Andrew S. Thomas

(cue Doogie Howser, MD “closing revelation” theme music)

I learned a valuable lesson today….

(pause to stare at monitor)

It’s just as hard to be the combative arsehat on the other end of the phone as it is to deal with him.

Most of you know I work in a call center. It’s a thankless job at times, and comes with its fair share of irate customers wanting their way. However, because the management has some basic human decency about them, we usually give them what they want as a goodwill gesture.

I only wish that were the case with the Worldwide Hotel Chain I talked to tonight for a good hour.

Carla and I were erroneously charged for a room reservation we didn’t authorize. Calling customer relations for the hotel chain set in motion this whole sordid chain of events, where Party A couldn’t help because of the decisions made by Party B, and vice versa. Normally I’d let it go, but it was an expense we hadn’t budgeted for, and I know from my own experience at work that sometimes the only way to get things done is to complain loudly, or, failing that, fight with the powers that be.

I’m not a complainer. Or a fighter.

I got off the phone with no credit for the room (the party line: since we gave our credit card number, it was reserved, even though we told them not to reserve it). I was literally shaking. This is how well I deal with confrontation.

Now I’m left wondering - was I right to even pursue this? Yes, we’re out money we didn’t even know we were spending, but in the grand scheme of things, what does it matter? In insisting on my “rights” as a consumer, am I missing a chance to show grace? Was God honored in the way I handled this?

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