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silymaury
08-22-2008, 06:16 PM
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
I used to work at a hotel, and at a hotel reservation center, a lot of the things in this really happen, there are a lot of people out there with bizzarre requests, lol, I had this posted on a bulletin board in the hotel office, just to remind me of all the things that I was expected to do...lol enjoy!!!

"I am a Front Desk Agent"

I have advanced degrees in Accounting, Public Relations, Marketing, Business, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, and Swahili. I can also read minds.

Of course I have the reservation that you booked six years ago even though you don't have the confirmation number and you think it was made under a name that starts with "S".

It is completely my fault that the blizzard shut down the airport and you have to sleep in a warm king-size bed while 5000 of your co-travelers are sleeping in benches at the airport. I am sorry.


It is not a problem for me to give you seven connecting, non-smoking, poolside suites with two king beds in each, four roll-a-ways, 3 cribs, and yes, I can install a wet bar. I know it is my fault that we do not have a helicopter landing pad.

I am a Front Desk Agent. I am expected to speak all languages fluently. It is obvious to me that when you booked your reservation for Friday on the weekend we're sold out that you really meant Saturday. My company has entrusted me with all financial information and decisions, and yes, I am lying to you when I say we have no more rooms available. It is not a problem for me to quickly construct several more guest rooms. THIS time I will not forget the helicopter landing pad. And it is my fault that everyone wanted to stay here. I should have known you were coming in, even though you had no reservation. After all, you stay at our brand of hotel all the time, 300 nights a year, and this is only the first time you've ever been to our city.

I am a front desk agent. I am quite capable of checking three people in, two people out, taking five reservations, answering fifteen incoming calls, delivering six bath towels to room 625, plunging the toilet in room 101, and restocking the supply of pool towels, all at the same time. Yes, I will be glad to call the van driver and tell him to drive over all the cars stuck in traffic because you've been waiting at the airport for 15 minutes and you've got jet lag.

I am a front desk agent, an operator, a bellhop, houseman, guest service representative, housekeeper, sales coordinator, information specialist, entertainment critic, restauranteur, stock broker, referee, janitor, computer technician, plumber, ice-breaker, postman, babysitter, dispatcher, laundry cleaner, lifeguard, electrician, ambassador, personal fitness trainer, fax expert, human jukebox, domestic abuse counselor, and verbal punching bag. Yes, I know room 112 is not answering their phone. And of course I have their travel itinerary so I know exactly where they went when they left here 9 hours ago, and what their cell phone number is.

I always know where to find the best vegetarian-kosher-Mongolian-barbecue restaurants. I know exactly what to see and do in this city in fifteen minutes without spending any money and without getting caught in traffic. I take personal blame for airline food, traffic jams, rental car flat tires, and the nation's economy.

I realize that you meant to book your reservation here. People often confuse us with the Galaxy Delight Motel, Antarctica. Of course I can "fit you in" and yes, you may have the special $1 rate because you are affiliated with the Hoboken Accounting and Bagel Club.

I am expected to smile, empathize, sympathize, console, condole, upsell, downsell (and know when to do which), perform, sing, dance, fix the printer, and tell your friends that you're here. And I know exactly where 613 Possum Trot Lane is in the Way Out There subdivision that they just built last week.

After all, I AM a Front Desk Agent!

Chapital
08-22-2008, 06:21 PM
LOL...so glad I have never been a front desk agent....

carlosalica
08-22-2008, 06:32 PM
LOL that's funny..
silymaury I would love to hear some of your funnies stories!

silymaury
08-22-2008, 08:22 PM
LOL I have a few that stick out in my mind,

In Omaha, NE where I used to live and work, the college world series was every 2nd -4th week of June. Hotels are packed even the dirty cheap ones.
I had a family of 6 who wanted me to give them a room with 1 king bed and stuff roll a way beds in there, (against fire codes) rooms with 2 beds can only have 1 rollaway. This person actually wanted us to break that code.
On a sold out night, a truck driver came in we told him the hotel was completely sold out, someone went into the restroom and heard snoring, reported it to me the supv. I sent someone to check it out, guess who that was, he offered to pay to continue staying in the stall....we actually had a sales office so we put a rollaway in there for him, charged him like $20. The hotel's owner was cheap so he would do anything to get money....so that's why he rented him the office. (That's another story though)
LOL some guy came in once with his lover, they headed to their room, after a few hours the guy came down and said to me "my wife thinks I'm here on business" if she calls, can you tell her i'm out with a client, and take a message??" I had to give him the policy on guest privacy and that we can not offer messaging services of that kind.
When a guest books a block of rooms, people from the group that's coming in have to call to make their own reservations most of the time. The group has cut off dates, I can't tell you how many people wanted us to book them after the cut off date, which is imposible because it's in the contract. Many times we had people come in day of the group meeting and they wanted that rate...this cause a lot of disputes

One guy wanted me to be his tour guide once, he offered the general manager to pay for my wages if he could "borrow" me to show him around town....LOL ofcourse I passed on the offer.

I would also get those annoying phone calls of a wife looking for her husband and wondering why the heck he wasn't answering in his room and that i must know where he was ....this was not the same wife of the guy mentioned above.

People wanting me to give them room numbers of "friends" and access to get in, that's against the law unless they are with a group....

Irritated brides because there were no flowers in their rooms, no champagne, no chocolates, this wasn't a 4 star hotel this was a Clarion......in order to get that, you had to order it ahead of time, they would think we could read their minds...."well can't you do it now...."

Those are some that I can think of, there were many more, but this was like 4 years ago I'm so glad I left that business....people are sooo demanding. And like the poem says, everthing is always the agent's fault. I will never forget.

Salsa2
08-22-2008, 08:32 PM
Where's Kiki? She's going to love this one!

Chapital
08-22-2008, 08:35 PM
Where's Kiki? She's going to love this one!

That's right...she has lots of crazy hotel stories!

TorresSanchezKing
08-23-2008, 07:42 AM
:lol: This is great! I worked for Marriott and Disney hotels for YEARS and this is so appropriate! I have some really good hotel stories, like the time the toilet was boiling hot or the time a guy left pot in his room and actually put a lost & found claim against the hotel for the value of it...

Kikigurl1
08-24-2008, 01:47 AM
Here I am Salsa :wave: and you're right.. loving this! I've got about 2 months more until I leave the business Silymaury and I CANNOT WAIT! People are CRAZY and I can't take it much longer!

I had this woman here this past week during all the tropical storm business and she'd come up to the desk asking me what's going to happen with the storm like I'm God and know all the answers on if it's coming here or not... she switched rooms like 4 times for bogus reasons and had been irritating the whole staff.

It's definitely been an experience working here, but I can say I doubt I will ever return to this type of work... it's just too much. ESPECIALLy for a preggo lol

NicoleX08
08-26-2008, 12:07 AM
LOL I love sarcasim!!