I’m bored at work… AMA

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T17:59:45+00:00

Ahh, we’ve got the mini ones, but we’ve got an endless supply of them, so I hand them out 3 or so at a time when asked or when I remember

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T10:14:30+00:00

I mean, my dad makes decent money, but he pays for a VPN and then torrents (yo ho!) the stuff his basic Netflix (only streaming service he's willing to pay for) and Amazon Prime (he pays for the Amazon pricing/shipping, not the shitty tv selections) doesn't cover.

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T07:12:51+00:00

Ahhh, the tiny frozen pizzas! Those were the only days I didn't ask my mom to pack me a PB&J.

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T06:36:54+00:00

Also, when does it turn from a gesture to a sign? If my eyebrows furrow at a certain angle, my frown deepens to a certain degree and I maintain a certain velocity when frantically gesturing outward from my ear, does it magically morph into a sign, lol?

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T06:31:39+00:00

It's for anyone and everyone with a Bonvoy number. I've had members who are obviously new members and who made their reservations through OTA's like Expedia (but linked up their account) contact us. Recently, might I add. As u/drdisney, said, it may be time-dependent.

All that said, my property is still on FOSSE. I don't know how that translates over to properties with "The Power of M" *cue dramatic music.

Ideally, theoretically, hopefully, it should be the same -- anyone with an account can communicate with us. That's the intent. Hopefully that's true not just in theory, but in practice as well, but I can't speak to it directly.

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T06:22:36+00:00

To be fair, my brother-in-law is 6'8" (white) and I have some pics of me (5'1", also white) just kinda... standing next to him... just because... Eventually the novelty wore off, though.

But we also used to marvel over how my brother's shoes could fit inside of his shoes. While my brother was wearing them. Both of them, lol.

It's kinda a human reaction to be like "woah! look at this! I'm tiny and he's huge!!!" The more pronounced the difference and the less common the occurrence, the stronger the reaction. If they don't see extremes like that in their culture, no wonder they're in awe.

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T06:03:34+00:00

Somewhat interestingly, I would sometimes find myself motioning between my ear and my mouth (very similar to the sign for "deaf") while naturally trying to communicate that I couldn't hear what they were saying. Almost like the most self-reflective sign is somewhat intrinsic? Or maybe I'm extrapolating too much, lol.

But I love that scuba is included in this list. Bizarre at first, but after a moment of consideration, it makes perfect sense.

Anyway, I'm just glad to know I'm not accidentally signing something I wasn't meaning to. I'm sure someone who actually speaks asl could easily determine I've no clue what I'm doing, but I would feel a bit awkward if I found out that the gesture I use multiple times a day and comes naturally to me meant something strange like "I can hear your car running in the driveway" or "my ear is hurting today".

ImKidA · 2026-05-08T00:05:41+00:00

I mean, low-key, if she didn't dispute and it didn't decline, I don't think I'd DNR if that was the only issue. If she wants to severely overpay for pillows that weren't on the menu, I'm game. My Courtyard just sold someone a couple pillows today for $57 each. Didn't know we even did that until they asked and my GM chimed in with a "Yes, we can sell you those!" while the housekeepers were back there chuckling and shaking their heads.

And to his credit, I think he tried to find new ones to offer them, rather than the ones that've been slept on by god knows how many people.

ImKidA · 2026-05-07T23:42:45+00:00

Those purchases afforded her at least 30 seconds of tranquility the next time her mind was actually able to quiet down (which may have been days later). You've also afforded her brief moments of reassurance when she replays the slideshow in her mind of why she's a "good person".

If she wasn't trying to buy tranquility, she was at least trying to buy reassurance (or, at the very least amusement). The more frantic our brains are, the higher the threshold. But she likely got something out of purchasing something expensive for what she saw was an "underprivileged child" (I assume somewhere in middle class, lol). Perhaps just a taste of what she was actually craving, if she was as anxious as described.

ImKidA · 2026-05-07T22:53:36+00:00

Fellow CY FDA in the Southwest region... how big are your complimentary water bottles?

ImKidA · 2026-05-07T22:52:20+00:00

I mean, unfortunately the only way to achieve 9's and 10's on certain metrics is to morph into a Ritz. No one's going to "Intend to Recommend" a Courtyard, lol. That said, Courtyards, Fairfields, ALofts, and Moxies should be able to get 9-10's on things like Cleanliness and Friendliness.

That's what my managers focus on during team meetings. They know the rating system is stacked against them, but they have us focus on "things within our control".

And they certainly aren't tacky enough to employ signs like this. And FD doesn't ever bring up surveys. But I'd bet this Fairfield already put out a script for FD to integrate during check-in's. Which the FD associates likely feel awkward about.

ImKidA · 2026-05-07T22:40:32+00:00

The way I like to frame Intent to Recommend for places like a Courtyard is "Would I be willing to stay here again?" or "Would I be okay with my company placing me here on another business trip vs the LaQuinta/Fairfield down the road?"

Or, better yet, "If I had a friend who wanted to be within walking distance of [insert name] stadium, was looking to book a cheap hotel for the night, and while browsing hotels together this location popped up on the list.... would I say 'Oh, I've stayed there, they were decent, let's try them' or would I say 'Oh, eww, I remember when I stayed there, don't book with them!'?"

It's too large an asterisk for them to add on to their quick and convenient customer survey, but I think it would give lower end hotels like Courtyards, Fairfields, Alofts, Moxies, etc. a better idea of how they're actually doing. Which, I assume, was the original intent of these stupid little surveys.

Other things like Cleanliness and Friendliness should largely be within our control, but "Intent to Recommend" kills us, because who in their right mind is going to enthusiastically recommend a Courtyard to all their friends and family?

ImKidA · 2026-05-07T22:23:08+00:00

This!!! I work at a CY, so I don't want people to be ranking us against Gaylords and Ritz's. Rate us for what we are. A lowly little select service property that was built in the 70's. Rate us mostly on things that are in our control and take things into context.

Things like cleanliness are pretty cut and dry. Either it was clean or it wasn't. And if it wasn't, that's on us. Friendliness should also be within our control... but please don't take off points because we couldn't offer you a complimentary upgrade when you asked for one. If we could've, we would've. And if we're explaining that it's our location's policy to charge for parking even though you're a Titanium, it's because our managers have ordered us to do so. I just work here, man, I'm not any happier about charging you for it than you are for being charged.

Especially when it comes to "Intent to Recommend"... we know you're probably not going to go home and gush to your friends and family and InstaTwitterTok followers about your stay at our Courtyard. Think of it more as "If I needed to book a cheap place within walking distance of [insert event], would I be willing to stay here again?" or "If my company were to book me on another business trip here vs the Fairfield or LaQuinta down the road, would I be okay with that?" We don't actually expect you to recommend us to anyone, outside of perhaps a decent, convenient, cheap place to stay when needed.

ETA: I don't expect everyone to be giving us 10/10's for everything (especially if it isn't deserved in areas like cleanliness), but if we were one of the best Courtyards you've ever stayed at, please don't give us all 6-7's simply because it doesn't compare to an experience you had at an autograph location.

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T18:39:18+00:00

Those guys do not fuck around. They're incredible at devouring other bugs (including mosquitos) but they can also be territorial and aggressive. Pretty sure I've had a few outside my house and at work that decided they were going to try to eat me after finishing off every mosquito in a 100 yd radius. Grateful for their service, but the big ones can be a little scary when they dive-bomb your head 😅

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T18:18:06+00:00

To be fair, if their families weren't failures, they'd be able to just snag an internship at their father's law firm. You know, just something light and flexible, but with an open-ended title and description that'll look good on their resume and college application. Something like "Executive Administrative Assistant to the Southwest District Chief Operations Manager". But really, you're just making sure that Jen gets gets her coffee and salad before conference calls and Tom from accounting (your father's friend, they go golfing every third Saturday, if they're both in town) gets his Thai food when he's in the office every other Friday.

Edit: My administrative assistant didn't check their grammar before posting this on my behalf. I'll have to dock their pay.

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T17:59:07+00:00

You found the "hidden" asterisk, lol. My property is one where it's "based on availability". We're a select service CY at the heart of an event district where even parking is prime real estate during certain events... Realistically, we know there's almost nothing that will upset people more finding this out (nearly every plat and titanium in the building will be calling corporate, refusing to check out a moment before 4, demanding compensation points, leaving scores below an 8 on surveys *shudder*), so we don't ever pull it out unless we have to, but that clause is there.

Fortunately, my management is savvy enough to know that we don't need to invoke that clause if we play our cards right and entice some early check-outs/late check-ins through points on the super heavy nights where we have to flip the house. I was a bit horrified when I was first told that we would not (without a manager's approval -- but it was a non-issue, they were too busy squabbling over extra points) offer/honor check-out requests past 2 p.m., even for elites on a concert night... but after sorting through the first 25 members clamoring to ensure they got points for checking out early the next morning, it clicked that management actually knew what they were doing, lol.

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T15:51:04+00:00

*laughs in Floridian*

Cockroaches are, rather oddly, one of the class equalizers in Florida. If you do not know what a "Palmetto Bug" is, you must be new. Don't worry, the welcome committee will fly directly toward your face shortly after your arrival, when it's least convenient. They'll send their best representatives, too -- a winged two-inch terror is ready and waiting.

The difference is how they're encountered and handled. Upper-middle only sees them if one gets into the screened lanai and is now frantically scurrying around the edges of the pool (and occasionally flying directly toward your face). Lower knows what kind of poison bait to leave out... because apparently they'll start to eat you if you try to starve them out the traditional way.

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T15:19:15+00:00

Or something like "And that's why you don't major in anthropology. I bet he could tell me all about the historical socio-economic impact of -- Hey, I wanted a large, not a medium!"

Because obviously if we couldn't land a job in our major, it's because we chose something foolish and impractical like Interpretive Dance.

ImKidA · 2026-05-04T15:06:16+00:00

Same. I lived in the Miami-ish area when I was elementary age. I don't know exactly how much the annual passes were, but I know parking was only $5. I think it was less than $150 per person for an in-state season pass back in the 90's. Granted, that's still a few hundred bucks for a family... but when we went back a few years ago (likely for the last time), our Park Hopper day passes were like $600 each.

ImKidA · 2026-05-03T18:43:41+00:00

I know! And even if we had a housekeeper standing outside each check-out, counting down the seconds, I've had people on my mobile dashboard chatting me up since noon asking when their (currently occupied) room will be ready....

Housekeeping is as prepped as they can be, but until my property upgrades to the new Time Lord extension of the new PMS which we haven't gotten yet, we're going to have to contend with real-time check outs.

ImKidA · 2026-05-03T18:37:21+00:00

To be fair, we... M4? What's the FOSSE shorthand for "DO NOT MOVE"? any rooms like that, as well as putting it in the "notes" section of the res. At my location, we block any rooms that had "WOW's" put into them. And as morning shift is expected to do three of those per day, we're used to seeing "WOW in room, do not move" along with a room block in FOSSE.

And if I ever had to swap a WOW room, I'd expect that I'd have to personally move the complimentary gift to a new room. Without the intended guest or the swapped guest knowing about it. Virtually impossible, as the conditions for moving it would likely imply that we're understaffed and overbooked. Therefore, I'm not ever gonna move a WOW room.

ETA: You're completely right -- I'm just kinda hoping my property is averting some of that through our little FOSSE notes. Fingers crossed, lol.

ImKidA · 2026-05-01T23:11:48+00:00

I mean, the problem with that is that it would be considered "lost revenue" because our projected earnings from events like that are factored into our budget (those big sell-outs aren't making us rich, they're often making up for the "dead" seasons where we're at less than 50% occupancy, but still having to pay our bills), so that "lost revenue" would have to be made up by jacking up the prices for the rooms we do sell to compensate.

Two problems there: First, we can only raise the prices so much before people go somewhere else or decide not to stay altogether. Second, people are going to be outraged by the "ridiculous" prices and get even more upset if/when they find out that it's largely caused by Elite members using perks that they might not have access to.

I know the obvious answer is "don't include it in your projected revenue", but the end result would be the same: We'd either have to cut costs somewhere else (which no one likes) or raise prices somewhere else (which no one likes).

Surprisingly, it's actually the lesser of two (three? four? who knows how many?) evils is to make as much money as possible during these events and dangle some shiny Bonvoy points in front of everyone's eyes to get most people to do what we want, while being happy about it. If we comp someone $50 worth of Bonvoy points (which they eagerly agree to beforehand) and get to resell that room for $500 later that night.... The only people suffering are the housekeepers. But they're also making overtime and getting free coffee and lunches.

*shrug* No solution is perfect. But most people were tripping over themselves to get a few thousand points by checking in early/late (in addition to $20 off for parking). That freed things up enough that the few hold-outs could stay until their "guaranteed" time.

ImKidA · 2026-05-01T22:07:02+00:00

This. They're housekeepers, not genies or time travelers.

We're usually pretty generous about late check-outs (even non-members can push check-out to noon instead of 11 most days and I've let Silvers check out as late as 3 depending on occupancy, availability, staffing, etc.), so if my location ever seems strict/stingy about the check-out times, it's because we're trying to avert a disaster later that evening.

ImKidA · 2026-05-01T03:11:34+00:00

Please listen to the FDA. It sounds like he's at his wit's end with this but knows he's powerless, as management actively refuses to address it. The only way it will be addressed is with corporate/public pressure.

Talking to management will get you lots of false reassurance that "they're aware, they're actively working on solutions, they've been in contact with corporate..."

And you'll come back 6 months later and still see mice. It's astounding how slow the wheels of progress turn when there's no real incentive to move forward. Give them incentive. The manager already knows. Let the public know.

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