Cancelling Their Plans

(I work in a hotel. As in so many stories I read, we often get guests who call up wanting a reservation, and demanding special treatment when we’re fully booked up. We have a way of dealing with this:)

Me: “The only way I can give you a room is if we cancel someone else’s reservation.”

Caller: “Well, do that, then!”

Me: “Do you think that’s a fair and reasonable thing for us to do?”

Caller: “YES!”

Me: “So, just to be clear, you won’t have a problem when five minutes later I cancel your reservation and give the room to someone else?”

Caller: “What? F*** no! You can’t do that!”

Me: “Why not? You just said it’s okay to do it.”

(The call usually ends about there. Sometimes there’s a follow-up:)

Caller: “You’ve got to give me special treatment; I’m a Platinum Rewards customer!”

Me: “Okay, well, I promise I’ll only cancel your reservation in five minutes time and give it to another Platinum Rewards customer, not to just anyone.”