A feel good story in these times of less than stellar customer service

My wife and I were contacted by our executive host at Palace Station with an offer that we decided was worth playing. We chose 2-22-22 for our first night of two. On the way in we decided to eat lunch at a PT's Place on Sahara. We belong to the True Rewards slot club and were planning to use our points earned at the Aquarius in Laughlin. When I gave the bartender/server/cashier my card she told me I had no points to use. I swiped at the kiosk and showed her that I had over 300,000 points. She spent several minutes trying to get my points to pay for the meal with no success. We ended up using a credit card and left feeling cheated. True Rewards had supposedly put every casino and tavern under the True Rewards slot club and advertised that players could use their points at any location. When we got home I emailed the slot club on 2-25 to inform them that I wasn't able to use my points at the PT's Place. I didn't hear back and thought they were just going to blow me off. Then on 3-3 I received a reply to my email from the Director of Marketing Tavern Operations telling me that I should have been able to use points and asking if I had the receipt. Now I don't keep receipts after I verify that the charge to my credit card is correct. However, in this case, my wife had taken the receipt. When I told her that I was being asked for the info on that receipt she whipped it out of her purse just as quickly as you please. Today, 3-9, I had a refund for the meal hit my card. Excellent customer service and we're feeling so good that we've decided to go to the Aquarius for the night. May the royals be with you.

Rich

I like the story, except that it's coming from a Packers fan.  Just kidding.

Always good to hear a squeaky wheel story.

All too often, something like this is caused by some low-level employee being too stupid or lazy, or both, to thoroughly check some rule out. So many, many times, I've been told by some boothling or whoever that "We can't do that," only to find out that hell, yes, they can. And the worst part is that bland look on their face as they painlessly lie to you.

Though I guess that's what you can expect when you hire the dumbest rocks in the box and pay them minimum wage.

  Apparently the cashier, after trying several minutes to get the points to pay without success, was unable to complete the payment. This could have been a programming issue, though some would prefer to criticize the employee for following guidelines for completing a payment. These things happen, often at no fault of the employee. The bottom line is that the situation was resolved and the customer was pleased with the resulting outcome. Sometimes the "dumbest rocks in the box" are those who criticize without having all of the facts at hand.

Regardless of whether you want to argue about the "why" of this or not (and I kind of doubt that David's post had any other purpose than to start an argument), the takeaway is that in virtually any setting or context, when the low-level employee at the counter/on the phone/etc. tells you "We can't do that," you should NEVER take that person's word for it.

I've asked to speak to a manager literally hundreds of times when I've been told something like that and the vast majority of the time, it turns out that "can't" was just code for "won't." And in context, that's happened to me more when dealing with casino personnel than with any other type of business.

 This type of event happens to almost everyone at one time or another. Often times ones demeanor and attitude determines how these situations are handled. Immediately blaming an employee is not always correct or prudent, especially when the one criticizing an event was not there when the event happened. I believe that this event was handled to the satisfaction of the customer - which was the objective. I have a feeling that anyone who has spoken to a manager "hundreds of times" is just hard to please - as all who deal with the public can attest to. 

I haven't spoken to any manager "hundreds of times." I've spoken to many different managers, and those occasions number in the hundreds, in the course of almost fifty years. It's asinine to say that that makes me "hard to please." In point of fact, I used to be much more accepting when an employee told me "I'm sorry, I can't do that." That was until I discovered how often that statement is wrong. If an employee tells me something that isn't true, it's the employee's fault, whether it's an honest mistake or a deliberate deception. In the former case, the employee hasn't learned his job. In the latter, the employee is trying to avoid dealing with something difficult or bothersome and hopes I'll just go away.

Case in point: if PackerBacker had just accepted what he was told, he would have been screwed out of a comp. But he suspected--correctly--that what he had been told by the employee wasn't true. I've found that this sort of thing happens far too often.

Anyway, you can be acquiescent or you can stand up for yourself. It's always your choice.

  Since I was not there when this event happened, it is difficult for me or anyone else to know what actually transpired and just who, if anyone was at fault. Suggesting that some "low level employee was too stupid or lazy, or both, to thoroughly check out some rule" is both rudely insulting and totally uncalled for. The actual empolyee spent several minutes trying to remedy the situation without success. The bottom line is that Packer Backer had his issue addressed and taken care of to his satisfaction. 

David, I know you just want to argue, and the reason is your hatred-fueled rivalry with me in the Sink. You've been forced to be civil here, but the same basic thing is happening.

So tell you what. You win. You're absolutely totally positively unequivocally with-whipped-cream-and-a-cherry-on-top correct.

Glad I could make you happy.

     Argue???  Pointing out the rudeness and unwarrented characterization about people you do not know is not "arguing" - on the contrary, my posting addresses the lack of civility expressed by one who was not there to actually see what transpired and for this persons ensuing negative dialogue about the employees who are trying to do their job. This is not a contest, not a win or lose debate. I advocate for intelligent, sane behavior and dialogue - not for constant put downs and criticism. Happiness for me would be if others could express their experiences without being subjected to constant negative comments which have little or no value and are made with the sole purpose of casting others in a negative light.