YOU are your best advocate.
Have you ever paid for something only to have it not meet your expectations? It could be a product or service.
What did you do?
Most people will complain to their family and friends. They may yell at the customer service representative. But, at the end of the day, they do not feel satisfied.
There are some things you can do to ensure you get what you want.
Let’s say you booked a room on one of those dot coms that specialize in getting you the “best” rate.
When you get to the hotel, you do not have a room. It may have been overbooked or the reservation never went through.
You are tired from traveling. You just want a shower and a comfortable bed.
What do you do?
What you do NOT want to do is take out your frustrations on the person behind the counter. There is very little they can do… and they will not want to help some jerk in front of them if there is anything they can do. After all, they do not get paid enough to deal with irate customers.
The person behind the counter can be your best ally. You want to get them on your side. Handle the situation with grace and even a little humor.
Did you know the dot com booking agencies have access to a certain number of rooms at that “best” rate? Depending on how many people have confirmed check ins for the night and how many rooms were reserved for your booking agency (the dot com), they may be able to find an available room for you.
If that is not an option, step away from the desk for a few minutes.
Call your booking agency. They tend not to be overly helpful, but you may get a representative who can help you in that location or find you a room nearby.
If you feel the person behind the hotel’s check in counter is not in the most helpful mood, you could go to the hotel’s website to see if there are rooms available there. They may be more expensive, but your top priority is a room, right?
The hotel staff may be able to price match this room to what you originally paid, or they may meet you in the middle if it is more. If that employee is not helpful, you could call the hotel’s reservations number.
They may be better able to assist you with your request.
If the hotel is completely sold out, the hotel employee may be able to help you find another room nearby.
Your best course of action? Use the dot com booking agencies to research prices, but do not book through them.
Generally speaking, your best option is to book directly on the hotel’s website. Better yet, become a member of the hotel chain and book under your member number. Members tend to get preference, even if you do not plan to stay with that hotel frequently.
If you are traveling internationally, you may want to book with a travel agent who specializes in the area you are visiting. They will have relationships with the local vendors and can often help you should an issue occur.
You may need to file a dispute with your credit card company if the booking agency does not promptly offer a refund.
You may need to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, or similar agency, if you believe the company you were working with did not act in good faith or follow best practices.
You may find that using the company’s “contact us” or survey option is a good way to get the company’s corporate headquarters to assist. This is an especially powerful choice if the management of the particular location you are dealing with is not helpful. Sometimes the specific location is tainted by bad management.
These tips could be applied to any situation:
1. Be nice to the person you are asking to help you. Put yourself in their shoes. What kind of person would you be most likely to help?
2. Be resourceful. There is more than one way to get to your destination. If you are stuck on one course of action you could be ignoring a dozen other ways to get what you want.
3. Be smart. Stack the odds in your favor. Know how the game is played. How is the person or company making money from this transaction and how can you use that to help you both win?
There is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to these negotiations (and make no mistake, you are negotiating). You come to the table with what you want. They counter with what they are willing to give. From there, hopefully you can reach an agreement that benefits you both. Sometimes it may end up benefiting one party more than the other. Or you may not reach an agreement at all.
This is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and perfected.
By learning how to advocate for yourself in a way that is smart, respectful and realistic, you will find you get what you want more often than not.
Because that is what Money Moms do. They figure out how to get the best for their families.
If you want to be a Money Mom, email me for more information about my Money Mom Academy. It is an 8 module, self-paced program with no end date so you can learn everything you want to know about money, finances, investing, and money mindset at your own pace, learning as much as you want about the topics that interest you. There is a ton of access to me, both in weekly group zoom calls and bi-monthly 1:1 sessions, a supportive community, and it is the fastest way to get from where you are now to the life you want for you family. Plus, the lessons you learn can help you set your children and loved ones up for future financial success.