I literally can’t give my money to Flamingo! This will be an ongoing post, so check back frequently…
Background:
The boys of Vice Lounge are going out to Vegas for 6 nites this month, 3/22 – 3/28. The first night (Sat night) I (Tony) am staying at The Flamingo. The next 5 nights I’ll be downtown at The D. I log in, pull up my info and can’t get a comped room! Wild, but I realize now I’m coming into town during the smack-dab middle of March Madness <sigh>. Fine. I make my reservation, I get a simple room for $59. But while I’m logged in, I notice that I have reward points which will expire TOMORROW (3/3) if I don’t get to a casino or spend them. Spend them, brilliant…or so I think.
Here’s what I’m trying to accomplish: I would like to apply my reward credits toward my hotel bill and then simply pay off the balance with my credit card. Seems pretty easy, doesn’t it? Thus far: EPIC FAIL!
March 2 — 10:20 am (EST): Reservations made online, I call the 800 explain my goal, told I’ll have to call a representative of the Flamingo Total Reward desk, they don’t open until 10 am (PST). Fail #1.
March 2 — 10:25 am (EST): I hang up, call the Flamingo front desk explain my goal, told I have to run that past a Casino Host, they don’t come in until 8 am (PST). Fail #2.
March 2 — 11:14 (EST): I call the Flamingo front desk ask for Casino Host, told that because I don’t have a specific casino host, I have to be transferred to who-cares-where to be assigned a Casino Host and then be transferred to said Casino Host. Fail #3.
March 2 — 11:17 am (EST): Told the guy that answered the phone I needed to be assigned a casino host so I could be transferred to the Host, told I already have one assigned to me in New Orleans (I’ve been there one time). He repeatedly apologizes that he can’t take care of me, I explain what my goal is, he says that’s something he can’t take care of, says he’ll transfer me back to the Flamingo front desk–I get their automated system AGAIN. Hang up. Fail #4.
March 2 — 11:45 (EST): Try calling the front desk back AGAIN, explain I wanted to speak with a casino host. Asked if I’m a Diamond/7Star member, tell them I’m not. Get transferred to their generic 800-number for making reservations. Fail #5.
March 2 — 12:09 (EST): RESOLVED! The person on the phone when I was calling trying to get this taken care of mentioned I had a casino host in NO. A “Mary Ann”. So I decide, what the heck, let me try giving her a call. I call up Harrah’s New Orleans, the woman at the number I dialed asked where I was trying to get to, she said, “Oh, I know Marianne, let me get her on the phone for you!”. I speak with Marianne (learned the proper spelling), she added a $1 to my account so that I didn’t lose my reward credits and they’ll be available for me upon my check-in.
For our listeners who frequent Harrah’s New Orleans, please consider contacting Ms. Marianne Germany at mgermany@harrahs.com when you plan on going down there. Her “Get Things Done” attitude was a breath of fresh air. She apologized for her counterparts in Vegas and encouraged me come back down to visit her next time. To her I say: Done and Done! My only regret is that I can’t re-schedule my wife & brother-in-law’s birthday bash to New Orleans! Ms. Germany is an embodiment of classy customer service!
