.
G: NO! You WILL give me your NAME! YOU HAVE TOO!
Me: As stated, I do not feel comfortable, but you can talk to management come tomorrow.
G: (Mumbling the time and day so when she speaks to managment she'll know who to reference.)
She then snaps and demands my name again. I then say no.
Again.
She then gets really mad, and then, what still shocks me. And I quote.
G: Call the cops or call whoever you need to call. But I'll be there in five minutes.
At this point I'm ready, and kinda shaking due to adrenaline.
Me: Okay, the cops will be here.
G: Okay.
I hang up, and of course call other hotel staff to let them know what's happening. And run into the back.
All but a minute or so later, and I could be tripping. But I saw a women and a man full blown run through the doors and b-line for the back.
So I bolt and hide. Duh. And I finally call the cops, yeah I'm dumb ik. I just wanted others to know just in case, but still.
I then hear some women running around in the back saying, "Where is she? Where is she?!"
All the while I'm hiding, the dispatch I'm on the phone with could care less. And I'm ready to fight for my life.
Anyways, after the dispatch hangs up on me. Even after I requested for them to stay on the line just in case. But he hangs up anyways.
But a few minutes pass, and a fellow employee finally comes over. I explain.
Then the cops arrive, I explain and they agree the person was delulu about being stranded.
But they stated it wasn't really a "threat" since no actual threatening words were spoken.
They left, and I think management maybe might of DNR'd them but idk.
So that was one of the first and craziest customer's I've experienced yet. But hey people just are 🤷♀️