Blubear
Senior member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2009
- Messages
- 941
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 09/2009
- Country
- US
- State
- Wa.
- City
- Puyallup
Hi Guys,
Well, here is the story that has been bugging me to the core! I am a travel agent working 3 x a week 5 hours a day. (would be full time, but my own health issues wont allow it...anyway the way it is set up, I am my own boss) I have over 17 years in this business, and have always loved helping people to get where they need to go, at the very best price. Anyway, a week ago last Thursday a gal came in the office. She was obviously very very sick. She looked to be in her 40's but I would bet she just looked that old because she is so sick. She has stomach cancer. She has already had a bunch of internal organs removed, done the chemo and all, but is now done with all of that, and just wants to die. She has 3 children. 18, 15 and 8. The 8 year old daughter has never known her mom to be well, since she has had the cancer for 8 years now. She wants to take her kids to Disneyworld for a last and first family vacation. She is very sick, so she wants to leave this week. Now, during spring break, last minute, is really really tough to find space on the airlines, and hotels, but I managed to get it for her, and a great resort on Disney property. She tells me she is on welfare/medicaid and that she has what money she has left to leave to her children, hidden in an account with an attorney's office in California. He attorney would need to wire the money. It was 6600.00 for all of them, last minute and all. By the time I had her booked, the attorney could not get to the bank, so I left it with my co-worker and best friend to take the payment the following day since I was off. (Friday) I came into work on Monday and saw the gal sitting at my co-workers desk and they were going through the documentation. I interrupted, because I know my co-worker (um..not calling her my friend at the moment) hadnt thought to follow through with all the needs of this sick woman. I made sure she had the wheelchairs in the airports, and all the info for scooter rentals at Disney and gave her advice on how to get to the front of the lines etc..... She then left. My co-worker turned to me and said, "oh yea, the price went down 600.00 overnight so I (she) charged it as a service fee, (the poor lady never knew the difference), then she charged the regular service fee of 120.00 on top of that, plus the commission on the booking and smiled and said...it would be a 50/50 split on the credit! I just looked at her and said: "You are going straight to hell for pulling that one!" She said she didnt care about taking the extra money because this particular client would not be back with future business! WHAT! Then, she and the owner of this travel agency were laughing that it was the right thing to do because we pay taxes for her welfare, and it was a way to get the money back! The other manager in the office just laughed! Now I used to own my own travel agency, and I would NEVER EVER EVER do something like that! It is not like my co-worker is on straight commission either. It's salary. This just makes me want to cry! How in the world is it that there are people out there that can do things like that! I know times are tough, but to take from a dying person? I wouldn't have done that even if the person was all well and kicking! I would have been happy for them that the price went down! I could not believe that I was the ONLY one sitting there who was appalled! The only reason I work at this particular office is it is the one I sold my business to and I get to work with my old clients. Plus, the way I have it set up, I am my own boss, and I do not have to follow the owners rules or restrictions. I basically rent a desk there. Now, if there are business owners out there reading this, and think, "Wow, wish I had an employee who would be smart enough to turn a 360.00 sale into 1000.00" SHAME ON YOU! I know now that I cannot trust anyone there to handle my clients when I am off. They are my "babies" like I like to call them, and I love to take care of them the way they should be!
URG!.......Just needed to vent, it is STILL upsetting me!
Hugs for listening!
Kari
Well, here is the story that has been bugging me to the core! I am a travel agent working 3 x a week 5 hours a day. (would be full time, but my own health issues wont allow it...anyway the way it is set up, I am my own boss) I have over 17 years in this business, and have always loved helping people to get where they need to go, at the very best price. Anyway, a week ago last Thursday a gal came in the office. She was obviously very very sick. She looked to be in her 40's but I would bet she just looked that old because she is so sick. She has stomach cancer. She has already had a bunch of internal organs removed, done the chemo and all, but is now done with all of that, and just wants to die. She has 3 children. 18, 15 and 8. The 8 year old daughter has never known her mom to be well, since she has had the cancer for 8 years now. She wants to take her kids to Disneyworld for a last and first family vacation. She is very sick, so she wants to leave this week. Now, during spring break, last minute, is really really tough to find space on the airlines, and hotels, but I managed to get it for her, and a great resort on Disney property. She tells me she is on welfare/medicaid and that she has what money she has left to leave to her children, hidden in an account with an attorney's office in California. He attorney would need to wire the money. It was 6600.00 for all of them, last minute and all. By the time I had her booked, the attorney could not get to the bank, so I left it with my co-worker and best friend to take the payment the following day since I was off. (Friday) I came into work on Monday and saw the gal sitting at my co-workers desk and they were going through the documentation. I interrupted, because I know my co-worker (um..not calling her my friend at the moment) hadnt thought to follow through with all the needs of this sick woman. I made sure she had the wheelchairs in the airports, and all the info for scooter rentals at Disney and gave her advice on how to get to the front of the lines etc..... She then left. My co-worker turned to me and said, "oh yea, the price went down 600.00 overnight so I (she) charged it as a service fee, (the poor lady never knew the difference), then she charged the regular service fee of 120.00 on top of that, plus the commission on the booking and smiled and said...it would be a 50/50 split on the credit! I just looked at her and said: "You are going straight to hell for pulling that one!" She said she didnt care about taking the extra money because this particular client would not be back with future business! WHAT! Then, she and the owner of this travel agency were laughing that it was the right thing to do because we pay taxes for her welfare, and it was a way to get the money back! The other manager in the office just laughed! Now I used to own my own travel agency, and I would NEVER EVER EVER do something like that! It is not like my co-worker is on straight commission either. It's salary. This just makes me want to cry! How in the world is it that there are people out there that can do things like that! I know times are tough, but to take from a dying person? I wouldn't have done that even if the person was all well and kicking! I would have been happy for them that the price went down! I could not believe that I was the ONLY one sitting there who was appalled! The only reason I work at this particular office is it is the one I sold my business to and I get to work with my old clients. Plus, the way I have it set up, I am my own boss, and I do not have to follow the owners rules or restrictions. I basically rent a desk there. Now, if there are business owners out there reading this, and think, "Wow, wish I had an employee who would be smart enough to turn a 360.00 sale into 1000.00" SHAME ON YOU! I know now that I cannot trust anyone there to handle my clients when I am off. They are my "babies" like I like to call them, and I love to take care of them the way they should be!
URG!.......Just needed to vent, it is STILL upsetting me!
Hugs for listening!
Kari
