Me: “Hello, [hotel name]. How may I help you?”

Customer: “I need to cancel my reservation for tonight.”

Me: “I’m sorry sir, but we require 24 hour notice for all cancellations.”

Customer: “Well it’s an emergency! My daughter got sick and we
had to stay home!”

(I glance down at the caller ID and see that this phone call is coming from a competing hotel across town.)

Me: “Okay, sir. I’ll cancel it for you due to this emergency situation.”

(Ten minutes pass, and I call the other hotel and ask to be connected to the guy’s room.)

Customer: “Hello?”

Me: “Hello sir, this is [name] from [hotel]. I just wanted to call you back with your cancellation number and to wish your daughter a speedy recovery.”

Customer: *stammering* “How did you get this number? Are
you following me?!”