Working for a significant car rental company selling to wholesalers has its perks. Over the years one manages to become friends with the major players either dealing with them or meeting them at domestic and international travel trade shows. And the saying one hand washes the other does apply. They could call on me for a discounted car rental rate and I could call on them for a discounted hotel rate. But never request help during the busy season when cars and hotel rooms would be in short supply.
I mention this because in the fall of 1986 we were doing a major renovation in our home from mid-September to just before Thanksgiving. During that time we spent every Friday through Monday at a Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood Beach hotel to get away from the mess. I asked my hotel friends for a discounted room rate and they helped . We did not request a discounted rate during Columbus Day Weekend when rooms were in short supply.
Now that you have the picture I received a call early January, 1987 from the son of an owner of a mid size Miami Beach hotel. His car broke down and could I help him for a couple of weeks until it was repaired. I need to mention that we didnt do business with this hotel. However, previously their former sales director had given our company a $1,000 deposit to establish credit in the event that they would give us some car rental business.
The request came after the busy Christmas holiday and about 4 weeks before our next peak period commencing Presidents Day Weekend and running until the end of March. I offered him a mid-size car and would charge him the tour operator net rate for a sub-compact car, a two car upgrade with an attractive price. He would return the car in two weeks. It was a win for him with a good rate and a win for us by renting a car which would normally remain idle during a slow time.
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He wanted the car for two weeks but it was about two months later, the early part of March, when I got the call. It was the Miami rental station wanting to know when the car would be returned. The vehicle was sorely needed for reservations. Imagine my surprise. It was very unusual for people in the business to abuse favors knowing full well the importance of maximizing resources during the height of a season.
I called the renter and spared no words. The car he was driving for a very reduced rate should have and could have been rented to regular customers which was why we were in business. He tried to tell me people in the business take care of each other. I explained my situation only 5 or 6 months prior with discounted hotel rates and told him that he abused a favor.
I then told him that I would honor the special offer for the two weeks requested. For the balance of the rental period he would be charged the tour operator net rate for the mid-size car. Also a bargain considering that we did not do business with them. I also told him that the Miami station would go to his hotel and pick up the car. If it wasnt available they would swear out a warrant for unauthorized use. And that is when he hung up on me. I said out loud to anyone who could hear, What a baby. He hung up on me.
It took about an hour before the father, the hotel owner, called me. I mentioned at the start of the conversation that if the apple didnâ ™t fall from the tree that he too would hang up on me. He said that he wouldnâ ™t and then proceeded to complain about the amount that was being charged for the car rental. That it was only fair to work with fellow travel industry people. I said that his son had abused the favor and I asked him when was the last time he discounted a hotel room during the height of the busy season?
No response to the question and stated that he wouldnâ ™t pay the charge. I gave him the bad news. He didnt have to because we had a $1,000 deposit of his thanks to his ex-sales director. We would deduct the charges from the deposit and since we werenâ ™t doing business with his hotel would refund the difference. Now we were on the phone and I didnâ ™t have a visual but I sensed rage. His response was that he was going to do everything he could to get me out of the travel business.
I need to mention that I loved what I was doing and thought that the work I did was like being on vacation. As a joke I said, I have been in the business for 20 years and have been trying to get out of it for the last 19 years. Anything you can do to help I will appreciate. He slammed down the phone. I said out loud not knowing who would hear me, The apple does not fall far from the tree.
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Abusing a Favor Can Have a Cost