This morning, maybe only after 30 minutes after clocking in at my customer service-tourism related job, my manager comes to me with a warning.
Manager: " Angie, have you heard about the hearing impaired party that will be on our first (tour)?"
Me: "No."
Manager: "Well to give you a heads up, (the tour company we are in partnership with) has a group of four that are hearing impaired that has been giving the company quite some trouble. They've been e-mailing (us) back and forth for weeks now demanding an interuptor on board the (tour). When they were let known that (we) didn't have one, that all (we) had were written up guides, they said they were insulted by that and they would go to a lawyer if we don't make things right. (We) did check into an interuptor and that'll be somewheres around $1000 for there services! In the end, even though they said they found other tours that would provide them with am interuptor, they still decided to go with (us) and they've still been difficult, though everything that (we) can possibly do for them has been done. So just be aware that they will be on our (tour) this morning."
Demanded? Lawyer? What the %^&$?!? The first thing I thought was why don't they go somewhere else? Heck, even my manager asked her higher ups about us having to take them as guest. When the company 's lawyer was questioned on this, he/she said we did. They even sent e-mails saying they would cause trouble during the tours if their needs weren't met. Cause trouble during the tours. Gosh, it's like children were coresponding with the company.
In my eyes, they were bluffing to get what they wanted. And it worked. Demanded things we didn't have to offer. Threathened us with legalities and disruption of tours. (And these were adults!!) They said other tours offered what they wanted, so why didn't go to them? It was because they were bluffing and because the were pricks and a$$holes.
6.03.2005
A$$HOLE ALERT!
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7 comments:
Screw the ADA. They don't have a right to an interpreter any more than I have a right to a computer to check my e-mail. I don't see how Foo-Foo's company should be glad that these whiners chose to target them. They're basically being threatened into serving customers that they don't want to serve - if they have to shell out $1000 to accomodate FOUR annoying passangers, do you think they're going to turn a profit on those tickets? Hell no.
First off, thanks for throwing your two cents in Cameron. I really was hoping you would!
Second, in response to the previous comments:
The company in reference is a so-so sized company. Not samll, not big, good medium. It does everything possible when it comes to following the ADA. Though while researching the ADA website, I did find the following phrase repeated when I was looking for anything similar to this situation:
"If communication with guests is lenghty or complex, it may be necessary to provide a sign language interpreter, or oral interpreter,or computer assisted...".
I couldn't find what I really wanted, which was something dealing with the tourism industry, though chances are it would've been similar to that. All I could find was small business and hotel industry.BUT..,
My bitchiness about the situation is more on how the people handled themselves through the weeks of correspondances with the company. There are more polite ways to approach situations, including this one. And I'm still upset over the guest saying there were other companies in the area that would help them out, yet blatantly refusing their services to use "ours". I'm a very BIG nitpicker when it comes to manners, which it didn't seem these people had.
Lastly, I know I mis-spelled it. I didn't know how to spell it at the time! It looks like I forgot to hide that fact with my friend, spellchecker!!
For further info about ADA, check out ADA Regulations
They had a heck of way in showing that!
Cameron, the best way to make society (i.e. people) resent you is to force yourself on them. That's all the ADA is about: making people with handicaps think they have the right to force others to accomodate them. If this group of def people wants to "have fun and learn about New Orleans" then they should try to find someone who is willing to cooperate with them and offer them the services they need, rather than resorting to threats.
Cameron -
I understand the hearing-impaired wanting to be considered "normal" in society, but why does everyone else have to pay to right what nature has done wrong to them?
Enforcement of the ADA is nothing short of mafia rule. That falacy of a law has ruined many small businesses and in turn ruined many, many lives. It's turned a lot of disabled people into lawsuit junkies being used as pawns by hack lawyers. It's a complete shame.
Cameron,
The "interpreter" question didn't go just like that. A written guide was actually one of the last things that were presented, after searching into their request and finding out that the cost was a heck of a lot more compared to the companies profit.
ADA policies would have forced the company to lose out on an estimated $850 b/c of this request. The main reason the company does not have one on staff is b/c this reaction/request is an extremely rare oocurance, if not the first. I have helped hearing impaired guests in the past, and none of them act a smidgen of a way these people acted. Actually, the were a heck of a lot nicer compared to the average guest!
I undestand ADA policies, and I do believe it should be there. But I also believe that the policies that are laid down should not be "do this ,or else" option.
So lemme get this straight. To make people with disabilities feel better about themselves, everyone else should pay what they can't afford? Because nature screwed them, they should be able to screw everyone else? Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
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