It Just Doesn’t Make Sense-It’s A Shame And A Scandal
It Just Doesn’t Make Sense-It’s A Shame And A Scandal
I planned a different topic for my August Blog. But then, Extended Stay in Chesapeake happened.
There used to be a time when you received good service and products. Customer Service valued your business and treated you with respect. Companies don’t care if a customer complains about their product or service. Your dissatisfaction is none of their business. Their faithful customer base is locked in.
Is it me? When was the last time you were not happy with a product or service you received? Did you complain? If so, to whom?
I’m sick of it. I’m going to start speaking up more than ever. I personally don’t have money to waste. I try to make every penny I earn count.
Check this out. In the past two months, I experienced the following. (Don’t get me wrong, for the most part, I’m satisfied with my purchases. Sometimes things slip through the cracks).
PetSmart Grooming: We had a quick weekend getaway (Friday to Sunday). Our German Shepherd, Piper, stayed at Petsmart Hotel. We scheduled her for grooming that Sunday morning because we would pick her up at noon. Ten minutes from the location, I received a call saying Piper’s appointment was canceled at 8 that morning. I responded, “We’re ten minutes out from picking her up, and you just now decided to call me?” Would you have complained to PetSmart?
Lowe’s: We purchased a mountable microwave. Lowe’s scheduled the installation with their contractor for Monday, July 31. A day later, I received an email from the contractor saying the installation has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, between 2 pm-5 pm. We had plans for that evening. I phoned the contractor. The customer service representative said Lowe’s does not have access to their scheduling system. Why would they tell you the microwave would be installed on Monday?” That was my question as well. Would you have complained to Lowe’s?
I think you understand where I’m coming from. Sure, I know how to pick and choose my battles. But what’s a person to do when you lodge complaints, and the companies don’t seem to care?
I’ve found an avenue. I use TripAdvior and Yelp. I take the time to write thorough reviews.
Check out my Extended Stay Complaint. I posted this to TripAdvisor and called Extended Stay. Their customer service department is farmed out to an overseas company. I immediately told the representative (1) I'm already livid. Don’t make me heighten my anger toward you. (2) I’m not going to waste time telling my story twice, especially to someone who barely speaks English. (3) I want to speak with a supervisor or manager now.
Once I reached a supervisor after holding on for 20 minutes, I read the letter (below) which I wrote for TripAdvisor.
(Heading): Extended Stay, Chesapeake-Stay Away
Please Read!
It's a darn shame the rating scale doesn't have a negative zero. That's exactly how this hotel would be rated!
My husband and I checked into Extended Stay, 809 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320 on Thursday, 8/3, and stayed until Sunday, 8/6.
This hotel was chosen for its location, restaurants, proximity to family in Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, and availability. We liked that it’s equipped with a full-size refrigerator and microwave (The only good thing about the room).
We arrived at noon. Some hotels nowadays do early check-in. Not this one. Granted, hotels do early check-in as a courtesy.
When we entered the lobby, no one was at the front desk. My husband called out several times, and no answer. We stood waiting, hoping someone would show up soon. Total: wait time 20 minutes.
Finally, a woman showed up and apologized for the wait. My husband had to use the bathroom, and she was kind enough to unlock one on the first floor, all the while explaining that the hotel does not usually allow people to use the employees' restroom.
Early check-in: When my husband returned from the bathroom, we inquired about early check-in.
The woman explained that housekeeping had just started cleaning the rooms. Check-out is at 11 (we arrived at noon after a 6 hours drive). We were told to wait 3 hours; check-in is at 3 pm. We sat in Greenbrier Mall for 2 hours and 45 minutes. We arrived back at the hotel at 2:58 pm.
Again, no one was at the front desk. We waited 10 minutes before a housekeeping employee showed up and said someone would be with us shortly. Another 10 minutes and the same woman showed up and checked us in.
That’s when the fun began…
I stepped into the room first. What a nightmare!
The carpet is extremely old and looked like it hasn’t been cleaned in years!!! The furniture was dated, damaged, and scratched. I’ve seen thrift stores with better furniture.
My husband put on his slippers and turned on the tv to wind down. He sat in the recliner to relax after such a long drive and sitting in a mall for three hours.
He suddenly removed one of his slippers and smashed a roach crawling up the wall. During our 3 day stay, his slippers became the choice of weapon for destroying roaches in the bathroom and sleeping area.
We lodged several complaints about the room, but the woman who checked us in was overly apologetic but fulfilled none of our requests.
I called the front desk several times, and the phone rang and rang, regardless of the morning when we woke up or evenings when we returned to the hotel (never anyone at the desk).
Saturday morning at 5, I called the desk to ask if someone could spray our room while we were out during the day, or if they had roach spray, we would do it ourselves. A roach was crawling on the back of the toilet. I was scared to turn my back to use it.
The young lady said she would have maintenance spray. (This was the same young lady who said I had to wait until after 4 pm for clean towels and bath cloths because they had no clean ones ready yet. I made this request Friday morning).
When we left the hotel Saturday morning, the woman that checked us into the hotel was at the desk, socializing with a guest. I asked her if she received our message about spraying our room for roaches. Her response: it’s nothing I can do about that except move you to another room.
That’s when the guest she was socializing with said, “Oh yeah, I saw some roaches in my room too”.
Needless to say, my husband and I were way beyond disgusted at that point.
Our nightmare at this extended stay:
We slept with the light on.
The air conditioning was too noisy, you either remained hot by turning off the cooling system to avoid the noise or you fell asleep when you fell asleep by tolerating the noise (I recorded the system as it ran long enough to cool the room then turned it off. You couldn’t hear the tv while it ran. Who wants to turn up the volume above 60 on a 32-inch tv?)
Something bit me in my left arm (I have photos) while sleeping Friday night (I purchased Witch Hazel pads from Walmart to soothe the itching and redness).
We checked our clothes and suitcase for roaches each morning and night. We had to ensure we didn’t have any on us when we went out and definitely not travel home with them. Those roaches belong to Extended Stay!
The shower had a big hole in the wall (I have a photo). It looked like a poorly repaired maintenance job gone wrong.
The price they charged us for 3 nights, $588 is appalling and downright robbery! I’m in the process of seeking justice from this company.
Unfortunately, our issues will probably be scraped under the rug with an “I’m sorry your family experienced that, Mrs. Boone.” Nothing will happen; no justice on the company’s part. I think we should receive a refund for half of what we paid.
Each time we entered the hallway, it smelled of marijuana and mildew. Gross!
Dining and cooking utensils provided is listed on the website. Not a cooking utensil or dining ware in the place. After seeing the room’s condition, it’s probably good the stuff wasn’t available. Probably would have brought more roaches.
This hotel is a prime example of companies taking advantage of the consumer, overpromising, but delivering little. If we had left the first night, the hotel would have penalized us financially. My family is not wealthy. We work hard for our money and should receive adequate, acceptable services that we purchase.
If corporate is keeping up with its structural needs, they should be able to pull up their catalog of properties and know which ones require upgrades and repairs. They would also know that it’s grossly understaffed and way overpriced for its condition. There is no way this property should be open for business in its current state.
STAY AWAY…FAR AWAY! Please!
I called the customer care line and gave them half of my complaints (1 (877) 651-2124-on 8/7 @9:35 am EST). The representative (who was in another country) said I would receive a call back from a supervisor in 24-48 hours. I told her I’m not going to wait that long. Put me through to management now.
As a matter of fact, call 877-651-2124 and listen to their advertisement while you’re on hold…hear how they talk about having clean rooms. That message should be scrapped. It’s as far from the truth as Philadelphia, PA, is to Taiwan!
Conversation With A Customer Care Supervisor (10 am EST) 8/7/2023
I spoke with Terry on the management line. Once I read my letter, I requested a refund for half of what we paid. Terry said it takes 48 business hours for a refund request to go through corporate.
He intended to refer my complaints to the district manager in Virginia, Veronica Barnes. He promised to look into my above complaints. I plan to go higher up the corporate ladder if I don’t hear anything within 48 hours.
Guess what? Terry followed through on his promise. I woke up this morning (8/10), and my refund awaited me.
I’m glad I did speak up! As consumers, we must start lodging vigilant complaints and stop letting these billion-dollar companies get away with their nonsense.
Enough is Enough!
Edited by: Michael A. Robinson Jr
I planned a different topic for my August Blog. But then, Extended Stay in Chesapeake happened.
There used to be a time when you received good service and products. Customer Service valued your business and treated you with respect. Companies don’t care if a customer complains about their product or service. Your dissatisfaction is none of their business. Their faithful customer base is locked in.
Is it me? When was the last time you were not happy with a product or service you received? Did you complain? If so, to whom?
I’m sick of it. I’m going to start speaking up more than ever. I personally don’t have money to waste. I try to make every penny I earn count.
Check this out. In the past two months, I experienced the following. (Don’t get me wrong, for the most part, I’m satisfied with my purchases. Sometimes things slip through the cracks).
PetSmart Grooming: We had a quick weekend getaway (Friday to Sunday). Our German Shepherd, Piper, stayed at Petsmart Hotel. We scheduled her for grooming that Sunday morning because we would pick her up at noon. Ten minutes from the location, I received a call saying Piper’s appointment was canceled at 8 that morning. I responded, “We’re ten minutes out from picking her up, and you just now decided to call me?” Would you have complained to PetSmart?
Lowe’s: We purchased a mountable microwave. Lowe’s scheduled the installation with their contractor for Monday, July 31. A day later, I received an email from the contractor saying the installation has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, between 2 pm-5 pm. We had plans for that evening. I phoned the contractor. The customer service representative said Lowe’s does not have access to their scheduling system. Why would they tell you the microwave would be installed on Monday?” That was my question as well. Would you have complained to Lowe’s?
I think you understand where I’m coming from. Sure, I know how to pick and choose my battles. But what’s a person to do when you lodge complaints, and the companies don’t seem to care?
I’ve found an avenue. I use TripAdvior and Yelp. I take the time to write thorough reviews.
Check out my Extended Stay Complaint. I posted this to TripAdvisor and called Extended Stay. Their customer service department is farmed out to an overseas company. I immediately told the representative (1) I'm already livid. Don’t make me heighten my anger toward you. (2) I’m not going to waste time telling my story twice, especially to someone who barely speaks English. (3) I want to speak with a supervisor or manager now.
Once I reached a supervisor after holding on for 20 minutes, I read the letter (below) which I wrote for TripAdvisor.
(Heading): Extended Stay, Chesapeake-Stay Away
Please Read!
It's a darn shame the rating scale doesn't have a negative zero. That's exactly how this hotel would be rated!
My husband and I checked into Extended Stay, 809 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320 on Thursday, 8/3, and stayed until Sunday, 8/6.
This hotel was chosen for its location, restaurants, proximity to family in Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, and availability. We liked that it’s equipped with a full-size refrigerator and microwave (The only good thing about the room).
We arrived at noon. Some hotels nowadays do early check-in. Not this one. Granted, hotels do early check-in as a courtesy.
When we entered the lobby, no one was at the front desk. My husband called out several times, and no answer. We stood waiting, hoping someone would show up soon. Total: wait time 20 minutes.
Finally, a woman showed up and apologized for the wait. My husband had to use the bathroom, and she was kind enough to unlock one on the first floor, all the while explaining that the hotel does not usually allow people to use the employees' restroom.
Early check-in: When my husband returned from the bathroom, we inquired about early check-in.
The woman explained that housekeeping had just started cleaning the rooms. Check-out is at 11 (we arrived at noon after a 6 hours drive). We were told to wait 3 hours; check-in is at 3 pm. We sat in Greenbrier Mall for 2 hours and 45 minutes. We arrived back at the hotel at 2:58 pm.
Again, no one was at the front desk. We waited 10 minutes before a housekeeping employee showed up and said someone would be with us shortly. Another 10 minutes and the same woman showed up and checked us in.
That’s when the fun began…
I stepped into the room first. What a nightmare!
The carpet is extremely old and looked like it hasn’t been cleaned in years!!! The furniture was dated, damaged, and scratched. I’ve seen thrift stores with better furniture.
My husband put on his slippers and turned on the tv to wind down. He sat in the recliner to relax after such a long drive and sitting in a mall for three hours.
He suddenly removed one of his slippers and smashed a roach crawling up the wall. During our 3 day stay, his slippers became the choice of weapon for destroying roaches in the bathroom and sleeping area.
We lodged several complaints about the room, but the woman who checked us in was overly apologetic but fulfilled none of our requests.
I called the front desk several times, and the phone rang and rang, regardless of the morning when we woke up or evenings when we returned to the hotel (never anyone at the desk).
Saturday morning at 5, I called the desk to ask if someone could spray our room while we were out during the day, or if they had roach spray, we would do it ourselves. A roach was crawling on the back of the toilet. I was scared to turn my back to use it.
The young lady said she would have maintenance spray. (This was the same young lady who said I had to wait until after 4 pm for clean towels and bath cloths because they had no clean ones ready yet. I made this request Friday morning).
When we left the hotel Saturday morning, the woman that checked us into the hotel was at the desk, socializing with a guest. I asked her if she received our message about spraying our room for roaches. Her response: it’s nothing I can do about that except move you to another room.
That’s when the guest she was socializing with said, “Oh yeah, I saw some roaches in my room too”.
Needless to say, my husband and I were way beyond disgusted at that point.
Our nightmare at this extended stay:
We slept with the light on.
The air conditioning was too noisy, you either remained hot by turning off the cooling system to avoid the noise or you fell asleep when you fell asleep by tolerating the noise (I recorded the system as it ran long enough to cool the room then turned it off. You couldn’t hear the tv while it ran. Who wants to turn up the volume above 60 on a 32-inch tv?)
Something bit me in my left arm (I have photos) while sleeping Friday night (I purchased Witch Hazel pads from Walmart to soothe the itching and redness).
We checked our clothes and suitcase for roaches each morning and night. We had to ensure we didn’t have any on us when we went out and definitely not travel home with them. Those roaches belong to Extended Stay!
The shower had a big hole in the wall (I have a photo). It looked like a poorly repaired maintenance job gone wrong.
The price they charged us for 3 nights, $588 is appalling and downright robbery! I’m in the process of seeking justice from this company.
Unfortunately, our issues will probably be scraped under the rug with an “I’m sorry your family experienced that, Mrs. Boone.” Nothing will happen; no justice on the company’s part. I think we should receive a refund for half of what we paid.
Each time we entered the hallway, it smelled of marijuana and mildew. Gross!
Dining and cooking utensils provided is listed on the website. Not a cooking utensil or dining ware in the place. After seeing the room’s condition, it’s probably good the stuff wasn’t available. Probably would have brought more roaches.
This hotel is a prime example of companies taking advantage of the consumer, overpromising, but delivering little. If we had left the first night, the hotel would have penalized us financially. My family is not wealthy. We work hard for our money and should receive adequate, acceptable services that we purchase.
If corporate is keeping up with its structural needs, they should be able to pull up their catalog of properties and know which ones require upgrades and repairs. They would also know that it’s grossly understaffed and way overpriced for its condition. There is no way this property should be open for business in its current state.
STAY AWAY…FAR AWAY! Please!
I called the customer care line and gave them half of my complaints (1 (877) 651-2124-on 8/7 @9:35 am EST). The representative (who was in another country) said I would receive a call back from a supervisor in 24-48 hours. I told her I’m not going to wait that long. Put me through to management now.
As a matter of fact, call 877-651-2124 and listen to their advertisement while you’re on hold…hear how they talk about having clean rooms. That message should be scrapped. It’s as far from the truth as Philadelphia, PA, is to Taiwan!
Conversation With A Customer Care Supervisor (10 am EST) 8/7/2023
I spoke with Terry on the management line. Once I read my letter, I requested a refund for half of what we paid. Terry said it takes 48 business hours for a refund request to go through corporate.
He intended to refer my complaints to the district manager in Virginia, Veronica Barnes. He promised to look into my above complaints. I plan to go higher up the corporate ladder if I don’t hear anything within 48 hours.
Guess what? Terry followed through on his promise. I woke up this morning (8/10), and my refund awaited me.
I’m glad I did speak up! As consumers, we must start lodging vigilant complaints and stop letting these billion-dollar companies get away with their nonsense.
Enough is Enough!
Edited by: Michael A. Robinson Jr
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Juanita, Yes, it was quite a disappointing experience. I however learned a great deal from it. We should never settle for less. We're deserving of so much more.
I think businesses tend to take the consumer for granted. They have this behavior attitude "so what, that customer wasn't satisfied. There are others who are. You win some, you lose some. It doesn't put a dent in our profits."
As for the other two businesses, they showed a definite lack of respect for your time and hard earned money. Unfortunately that is the way of the world in the time in which we live.