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Wrong Numbers!
Leola Starling of Ribrock, Tenn., had a serious telephone
problem. But unlike most people she did something about it.
The brand-new $10 million Ribrock Plaza Motel opened nearby
and had acquired almost the same telephone number as Leola.
From the moment the motel opened, Leola was besieged by
calls not for her. Since she had the same phone number for
years, she felt that she had a case to persuade the motel
management to change its number.
Naturally, the management refused claiming that it could not
change its stationery.
The phone company was not helpful, either. A number was a
number, and just because a customer was getting someone
else's calls 24 hours a day didn't make it responsible. After
her pleas fell on deaf ears, Leola decided to take matters
into her own hands.
At 9 o'clock the phone rang. Someone from Memphis was
calling the motel and asked for a room for the following
Tuesday. Leoloa said, "No problem. How many nights?"
A few hours later Dallas checked in. A secretary wanted a
suite with two bedrooms for a week. Emboldened, Leola said
the Presidential Suite on the 10th floor was available for
$600 a night. The secretary said that she would take it and
asked if the hotel wanted a deposit. "No, that won't be
necessary," Leola said. "We trust you."
The next day was a busy one for Leola. In the morning, she
booked an electric appliance manufacturers' convention for
Memorial Day weekend, a college prom and a reunion of the
82nd Airborne veterans from World War II.
She turned on her answering machine during lunchtime so that
she could watch the O.J. Simpson trial, but her biggest
challenge came in the afternoon when a mother called to book
the ballroom for her daughter's wedding in June.
Leola assured the woman that it would be no problem and
asked if she would be providing the flowers or did she want
the hotel to take care of it. The mother said that she would
prefer the hotel to handle the floral arrangements. Then the
question of valet parking came up.
Once again Leola was helpful. "There's no charge for valet
parking, but we always recommend that the client tips the
drivers."
Within a few months, the Ribrock Plaza Motel was a disaster
area.
People kept showing up for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Sweet
Sixteen parties and were all told there were no such events.
Leola had her final revenge when she read in the local paper
that the motel might go bankrupt. Her phone rang, and an
executive from Marriott said, "We're prepared to offer you
$200,000 for the motel."
Leola replied. "We'll take it, but only if you change the
telephone number."
problem. But unlike most people she did something about it.
The brand-new $10 million Ribrock Plaza Motel opened nearby
and had acquired almost the same telephone number as Leola.
From the moment the motel opened, Leola was besieged by
calls not for her. Since she had the same phone number for
years, she felt that she had a case to persuade the motel
management to change its number.
Naturally, the management refused claiming that it could not
change its stationery.
The phone company was not helpful, either. A number was a
number, and just because a customer was getting someone
else's calls 24 hours a day didn't make it responsible. After
her pleas fell on deaf ears, Leola decided to take matters
into her own hands.
At 9 o'clock the phone rang. Someone from Memphis was
calling the motel and asked for a room for the following
Tuesday. Leoloa said, "No problem. How many nights?"
A few hours later Dallas checked in. A secretary wanted a
suite with two bedrooms for a week. Emboldened, Leola said
the Presidential Suite on the 10th floor was available for
$600 a night. The secretary said that she would take it and
asked if the hotel wanted a deposit. "No, that won't be
necessary," Leola said. "We trust you."
The next day was a busy one for Leola. In the morning, she
booked an electric appliance manufacturers' convention for
Memorial Day weekend, a college prom and a reunion of the
82nd Airborne veterans from World War II.
She turned on her answering machine during lunchtime so that
she could watch the O.J. Simpson trial, but her biggest
challenge came in the afternoon when a mother called to book
the ballroom for her daughter's wedding in June.
Leola assured the woman that it would be no problem and
asked if she would be providing the flowers or did she want
the hotel to take care of it. The mother said that she would
prefer the hotel to handle the floral arrangements. Then the
question of valet parking came up.
Once again Leola was helpful. "There's no charge for valet
parking, but we always recommend that the client tips the
drivers."
Within a few months, the Ribrock Plaza Motel was a disaster
area.
People kept showing up for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Sweet
Sixteen parties and were all told there were no such events.
Leola had her final revenge when she read in the local paper
that the motel might go bankrupt. Her phone rang, and an
executive from Marriott said, "We're prepared to offer you
$200,000 for the motel."
Leola replied. "We'll take it, but only if you change the
telephone number."
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