"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Nlspd.150701$R05.147436@attbi_s53...
Kinda timely since PBS's Frontline had a show on credit cards last
Tuesday.
Very eye opening, it seems that a couple of Supreme Court decisions allow
credit card companies to charge whatever interest rate they want and to
raise the interest rate on money already on the balance.
Most of the credit card holders interviewed had never read or didn't
understand the "fine print" in their card contracts.

One lesser known fact about credit card companies is that they will screw
the VENDOR far more readily than they will their customers.

Over the past couple of years we have had a handful of guests with
guaranteed reservations not show up at the inn, who were charged for one
night's stay. Two of them simply called their credit card companies and
disputed the charge -- at which point the credit card company immediately
credited them and charged us back, no questions asked!

It was then up to US to "prove" to VISA that the guest had stayed with
us -- which, of course, they had not. Despite the fact that these
guests insisted on "guaranteed reservations", despite the fact that we had
pre-authorized their stay on their credit card, despite the fact that we
had mailed post cards to their home, reminding them of their
reservation -- and despite the fact that we followed VISA's own procedures
for no-shows to the letter -- we were totally helpless, and had to eat the
bill. No amount of documentation or phone calls mattered to VISA.

THAT is the real credit card scandal that is sweeping America right now --
but no one outside of the industry knows (or, quite frankly) cares about
it. But we ALL pay for scumbags like these in the end.

That is unfortunate, but did you really "lose" money? The card companies
make the money from the card holders, not the vendors. If no service was
received then you can't charge. Now this then gets into a discussion of a
"confirmed reservation" rather than a "regular reservation."

I would not go so far as to say it is a scandal or that they are scumbags.
Surely they are inconsiderate, but I think you overstate the case.

Did you have to clean the room when they didn't show up? Did you turn away
other guests? What you discuss is all part of the service industry. When
you are in that business you (hopefully) understand that you have to deal
with people and you cannot always choose your clients, though I suppose that
would be nice. Until that day comes, i am afraid you will have to deal with
all types of people and with the standard business practices.


--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"