QUICK TIP--A FINAL SALE ISN'T ALWAYS FINAL

My brother and sister-in-law have an annual Thanksgiving tradition. They stay overnight in New York, see a show and take in all of the holiday glitter. This year, for reasons beyond their control, they weren’t able to stay overnight. The problem—they had prepaid their hotel room through an online discount hotel site so that they could get a good rate. The prepay option was a “no cancellations” reservation. Uh oh—a bargain isn’t a bargain when the money just flies away.

When Scott glumly told me about it, I suggested that he call the hotel site and explain what had happened, that this was an unexpected situation, and see if he could obtain a refund or use the payment toward an alternate stay. He had been staying at this hotel and booking through this site for years. Maybe they’d be willing to make an accommodation for a repeat guest.

Scott called me back a few days later. He thought about my suggestion and realized that all he had to lose was a few moments of time, and the worst that could happen was that they wouldn’t agree to his request. When he called the online site, the agent was receptive but said that she would have to check with the hotel. While Scott waited on the phone, the agent called the hotel. The hotel graciously agreed to refund the pre-paid charge.

Why did I suggest trying to obtain a refund?

1) Scott frequently uses this online site for hotel bookings. He had also stayed at this hotel numerous times. He was a repeat customer who had never made this request before.

2) It was the holiday season—perhaps the hotel would be booked and could re-sell the room. Or, they might just want to show their holiday spirit.

3) Keeping a guest happy when an unanticipated event occurs is a good way to maintain a relationship—for a first time guest or for a repeat guest.

4) Stuff happens, and a good business realizes that. Scott had never done this before, so he had credibility.

5) And, as always, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know what you would have achieved.

Remember that there are generally exceptions to every rule when the situation warrants. And don’t be afraid to ask—“No” isn’t the worst word in the world, and “Yes” happens more often than you might think.