Question

8.11 Persuasive Claim:

Pricey Hotel Breakfast (Obj. 3) As regional manager for an auto parts manufacturer, you and two other employees attended a conference in Lexington, Kentucky. You stayed at the Country Inn & Suites because your company recommends that employees use this hotel chain. Generally, your employees have liked their accommodations, and the rates have been within your company’s budget. Now, however, you are unhappy with the charges you see on your company’s credit statement from Country Inn & Suites. When your department’s administrative assistant made the reservations, she was assured that you would receive the weekend rates and that a hot breakfast—in the hotel restaurant, the Atrium—would be included in the rate. So you and the other two employees went to the restaurant and ordered a hot meal from the menu. When you received the credit statement, though, you saw a charge for $132 for three champagne buffet breakfasts in the Atrium. You hit the ceiling! For one thing, you didn’t have a buffet breakfast and certainly no champagne. The three of you got there so early that no buffet had been set up. You ordered pancakes and sausage, and for this you were billed $40 each. What’s worse, your company may charge you personally for exceeding the maximum per diem rates. In looking back at this event, you remember that other guests on your floor were having a continental breakfast in a lounge on your floor. Perhaps that’s where the hotel expected all guests on the weekend rate to eat. However, your administrative assistant had specifically asked about this matter when she made the reservations, and she was told that you could order breakfast from the menu at the hotel’s restaurant.

Your Task. You want to straighten out this problem, and you can’t do it by telephone because you suspect that you will need a written record of this entire mess. Online you have tried in vain to find an e-mail address for guest relations at the Lexington location. Write a persuasive claim to Customer Service, Country Inn & Suites, 1310 Darby Drive, Lexington, KY 40505. Should you include a copy of the credit card statement showing the charge?

Answer 1

Customer Service

Country Inn & Suites

1210 Darby Drive

Lexington, KY 40505

Date: October 23, 2018

Dear Country Inn & Suites Service:

I along with two colleagues of mine stayed at your hotel recently as our company recommends that for all our official stays. Your hotel has always been appreciated by our employees for your services and reasonable accommodation charges.

Our department’s administrative assistant made the reservations for our stay at your hotel, where she was assured to receive the weekend rates including a hot breakfast in the hotel restaurant, the Clarion. We started our day early, and no buffet was yet setup, hence we chose to order pancakes and sausage for which we were billed $40 individually. Apart from this, unfortunately, when we were billed $132 for three champagne buffet breakfasts in the Clarion too, which we never had.

This additional charge is disappointing because it was wrongly charged, and this additional charge will have to borne by us personally. I would request you to please look into this matter and resolve the same.

Also, please authorize the return of the additional champagne buffet breakfast charges to the booking account, as early as possible. I am attaching a copy of the authorized booking receipt with the rates for your reference.

Regards,

ABC

Regional manager

XYZ-Auto Parts Manufacturer

b) I don’t think that a copy of credit card statement showing the charge as the hotel already has that in their records. A copy should be saved for reference if asked in the future communication by the hotel.