Bugging You About Nothing

(I have just been promoted to a manager position at my hotel. Every shift, one manager is the designated manager on duty, meaning they will be in charge of fielding any serious guest complaints, and they are technically in charge of the hotel for their shift. On one of my first MOD shifts, a guest comes to the desk to complain.)

Guest #1: “We’re sitting over by the bar and there are bugs all over our table! It’s disgusting!”

Me: “Oh, my goodness! I am so sorry. Let me come over right away!”

(I follow the guest over to her group. I can see no insects anywhere, except for a single one that a guest has trapped under a glass. Being new to this, I am foolish enough to be relieved.)

Me: “Oh, well, I am so sorry about that! It must have come in from outside and—“

Guest #2: “I don’t believe that crap for a second!”

(I am just puzzled. The area they are sitting in is only about 30 feet from the main entrance, which is constantly opening and closing. It didn’t even occur to me to think that someone would question the logic.)

Me: “Sir?”

Guest #2: “That is a roach. And if there’s one of them, there are hundreds.”

(His party is all nodding in agreement, and I look down at the bug in question. While I don’t know exactly what it is, it’s about the size of my pinky nail, and very light tan. Not a roach, in short.)

Me: “Erm… Well, I am not really qualified to identify the insect, sir, but I am fairly sure it just came in from outside. However, if there is anything I can do for the inconvenience—“

Guest #2: “I want a free drink.”

Me: “I’ll be happy to give you a free drink voucher, sir. Just be aware that our bar closes in about twenty minutes, so you might want to be quick about using it.”

Guest #2: “Whatever.”

(I got him his free drink voucher, and took the bug away and squished it, tossing it in the trash. I thought no more about it. The next day, the bartender told me the guy came up ten minutes after close to try and use his voucher.)