I don't know why Canadian women are drawn to my email address, but at least it provides me a little entertainment on an otherwise boring March day. So this email took me a couple tries to fully understand. It is a little dry and involves a lot of numbers. I hated math in school and my grades always reflected my lack of ability (or effort put forth) in this area. My email was from Vicki and she really seemed to jump into the meat of the issue from the get-go. I eventually realized that this email was, in fact, a response to this canned statement from a hotel chain's customer service department: "Hi Vicki,
On behalf of Wyndham Hotel Group, my sincere apologies for your
experience.
Please allow our Customer Care Team time to look into this further and
you will be by contacted by March 16, 2016.
Thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention.
Best Regards,
Sue W.
Specialist, Customer Care"
But what I was really inspired by was Vicki's very detailed response in which she lays out her travel plans. Long story short: she got double-billed for a one-night stay in a Day's Inn. Below is her angry email:
"This matter was to be resolved by March 9 but today on March 11 I got a phone call telling me that I now have to prove that I overpaid for the Days Inn Nashville. During my original call I was told that following a call to the Nashville location they could see on their records that I was overcharged but the only person who could resolve the issue was off that day.
So now here it is a week plus later and I now have taken time to scan the original invoice from Days Inn Nashville for the nights of Dec 30 and 31 2015.
I have scanned the invoice from the Super 8 in Valdosta Georgia for Jan 1 , 2016 which I would hope proves that I was not in Nashville for more than 2 nights.
I have scanned 2 pages from my Master Card bill which shows that you put the charge in 2x.
The charge was for $161.72...which matches the amount on the 2 night invoice.
The exchange rate of 1.425 brought my cost up to $230.46.
This rate is showing x2 which means that I have paid a total of $460.92 for a 2 night stay in an outdated Days Inn.
I hope that this matter can be resolved in a timely fashion. I see that I finally got a response to my 4th letter of complaint so there may be a number of outstanding complaints for this matter. The person I spoke to on the phone today said to use
ref # 362081
I was told to send to customercare4@wyn.com but see that this is from someplace else so am responding to both addresses.
Vicki Edwards"
Yep. Vicki just sent me a copy of her credit card bill. You know how they always tell you to be careful about sharing sensitive information online? Yeah. Usually they are referring to people who solicit information from you. They shouldn't have to tell you not to email your credit card number, all of your contact info, and your travel plans to some guy you have never met in another country. Being the nice guy I am (who does not want anything to do with credit card fraud charges), I ignored this gaff and focused, instead, on Vicki's odd choice of American travel destinations:
"VIcki,
I am so glad you sent this to me. If there is one thing I love, it is a David vs. Goliath battle between the 'little guy' and Corporate America. Actually, that's not true. If there was one thing I loved, it would be a nearly unbreakable tie between beer and donuts. I'm sure beer would win out in the end. But my point is, I actually LOVE engaging in correspondence with companies when I feel slighted or as though I didn't get the service I deserved. Sure, all of us can say that we have called customer service and yelled at Verizon (I think you guys pronounce it 'Rogers') over a rate hike. But who else among us can say that they they started an email campaign when Blistex got rid of their flip-top caps on lip balm? Nobody but me, Vicki. Granted, they didn't exactly bring back the flip-top caps but guess who scored a packet full of coupons from Blistex...
Anyhow, I am not sure how you found me, but I am glad you did. I am now intrigued by a number of points in your letter. The least of which is how this company managed to charge you twice for the same stay, but can't simply remove the mistake. More so, I would love to delve into your travel habits. On behalf of America, I would like to apologize if this was your first trip to The States. I certainly hope that you didn't allow stays in Nasvhille, TN and Valdosta, GA to color your opinion of all of us as a whole. I'm sure that those places have some very nice attributes, and the people? Well bless their hearts (I believe you pronounce this 'what a bunch of hosers'). But I am not going to assume that you chose New Year's as a chance to explore the American South on your way to Florida to catch a cruise. No, I am going to create a more glorious mental image. I will imagine in my mind that you are a writer for Canadian Country, a magazine dedicated to combining the lost arts of crooners and cruellers. Perhaps you were following an up-and-coming band as they tried to make a name for themselves on Nashville prior to getting sucked into the cotton belt.
I am equally stymied by your itinerary. As much as Nashville is not my bag, I imagine that it might be a fun place to spend New Year's. And I know you Canadians can drink. Especially when you factor in how much cheaper beer and liquor are down here. So it would only seem normal to me that you would party it up in Nasvhille, and then spend New Year's Day sleeping it off. But not Vicki. Nope. Little Miss (Southern) World Traveler decided to jump right back into her penetration of America. Onward you pressed. You would not let your curiosity about the U.S. be satisfied by two nights in the world-class digs that are a Days Inn. You knew that there was more out there. You wanted to see the luxury, service, and intrigue that only a Super 8 can provide. I have to say I am impressed with your intrepidness. A lesser woman would have written off New Year's Day as a travel day. But you had been bitten by the travel bug and weren't going to let a 7 hour drive discourage you. I like your spirit.
Let's talk about your choice in hotels. You really set the bar low, eh? I mean, you decide to travel the length of a foreign nation and then settle for all the comforts of a third-world hostel? I'm not saying that you need to hit The Ritz, but perhaps next time you could really get the American experience by choosing something more middle-of-the road. I can only imagine the good times you DID have, though. What a Super 8 may lack in ambiance, I am sure it makes up for in cultural immersion. I don't think it is possible to stay in a Super 8 without experiencing truckers picking up lot lizards, crack sales in the parking lot, or bed bugs. Again, please do not let your impression of all Americans be formed by your poor choice in hotels.
So what are we looking to get out of this company? I think that you are beyond simply getting your money back. At this point they have, no doubt, inconvenienced you to a point that you need more than simply a credit on your card. I think you need to see what kind of a credit you can get. Perhaps they have a sister hotel of slightly higher quality in a part of the U.S. that people would actually want to visit. Like Miami, Vegas, or Iowa. I say you throw out the request for a free two-night stay in one of their premier properties. If they decline, let me know and we'll step up our game. I have this really bad rash. I'd be happy to take some close-ups for you and you can send them to Days Inn claiming to have gotten bed bugs (in the event that you didn't actually get your own case of bed bugs).
I hope this all works out for you!"
So... Vicki apparently has no sense of humor. I heard nothing. Radio silence. I thought Canadians were supposed to be overly friendly. Isn't she supposed to immediately be all "Sorry! Can I make it up to you by sending some maple syrup..."? Perhaps Vicki is an ex-patriot living in the Great White North. Perhaps she still uses AOL and has a limited number of minutes to spend online. Maybe she was too busy canceling every credit account in her name in order to be sure I wasn't buying mail-order goats under her name. I was afraid that I had either offended her or that maybe there were some Mounties headed my way to chat about my mischievous ways. After 12 days of radio silence I decided to poke the bear... I mean check in with Vicki:
"Hey Vicki, I hope you weren't put off by my earlier response. I know I can seem a bit overwhelming at times, and it was probably really weird that I suggested you go to Vegas. I hope you didn't think I was being too forward and suggesting that you take me along with you on your free trip... I have an addictive personality and I don't think I'd do well in Vegas.
Either way, I've been dying to know what the hotel chain said in response to your letter. Did they make it right?
Please don't leave me in suspense down here!
Cheers,
Patrick"
I got the following, very terse, response from The Northern Traveler:
"cheque is in the mail. standing beside mailbox waiting for it to appear...."
Those Canadians are so cute with their adorable misspellings. I am super bummed that I never got to find out any of the answers to my questions. Vicki may leave me wanting for more, but I bet she is a lot more careful about who she complains to in the future.
On behalf of Wyndham Hotel Group, my sincere apologies for your
experience.
Please allow our Customer Care Team time to look into this further and
you will be by contacted by March 16, 2016.
Thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention.
Best Regards,
Sue W.
Specialist, Customer Care"
But what I was really inspired by was Vicki's very detailed response in which she lays out her travel plans. Long story short: she got double-billed for a one-night stay in a Day's Inn. Below is her angry email:
"This matter was to be resolved by March 9 but today on March 11 I got a phone call telling me that I now have to prove that I overpaid for the Days Inn Nashville. During my original call I was told that following a call to the Nashville location they could see on their records that I was overcharged but the only person who could resolve the issue was off that day.
So now here it is a week plus later and I now have taken time to scan the original invoice from Days Inn Nashville for the nights of Dec 30 and 31 2015.
I have scanned the invoice from the Super 8 in Valdosta Georgia for Jan 1 , 2016 which I would hope proves that I was not in Nashville for more than 2 nights.
I have scanned 2 pages from my Master Card bill which shows that you put the charge in 2x.
The charge was for $161.72...which matches the amount on the 2 night invoice.
The exchange rate of 1.425 brought my cost up to $230.46.
This rate is showing x2 which means that I have paid a total of $460.92 for a 2 night stay in an outdated Days Inn.
I hope that this matter can be resolved in a timely fashion. I see that I finally got a response to my 4th letter of complaint so there may be a number of outstanding complaints for this matter. The person I spoke to on the phone today said to use
ref # 362081
I was told to send to customercare4@wyn.com but see that this is from someplace else so am responding to both addresses.
Vicki Edwards"
Yep. Vicki just sent me a copy of her credit card bill. You know how they always tell you to be careful about sharing sensitive information online? Yeah. Usually they are referring to people who solicit information from you. They shouldn't have to tell you not to email your credit card number, all of your contact info, and your travel plans to some guy you have never met in another country. Being the nice guy I am (who does not want anything to do with credit card fraud charges), I ignored this gaff and focused, instead, on Vicki's odd choice of American travel destinations:
"VIcki,
I am so glad you sent this to me. If there is one thing I love, it is a David vs. Goliath battle between the 'little guy' and Corporate America. Actually, that's not true. If there was one thing I loved, it would be a nearly unbreakable tie between beer and donuts. I'm sure beer would win out in the end. But my point is, I actually LOVE engaging in correspondence with companies when I feel slighted or as though I didn't get the service I deserved. Sure, all of us can say that we have called customer service and yelled at Verizon (I think you guys pronounce it 'Rogers') over a rate hike. But who else among us can say that they they started an email campaign when Blistex got rid of their flip-top caps on lip balm? Nobody but me, Vicki. Granted, they didn't exactly bring back the flip-top caps but guess who scored a packet full of coupons from Blistex...
Anyhow, I am not sure how you found me, but I am glad you did. I am now intrigued by a number of points in your letter. The least of which is how this company managed to charge you twice for the same stay, but can't simply remove the mistake. More so, I would love to delve into your travel habits. On behalf of America, I would like to apologize if this was your first trip to The States. I certainly hope that you didn't allow stays in Nasvhille, TN and Valdosta, GA to color your opinion of all of us as a whole. I'm sure that those places have some very nice attributes, and the people? Well bless their hearts (I believe you pronounce this 'what a bunch of hosers'). But I am not going to assume that you chose New Year's as a chance to explore the American South on your way to Florida to catch a cruise. No, I am going to create a more glorious mental image. I will imagine in my mind that you are a writer for Canadian Country, a magazine dedicated to combining the lost arts of crooners and cruellers. Perhaps you were following an up-and-coming band as they tried to make a name for themselves on Nashville prior to getting sucked into the cotton belt.
I am equally stymied by your itinerary. As much as Nashville is not my bag, I imagine that it might be a fun place to spend New Year's. And I know you Canadians can drink. Especially when you factor in how much cheaper beer and liquor are down here. So it would only seem normal to me that you would party it up in Nasvhille, and then spend New Year's Day sleeping it off. But not Vicki. Nope. Little Miss (Southern) World Traveler decided to jump right back into her penetration of America. Onward you pressed. You would not let your curiosity about the U.S. be satisfied by two nights in the world-class digs that are a Days Inn. You knew that there was more out there. You wanted to see the luxury, service, and intrigue that only a Super 8 can provide. I have to say I am impressed with your intrepidness. A lesser woman would have written off New Year's Day as a travel day. But you had been bitten by the travel bug and weren't going to let a 7 hour drive discourage you. I like your spirit.
Let's talk about your choice in hotels. You really set the bar low, eh? I mean, you decide to travel the length of a foreign nation and then settle for all the comforts of a third-world hostel? I'm not saying that you need to hit The Ritz, but perhaps next time you could really get the American experience by choosing something more middle-of-the road. I can only imagine the good times you DID have, though. What a Super 8 may lack in ambiance, I am sure it makes up for in cultural immersion. I don't think it is possible to stay in a Super 8 without experiencing truckers picking up lot lizards, crack sales in the parking lot, or bed bugs. Again, please do not let your impression of all Americans be formed by your poor choice in hotels.
So what are we looking to get out of this company? I think that you are beyond simply getting your money back. At this point they have, no doubt, inconvenienced you to a point that you need more than simply a credit on your card. I think you need to see what kind of a credit you can get. Perhaps they have a sister hotel of slightly higher quality in a part of the U.S. that people would actually want to visit. Like Miami, Vegas, or Iowa. I say you throw out the request for a free two-night stay in one of their premier properties. If they decline, let me know and we'll step up our game. I have this really bad rash. I'd be happy to take some close-ups for you and you can send them to Days Inn claiming to have gotten bed bugs (in the event that you didn't actually get your own case of bed bugs).
I hope this all works out for you!"
So... Vicki apparently has no sense of humor. I heard nothing. Radio silence. I thought Canadians were supposed to be overly friendly. Isn't she supposed to immediately be all "Sorry! Can I make it up to you by sending some maple syrup..."? Perhaps Vicki is an ex-patriot living in the Great White North. Perhaps she still uses AOL and has a limited number of minutes to spend online. Maybe she was too busy canceling every credit account in her name in order to be sure I wasn't buying mail-order goats under her name. I was afraid that I had either offended her or that maybe there were some Mounties headed my way to chat about my mischievous ways. After 12 days of radio silence I decided to poke the bear... I mean check in with Vicki:
"Hey Vicki, I hope you weren't put off by my earlier response. I know I can seem a bit overwhelming at times, and it was probably really weird that I suggested you go to Vegas. I hope you didn't think I was being too forward and suggesting that you take me along with you on your free trip... I have an addictive personality and I don't think I'd do well in Vegas.
Either way, I've been dying to know what the hotel chain said in response to your letter. Did they make it right?
Please don't leave me in suspense down here!
Cheers,
Patrick"
I got the following, very terse, response from The Northern Traveler:
"cheque is in the mail. standing beside mailbox waiting for it to appear...."
Those Canadians are so cute with their adorable misspellings. I am super bummed that I never got to find out any of the answers to my questions. Vicki may leave me wanting for more, but I bet she is a lot more careful about who she complains to in the future.