Derek’s experiences with stupid customer support reminded me of a similar but more analog experience of mine several years ago trying to find a motel in california. We were on a climbing trip to Yosemite and after about 12 hours of travel from Vancouver we arrived in northern calfornia. We saw a motel 8 (or similar) with a vacancy sign, we we make our way to it off the highway, pull in, and ask for a room. “Sorry, no vancancy.” Ok, these things happen… pull back on the highway and keep going (it was around 9 or 10 at night BTW). We saw another Motel with vancancy, so make our way to it again, and are once again told there was no vancacy.
After two more of these I finally asked why their vacancy sign is on if there is no vancacy. “Oh,” she said sweetly, “the company doesn’t want to have their name associated with ‘no vacancy’ signs, we we keep them on ‘vacancy’.”
I boggled. I don’t remember if I actually said “would they rather their company be assicated with pissing customers off?” but I definately thought it. Hell, if they are going to do that, why not just buy signs without the “No” even on them.
After no luck trying to find a room for the night at a variety of different Motel 8 type companies we ended up pitching a tent behind a rest stop (clearly labelled with “no camping” of course).
Turns out that sometimes customer support stupidity is not due to lack of training, but mandated by the company.