stevedmatt
TUG Member
Just wanted to inform everyone of the concierge desk practices at The Historic Powhatan resort.
About 5 days before check in, I received a call from the resort to invite me to take the tour. I reluctantly agree as I normally don't feel to bad about not showing up or canceling at a later time. I also informed them of my late check in and requested a lower level unit. After answering the standard qualifying questions, I was asked for a $20 deposit on a credit card to hold the reservation. When I said no, she said she would waive the fee.
Upon arriving to the resort and checking in, I am escorted to the concierge desk, which is all of about 25 feet away. I was given a welcome pack and asked if I wanted to take the tour again. I said not really. I was told there was only 2 times available, 9 AM and noon Wednesday. I told them I didn't want to take the tour and surely wouldn't commit to a times as I wasn't sure of my plans. They said that I could change the time if I couldn't make it. I said "I thought these were the only 2 times available." They said people cancel all the time. So the guy starts to write up the reservation for 9 AM Wednesday and once again asks me the series of qualifying questions. After going through this, he asks me for $20. I told him to waive the fee. He said he could not. I explained to him that I wasn't giving him $20 to commit to a time that I couldn't commit to. Again, "you can cancel and get your $20 back." I said no thank you as I wasn't spending my vacation trying to get my $20 back.
Another lady approaches and explains to me that this wasn't a sales pitch. I informed her that in her list of qualifying questions that a 90 minute sales presentation was part of the tour. She said that it is a very "soft touch" presentation and there is no commitment to buy anything. My response: "I would never buy anything anyhow." At that point, she once again said she couldn't hold the time without a $20 deposit. I explained that I never asked them to hold the time and they could take their presentation and shove it.
Even after this altercation, I still received phone calls (that I didn't answer) at 8:45 and 9:30 PM as well as a knock on my door at 9PM with additional information being dropped at my door.
So, after that long explanation, has anyone every been asked for a deposit to hold a sales presentation time? This seems like a ridiculous idea to try to secure buyers. I was only going for the $75 visa gift card that would take my family to a nice dinner one night.
About 5 days before check in, I received a call from the resort to invite me to take the tour. I reluctantly agree as I normally don't feel to bad about not showing up or canceling at a later time. I also informed them of my late check in and requested a lower level unit. After answering the standard qualifying questions, I was asked for a $20 deposit on a credit card to hold the reservation. When I said no, she said she would waive the fee.
Upon arriving to the resort and checking in, I am escorted to the concierge desk, which is all of about 25 feet away. I was given a welcome pack and asked if I wanted to take the tour again. I said not really. I was told there was only 2 times available, 9 AM and noon Wednesday. I told them I didn't want to take the tour and surely wouldn't commit to a times as I wasn't sure of my plans. They said that I could change the time if I couldn't make it. I said "I thought these were the only 2 times available." They said people cancel all the time. So the guy starts to write up the reservation for 9 AM Wednesday and once again asks me the series of qualifying questions. After going through this, he asks me for $20. I told him to waive the fee. He said he could not. I explained to him that I wasn't giving him $20 to commit to a time that I couldn't commit to. Again, "you can cancel and get your $20 back." I said no thank you as I wasn't spending my vacation trying to get my $20 back.
Another lady approaches and explains to me that this wasn't a sales pitch. I informed her that in her list of qualifying questions that a 90 minute sales presentation was part of the tour. She said that it is a very "soft touch" presentation and there is no commitment to buy anything. My response: "I would never buy anything anyhow." At that point, she once again said she couldn't hold the time without a $20 deposit. I explained that I never asked them to hold the time and they could take their presentation and shove it.
Even after this altercation, I still received phone calls (that I didn't answer) at 8:45 and 9:30 PM as well as a knock on my door at 9PM with additional information being dropped at my door.
So, after that long explanation, has anyone every been asked for a deposit to hold a sales presentation time? This seems like a ridiculous idea to try to secure buyers. I was only going for the $75 visa gift card that would take my family to a nice dinner one night.