‘I don’t need to sign anything!’: Elderly Karen refuses to sign the necessary forms to extend her hotel stay, front desk agent forces her to check out

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jan 1, 2025 2:00 PM EST

It's not easy working in customer service when a stubborn old Karen is giving you grief. These are not exactly the stories that make you dream of being a front desk agent at a hotel, even if every other aspect of the job gives you a kind of fulfillment and joy.

Here, we have an elderly lady who became a regular at this hotel because she was receiving ongoing medical treatment at a nearby hotel. Of course, everyone working at the hotel had a lot of sympathy for her situation and gave her all sorts of discounts and special treatment. Usually, that kind of individualized care is received with kindness. However, in this case, it only fueled a sense of entitlement.

When it came to extending her stay, which the Karen did frequently, the employees at the hotel would have to beg this lady to sign the necessary forms, a standard hotel policy she refused to comply with on the grounds that she already signed the forms when she first checked in. This back-and-forth escalated further and further until managers got involved and things got ugly.

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from folks in the comments section. For more, check out this post about employees who got fired for valid reasons.

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    HOTEL
    via Marten Bjork
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    "I'm LDS! I don't need to sign your registration agreement!"....
    via ktk245
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    Been working at a Western hotel chain, locally owned, since August this year. It's my first time ever working the FD, but I caught on quickly and it's become
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    my favorite job I've ever had. We have the largest LDS population I found out upon moving from out of state. I encounter the occasional re guest who is usually just upset they booked thru a 3rd party and were unaware of our incidental fees, etc. Most guests are understanding, polite, and I even have great relationships with regulars!
    via ktk245
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    Incoming an older lady who we will call Mary (approximately 75 yrs old & single) who began staying with us in August when I began.
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    She was in for medical treatment at the nearby hospital. She started off so sweet and kind. We gave her our courtesy 15% off medical rate, brought
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    her breakfast in bed, and did not charge her any incidental fees or cleaning fees upon leaving. She repeatedly could not walk as she had operations on her legs and would blod buckets on our sheets. She would always extend via telephone (which hotel policy now no longer permits). We would authorize her card, and go on about the day. We even
    via ktk245
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    began giving her a special rate between 89-99 dollars a night. She was old and confused! Well, who knew special treatment would lead to such entitlement?
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    On December 12th, she was due to check out and a coworker extended her over the phone without a CC
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    reauthorization OR signing a new registration card (the extension was done backwards which lead to the ensuing issues later). That night, two coworkers P & L went to her room as she asked for towels & trash to be taken out. They figurd they would bring the new registration card to her door since she can't walk far. She
    via ktk245
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    began yelling adamantly that "I'm LDS! I DONT NEED TO SIGN IT. IVE ALREADY SIGNED ONE!". P & L explained that in our most recent meeting our managers made it clear how important having guests signed updated registration cards & cc authorizations are. She kept refusing so they left. She then called the FD where L picked up
    via ktk245
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    and she began ranting as to how r the people were she just spoke with. e No signed card + No reauthorization = No room. The next day I hear about this so I decide I will call her. Maybe I can get her to sign? She knows me well and we've had good conversations. She's
    via ktk245
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    told me how sweet and hard working I am. So I dial her room. No answer. Oh well. Then she calls back. We will call myself K in this dialogue.
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    M: Did I miss a call? K: Yes ma'am. It's K at the front desk. I noticed you haven't yet signed your new registration card since extending. I could bring it to your
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    room to sign so you don't have to come all the way down here. M: I already told you people I'm not signing anything!!! K: Oh, well unfortunately it's hotel policy for guests to sign new reg cards upon extension. M: I told you people I already signed one and I'm not signing it again! I AM LDS, I DONT SM KE DR...K OR PARTY!!! You
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    shouldn't be worrying about me and instead worry about the people who do smoke! K: Well ma'am, those who don't follow hotel policy are fined accordingly. I will need you to sign the card though. M: I AM LDS DONT YOU UNDERSTAND I DONT SM KE OR... K: Well if you don't smoke, then you should have no issue signing then, correct? M: Is T in today? I'm gonna
    via ktk245
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    have a talk with her! K: Of course, she will be in contact shortly. hangs up immediately T is our assistant manager...
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    I call T personally explain the situation and she says she will go by her room personally to have a talk. I did my job, it's out of my hands now.
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    UNTIL...30 minutes later M marches to my desk and says "I am checking out! I have been hounded for two days by you people and...what's your name?" K: I am K M: YOU! I have never had someone speak to me so rely and treat me with such disrespect! I already told you I signed the card! K: Yes ma'am, you signed it for your initial
    via ktk245
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    stay but you must sign a new and updated one upon extension. M: They never had me do it before! K: Well, I'm sorry whoever you dealt with was not doing their job properly but this is the hotel's policy. M: Dont tell me about policy young lady! I know my rights! I am LDS I don't drink or smoke so I shouldn't have to sign! I have given
    via ktk245
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    you so much business and for you to accuse me like this is ridiculous. I've given you so much money! K: And we have lost a lot of money too with all of your special treatment and unwarranted discounts. M: ....Just check me out! looks and sees 3 different cards on file, none with authorization K: So M, I don't have authorization on any
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    cards here so... M interrupts: Oh you're a liar! You're lying to me! You're full of tricks aren't you? K: Well ma'am, I don't know which card to charge because there is no authorization. There are 3 cards listed here. We can authorize whatever card you have now and I'll charge it, then you can leave. sticks a card in machine K: Ma'am, I do need to
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    see your ID and match the name to the card before we authorize. M: Why are you lying to me? K: This is standard hotel policy. M: YOU don't need to see anything. Just run the card.
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    I decide to call T in front of her and say "Hi there, M is wanting to check out early but I have no authorization on any card so I don't know which to
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    charge. She also refuses to show me her ID to match the card. Could I please get some help?"* Then comes our sales manager J whom she likes. M: Thank God you're here! This lady right here points her card at me has a real problem. There is something
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    wrong in her head. I don't even know how she has job here. She has been lying to me and telling me I need to sign something I've already signed. IM LDS HONEY! I DONT SM KE OR DR K I DONT NEED TO SIGN ANYTHING! I hate to leave but I'm sure there are other hotels who would love to give me a discount! J: Yes ma'am well the registration doesn't just mention
    via ktk245
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    smoking, it also says... M interrupts: Honey don't tell me. I already know. Just check me out. She complys with J's request and M continues shaking her finger at me. Calling me a liar and saying I'm a trickster. I began helping a different guest who came to check in and see M begin walking out of the door. As she leaves I yell "Hey M! You
    via ktk245
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    have a blessed rest of your day!" And she glared at me with so much malice. I then ran to the bathroom and cried. I couldn't believe I just had an encounter like that. I try so hard to be kind but some people are just not with it. My managers then hugged me and told me I did nothing wrong and we
    via ktk245
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    added her to our Do Not Rent list. Thank God we won't have to deal with this delusional old lady again. Maybe there is a reason she's all alone in a hotel room instead of having children, family or friends to take care of her after medical treatment. Maybe, you're not that great of a person if you have to proclaim how good you are because you're LDS.
    via ktk245

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