Imagine working at a hotel. What would you do if a hotel guest freaked out at you during the check-in process over something that really wasn’t a big deal? Would you offer some empathy, or would you patiently wait for a chance to get revenge?

In this story, one front desk supervisor was in that situation, and the hotel guest even complained to the manager. While nothing bad came from her complaint, the supervisor jumped at the first chance he got to get revenge on her.

His revenge was clever because it’s really not something the guest could assume was intentional even though it definitely was.

Let’s read all about it.

Front Desk Supervisor Neither Forgives NOR Forgets

I work at a hotel. It is very clear by the way people engage with me and my team whether they have ever had a job in customer service…like there is no way they would speak to me the way they do if they could even for a MOMENT imagine being in my shoes.

Prime example-

White lady(obviously) with HUGE glasses, comically large frames that give, “I’m just quirky👉🏼👈🏼” energy walks into our location.

Here’s how the check-in process started.

She comes up to the front desk to check in. Early in the process she tells me she is going to buy a beer from our little market area.

I said something along the lines of, “Okay we can do that at the end.”

While I’m checking her in I ask for her to insert a card for the reservation.

I will say, not every front desk person does this every time. A lot of them just say the expiration date and use the card on file. But this isn’t my first rodeo and I know that if we don’t get a card physically taken at check in(or at least look at the card since there are cameras at the desk) it is nearly impossible to win a case for damages. The argument that the card on file isn’t the one they meant/want charged etc can get the case thrown out real quick.

OP continues to defend why she doesn’t do what her coworkers do.

ALSO I am the supervisor so I do things properly?

I truly do not care that much if the other teammates follow procedure to the letter. They’re overworked and underpaid so unless it’s a huge deal I don’t make a stink about much.

But I am under higher scrutiny and also don’t like messing stuff up so…sue me! I follow the rules!

Everything seemed find until after the guest got her room key.

She inserts the card and I wrap up checkout and give her the room keys. She then goes and grabs the aforementioned beer.

I ask her if she wants to use the card on file, aka the one I just took the authorization on for the room(cost of the room, tax, and $20 rounded up per night).

Balistic! Immediately! “Didn’t I just pay for the beer?!”

Well no…first of all I had no idea what beer you were going to pick out and like…they cost different amounts…have you been in the world before? Are you new here? Also why would I charge you for a mystery beer in the middle of check in? Like I haven’t even given you the keys and you’re thinking that I’m charging you for a beer that I DON’T EVEN KNOW THE BRAND OF???

OP explains what will happen if they change the card.

Proceeds to freak out on me, I change the card on file immediately.

Worth mentioning that I had not CHARGED her card. I put an AUTHORIZATION on it. Similar to a ride-share app before you decide if/how much you want to tip.

I inform her that the new card will be charged when she checks out, but the authorization will not be released until then as well.

Pouty, furious, devastated…it was quite a show.

She can kind of understand the customer’s situation.

Look, I’m not devoid of empathy. It was probably about a $500 hold which would stress me the heck out if it was on an account I wasn’t expecting. I’m broke most of the time, it would be a huge hit(worth mentioning she was there for work so she makes enough money that they be sending her outta town…but still.)

That was not the issue. People throw tantrums on a daily basis where I work. Unfortunately working at a fairly nice and semi expensive hotel does not draw the most down to Earth crowd.

While I’m changing the card on file, she says something under her breath. I know it’s nasty but if you’re gonna say something nasty, say it with your chest.

So I ask what she said(in the tone of “Did I miss something?”)

She made it worse.

“What are you, dumb? Why would you put that large of a hold on my card?”

OH MAMA!

So we’re doing name calling? Okay I see you!

What are YOU? Dumb? Why would I be taking money for a beer(that once again I had no idea the brand of and more importantly the price of) in the MIDDLE of checking you in?

It’s not over.

Oh you think that’s the end of it? HA me too girl.

But no, the next morning I’m back at the front desk. One of the managers happened to be there, which was very rare. I had filled her in and on the fact that we were probably going to receive a negative review in the survey we send out to every guest when they check out the MOMENT I clocked in. Y’all know the camaraderie that forms in the face of entitled customers, resentment is thicker than blood.

She walks up and I had stuff to do, she walked up to my manager to check out anyway so I was moving to restock the coffee station.

Mama stops me in my tracks, “I think you should be here for this.”

Yippee.

Let’s see how the manager handled it.

I walk over to her and my manager. She then begins her monologue, fully berating me. Not using the word dumb again, but it’s dripping off every word that comes out of her puckered awful mouth. At the end of her speech(that she clearly feel asleep daydreaming about), she says…and I quote…”I think we can all agree you made a mistake.”

Girl. Be so for real.

I ain’t agreeing to ANYTHING. I say some noncommittal platitude and my manager apologizes profusely(forget our 100% satisfaction guarantee because we gotta swallow the stuff guests throw our way and smile and thank them for their understanding and patience.)

The end. Of that encounter. But not the end of the story. This is my petty revenge.

Oh, no, it’s not over yet!

About a month later she walks through the doors again. Mind you, my eye sight and memory are absolutely horrible. Often guests walk up and I ask if they have stayed with us before, sometimes with a response of. “I was here last week👀” Like it’s rough out here for a guy like me.

But HER. I recognized her instantly, because of those STUPID freaking glasses.

She walks up and I pretend I don’t remember her, maybe she can tell it’s an act or maybe she can’t. She says very little, and I am vaguely warm with a dead look behind my eyes. “I hope you enjoy your stay.” She won’t.

I placed mama in room 513. Notoriously the worst room in the hotel. Management has expressed multiple times that it is a last resort, we only put someone in 513 if the hotel is fully sold out and they are the last one to check in.

They were far from sold out.

We were at 46% occupancy😈

Now, the worst room in a nice hotel is still nice. It’s not dirty sheets and mold in the bathroom.

513 is the last resort because when you open the curtains…nothing. A wall of steel. No natural light. 513 faces the water heater, and there is nothing outside the window except the cruel and cold sheet of metal that tells you…you are exactly where you belong.

You play, I play. It’s game, and no I can’t clap back or get physical or really do anything tangibly bad to you. But I don’t forgive, and I will not forget! Don’t play unless you’re willing to suffer the consequences.

Long story short: I put guests who are jerks in bad rooms at my hotel 🤭

That’s a clever way of getting revenge without getting in trouble. If the guest is wise, she’ll know better than to complain.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a hotel guest who complained about noise from an event, then reported the employee who agreed with him.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This is a good point about the water heater!

This person thinks OP has anger issues.

Another person shares their thoughts about how customers treat people in customer service roles.

This woman’s husband has observed similar situations.

I understand complaining as a customer if there is an actual problem, but some customer seem to like to make small issues or misunderstandings into huge problems. It’s ridiculous, and it doesn’t help anyone.

Giving the hotel guest the worst room in the hotel was a clever way to get revenge, and based on the comments, a lot of hotel workers get revenge the same way. The lesson here is that customers will never benefit from insulting the employees.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who rejects a low contract offer and leaves the company instead.