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Bridget H.

Concord, NC

He blessed me twice that day - once to have a room (though it meant a cancellation for someone else) and a second time when Lori was there to provide fantastic service! Because of this, I WILL book additional trips with your company. Hopefully, the first will be a retirement celebration with my sister this year or next. I wanted you to know because this whole situation was righted so quickly and we had the most wonderful weekend. It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for organizing an amazing event where everything happened like clockwork from the buses to the concerts to the farm….I could go on and on…. but also THANK YOU for employing great people like Lori!

TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WITH INSPIRATION:

This message is long overdue! I attended the Amy Grant Tennessee Weekend this past October with Inspiration. I purchased the weekend pass only, as the hotel + weekend package was sold out. I made a separate reservation with Embassy Suites in Franklin, one of the two host hotels. When we arrived at the Embassy Suites in Franklin, TN, I was informed that the hotel had overbooked rooms even though I received a confirmation several weeks beforehand. We were told that we would need to relocate to another hotel property. The desk manager (cannot recall his name) was quick to hand me a letter to take to the overflow property he had made an agreement with. It was a quick conversation and I felt as though he was quickly trying to shuffle us off. It only took about 10 minutes for it to sink in and I was not very happy, particularly since we had not received any communication prior to our arrival that there was a problem. I went back to the desk and asked for the Hotel Manager. His first name was Wade and I must say throughout the rest of our conversations, he was extremely nice and professional. He explained that typically on bookings, the hotel plans for some cancellations from the non-tour groups, but in this case that just did not happen, thus causing the hotel to become overbooked. Though I understood, I explained that we would need to get transportation to the Embassy each time there was an event and be sure that we planned accordingly as to not run late. Additionally, with the cost of the trip, this was just not acceptable. His hands were tied and he assured me that we would get transportation and that there would be no room cost due to the inconvenience. I have never had something like this occur with a hotel. I was so upset! After a few more minutes, I thought well, Inspiration is the travel agency so I am going to their table to see if by any chance there has been a cancellation. I am so glad I did! I met your employee Lori, briefly relayed the situation and she said I believe we may have a room! Indeed, someone had to cancel which left a paid for room available for us! She quickly went to work and with 10 minutes she had everything set! The story doesn't end here though. She walked with me to the desk and when a female staff member at the front desk tried to help us, she was quickly moved "out of the way" so the desk manager I had originally dealt with could help us. Lori handled the situation beautifully and told him that she had a cancellation and wanted me to have the room. He was basically rude and argumentative. He then said I'll be right back and left us at the desk for several minutes alone. At this point, we both clearly understood this manager was doing this on purpose and had simply left us to wait. Wade, the Hotel Manager, walked up and wanted to know if everything was being taken care of and Lori pointed out that we had been left alone at the desk and that the manager seemed to have an attitude problem. Wade went to the back and I would guess had a conversation with him because my room was squared away in 5 minutes :). This is a long recollection, I know, but I have never experienced something like this from within the hotel industry. Wade was great and made sure the room was squared away and we chatted later that week. He agreed that a simple communication to someone who books a room is all that it would have taken to let us know there was an issue. Lori's handling of this very difficult situation was extremely professional and was in every way great customer service. Not only was she kind and helpful, but also acutely aware of the manager's poor attitude and games he was beginning to play because he did not want anyone overriding his decision. She handled him professionally but firmly when we approached him with the open room and he informed her that we couldn't do that! She knew we COULD do that and I was so glad she was there beside me to handle him! Lori said, God has blessed you when I first asked for her help, as she was aware of the cancellation. But He blessed me twice that day - once to have a room (though it meant a cancellation for someone else) and a second time when Lori was there to provide fantastic service! Because of this, I WILL book additional trips with your company. Hopefully, the first will be a retirement celebration with my sister this year or next. I wanted you to know because this whole situation was righted so quickly and we had the most wonderful weekend. It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for organizing an amazing event where everything happened like clockwork from the buses to the concerts to the farm….I could go on and on…. but also THANK YOU for employing great people like Lori!

Bridget H.

Concord, NC

He blessed me twice that day - once to have a room (though it meant a cancellation for someone else) and a second time when Lori was there to provide fantastic service! Because of this, I WILL book additional trips with your company. Hopefully, the first will be a retirement celebration with my sister this year or next. I wanted you to know because this whole situation was righted so quickly and we had the most wonderful weekend. It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for organizing an amazing event where everything happened like clockwork from the buses to the concerts to the farm….I could go on and on…. but also THANK YOU for employing great people like Lori!

TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WITH INSPIRATION:

This message is long overdue! I attended the Amy Grant Tennessee Weekend this past October with Inspiration. I purchased the weekend pass only, as the hotel + weekend package was sold out. I made a separate reservation with Embassy Suites in Franklin, one of the two host hotels. When we arrived at the Embassy Suites in Franklin, TN, I was informed that the hotel had overbooked rooms even though I received a confirmation several weeks beforehand. We were told that we would need to relocate to another hotel property. The desk manager (cannot recall his name) was quick to hand me a letter to take to the overflow property he had made an agreement with. It was a quick conversation and I felt as though he was quickly trying to shuffle us off. It only took about 10 minutes for it to sink in and I was not very happy, particularly since we had not received any communication prior to our arrival that there was a problem. I went back to the desk and asked for the Hotel Manager. His first name was Wade and I must say throughout the rest of our conversations, he was extremely nice and professional. He explained that typically on bookings, the hotel plans for some cancellations from the non-tour groups, but in this case that just did not happen, thus causing the hotel to become overbooked. Though I understood, I explained that we would need to get transportation to the Embassy each time there was an event and be sure that we planned accordingly as to not run late. Additionally, with the cost of the trip, this was just not acceptable. His hands were tied and he assured me that we would get transportation and that there would be no room cost due to the inconvenience. I have never had something like this occur with a hotel. I was so upset! After a few more minutes, I thought well, Inspiration is the travel agency so I am going to their table to see if by any chance there has been a cancellation. I am so glad I did! I met your employee Lori, briefly relayed the situation and she said I believe we may have a room! Indeed, someone had to cancel which left a paid for room available for us! She quickly went to work and with 10 minutes she had everything set! The story doesn't end here though. She walked with me to the desk and when a female staff member at the front desk tried to help us, she was quickly moved "out of the way" so the desk manager I had originally dealt with could help us. Lori handled the situation beautifully and told him that she had a cancellation and wanted me to have the room. He was basically rude and argumentative. He then said I'll be right back and left us at the desk for several minutes alone. At this point, we both clearly understood this manager was doing this on purpose and had simply left us to wait. Wade, the Hotel Manager, walked up and wanted to know if everything was being taken care of and Lori pointed out that we had been left alone at the desk and that the manager seemed to have an attitude problem. Wade went to the back and I would guess had a conversation with him because my room was squared away in 5 minutes :). This is a long recollection, I know, but I have never experienced something like this from within the hotel industry. Wade was great and made sure the room was squared away and we chatted later that week. He agreed that a simple communication to someone who books a room is all that it would have taken to let us know there was an issue. Lori's handling of this very difficult situation was extremely professional and was in every way great customer service. Not only was she kind and helpful, but also acutely aware of the manager's poor attitude and games he was beginning to play because he did not want anyone overriding his decision. She handled him professionally but firmly when we approached him with the open room and he informed her that we couldn't do that! She knew we COULD do that and I was so glad she was there beside me to handle him! Lori said, God has blessed you when I first asked for her help, as she was aware of the cancellation. But He blessed me twice that day - once to have a room (though it meant a cancellation for someone else) and a second time when Lori was there to provide fantastic service! Because of this, I WILL book additional trips with your company. Hopefully, the first will be a retirement celebration with my sister this year or next. I wanted you to know because this whole situation was righted so quickly and we had the most wonderful weekend. It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for organizing an amazing event where everything happened like clockwork from the buses to the concerts to the farm….I could go on and on…. but also THANK YOU for employing great people like Lori!