Right now I feel like the Limp Bizkit song.. My stress level is maxed out… I would expect that Thursday of this week things would be crazy, but I never thought things would be this crazy.
Right now my single biggest worry is about my NCSC Regional Team retreat this weekend. At the beginning of the week, things were going great! I had the schedule all put together, I have a list of everything I needed to do, and most importantly, I had a really awesome space lined up in the Student Commons at J23.
That all changed on Tuesday, when things began spiralling down… I got an email from the University Minister, who informed me that he had mistakenly reserved the space for me, not realizing that there is a FOCUS fund-raiser that was taking place. He didn’t realize it until he invited people to part of our gathering and someone from FOCUS responded about the conflict… So I got booted from the space…
I was pissed, of course this is an accident and I don’t blame anyone personally, but at the same time, if someone had a CALENDAR OF EVENTS that could be used to know if someone has reserved the room they wouldn’t have to double-back. At the same time, I was worried, but confident that I could find another space.
Emily and I both came up with the idea of reserving the clubhouse in our apartment complex. It’s got a TON of space, comfortable couches, a big table, a full kitchen, and it’s right by our pretty lake. I made the call Tuesday into the office, and sure enough it was available, so I asked them to pencil me in and I would come by and pay the deposit/sign the agreement Wednesday. I was golden…
Well yesterday set off another series of events where I got royally screwed by the complex’s office staff. The situation, and how I’m hoping to deal with it, would be best explain in this letter I delivered to them this morning:
To Whom It May Concern:
I wish to express my grave disappointment and frustration in my attempt to reserve the clubhouse for Saturday, November 12, where a clerical error made by your staff has prohibited me from rightfully receiving my reservation. After reviewing the circumstances, I believe that I am entitled to a reservation for Saturday November 12, and I request that Heatheridge Lakes Condominiums management rectify this situation immediately.
In the 3’o’clock hour of Tuesday, November 8, I placed a telephone call to the Heatheridge Lakes office, inquiring on the availability of the clubhouse for Saturday, November 12 and the possibility of making a reservation. At that time the person whom I was speaking to informed me that the clubhouse was in fact available for the 12th. After requesting to make a reservation I was informed of the registration policies (a signed agreement as well as the required $350 deposit). In our conversation I asked if I could come in Wednesday to sign the agreement and pay the deposit, and if she could reserve that day for me using the words “pencil me in”. I was assured that she would hold my reservation and that I could come in Wednesday, November 9 to complete the reservation.
When I came in the following day at 2:00pm, it was to find that the November 12th reservation was granted to someone else who had come to the office earlier that afternoon of Wednesday, November 9th. I was shocked, disappointed, and appalled that my phone call reservation was totally ignored. The office attendant (a different person to whom I spoke with on Tuesday) informed me that my requested date was not “penciled in”, and the calendar showed November 12th as available when she made the other person’s reservation. She additionally informed me that no note was left from my phone reservation to indicate the date was unavailable.
The office attendant was apologetic and courteous, but she only offered me the alternative of hosting my event at a different time or date. Frankly, I was so surprised that all I could do was to ask her to contact me if the space became available again.
Upon reviewing the sequence of events, and comparing it with the Clubhouse reservation policy at Heatheridge, I have concluded that I followed the process of “first-come, first-serve” basis, and I am therefore entitled to my requested reservation as it was made prior to the second reservation. The mistake made by your staff was not my fault; and therefore I should not be made to suffer the consequences for the clerical error.
I formally request and sincerely implore that your staff take whatever action is necessary to rectify this situation. I need a space for my event where I have guests from out-of-town attending on Saturday, November 12th from 9am-6pm. I followed the correct and required procedure in requesting the clubhouse. I recognize that the person who has the reserved time also has a valid reason, but I am the one who contacted the office first. I am the one who was told I could have the clubhouse for the 12th, and I am the one who should have the reservation.
I will plan on making a follow-up visit in your office at 4pm Thursday, at which time I need an update and hopefully a resolution regarding this situation. If the current office-staff on hand cannot rectify this situation, I request that the property manager be contacted and will provide me with an update by my appointed visit. You are welcome to contact me prior to 4pm by phone at (###) ###-####.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Regards,
Jeromey Gaudreau
So now it’s 3:15, and in a little while I’m going to go in for my 4pm visit. I was hoping that they would have called me by now and made this easier on me, but something tells me that it’s not going to be this easy…
So while I’m putting out this fire, the rest of my task list is burning up. The clock is counting down, and it hasn’t helped that I’ve had something going on every night this week (tonight is no exception). The only saving grace is that my apartment is spotless at this point, and that feels pretty good – my mom was a big help with that though… I really want to see Bethany, I haven’t seen her since last Saturday… I just need these next few days to pass so I can have my life back…
I’ll update on the "reservation" situation this evening….