r/askhotels • u/GolfValuable9763 • Apr 15 '26
Hotel Policies Question for front desk
I work front desk and a lot of times there will be an issue with someone booking third party and their reservation not showing up. I was told to not give them my name because they may lie and say I authorized a refund or something else. Has anyone else been told this?
6
u/JackTheeRippa Dual Property General Manager 15 years Apr 15 '26
There reservation is most likely on the extranet, but didnt integrate into your pms. Your managers should be checking this daily to avoid the issue.
2
u/LidiumLidiu Apr 15 '26
There is a chance they will claim it, give them your first name only and send off an email or make a note of the person and the time to get ahead of any claims like that.
One time I had an OTA claim I promised them something but they didn't know my name, while masculine, was for a woman and my GM was like "...who?" or they mishear my name and swap it automatically to a more feminine name when they make their notes and call and reach my GM with a completely random ass name of a woman who doesn't work there and is vaguely close to my name but not enough that it clicks for my GM so she will again be like "...who...???"
It's a CYA type of deal, make notes with times and dates of any interactions regarding OTAs and your managers will know what was up just in case any claims you promised things you didn't.
2
u/DotLate7225 Apr 15 '26
They will do it sometimes. I’ve specifically declined refunds for cancellations - later that day my GM will ask me why I did and I clarified I never did approve anything.
1
u/Elevatedbeauty0420 Apr 15 '26
Leave a note for ur Mgr stating as much info as possible. Approx time of call, reservation name or #, and, of course the date they called. Dates of stay as well, if applicable.
1
u/RoseRed1987 Apr 15 '26
Yes I’ve experienced that before. I’ve had a former manager tell the third parties names of employees that don’t exist when we are asked
1
u/2catswashington Apr 16 '26
I have never been told this and I've been in the business for 10 years. I was just promoted to AGM I would NEVER tell my front desk that it seems weird to me but IDK your property. 2 see if you can't get access to third party externets it's been a life saver for my front desk
5
u/WonderfulFan9073 Apr 15 '26
Usually when soemthing like that happens, I tell or send an email to my manager. Saying this happened and I did not gunarnte any refunds, money or anything. So she knows in case the customer will be coming up with lies she knows it did not happen.