La Quinta Inns & Suites

Ref Confirmation
#89324EC005950

Subject: Poor customer service 8/5
From a General Manager- Megan Sullivan

I am writing in regards to the mishap that took place on September 5th with my daughter (Karen Madison) that, was staying with me at the La Quinta in Auburn, WA at 225 6th Street SE, Room 416 for three nights.

Your property itself wasn't bad but the surrounding area unfortunately has a large homeless population there in Auburn WA so evidently Management can't tell who is a PAYING guest and how is a homeless person or vagrant, witch is very sad for your customers. My daughter went out to Smoke the evening of September 5th and because there is no designated smoking area she sat in a place that the the General Manager, Megan Sullivan so very rudely referred to as a place that vagrants sit! So the Manager felt the need to interrogate my daughter in an unprofessional manner even though Ms Madison ( my daughter ) let the Manager know (in a very well spoken way, she is a Quality control manager and most definitely professional ) she was staying there, my daughter did forgot her room number (because she was not feeling well and the questioning caught her off guard!), but she did have her key! But the manger keep probing as to why my daughter did not know her Room number in a very unprofessional way, makings my daughter feel as if she was not truthful!

Being a General Manager I would have thought they would know a better procedure of identifying PAYING guests from ones that are not? START OFF BY ASK LEADING QUESTIONS TO HELP IDENTIFY IF THE PERSON IS A CUSTOMER OR NOT! This is basic customer service I would think not just jump right into your customer assuming they are what they are not! Because they have so many vagrants and homeless on the property maybe they should set a designated area for smokers also let the guests know at checkin as well as police that area to keep the unwanted away so then your guests feel safe and you can tell the difference between a PAYING guest and one that is not! Don't make your guests feel unwelcome at your property just because they smoke! This just seems so unreal to me that this happened and No apology was given to my daughter after Manager made the mistake right at that time! At the time this was all happening my daughter was on a call with family, the Manager so rudely spoke to her and I was also told by the person on the phone with my daughter they felt the approach was not handled professionally and could not believe this was happening to my daughter at a place we were paying for so they too got offered just to know this was happening to my daughter!

Only after I got back from being with family for a day, did I hear about the incident because she was so shaken up, that I went to the front desk myself and also called to let them know how unprofessional this was! I was told Mr Sullivan would not be in till Monday but that did not help!
The only reason my daughter did not come with me is she was not feeling well so she stayed behind against my better judgment, I'm thinking she would be some what safe at your property by herself to find out they did not do there job to make the customers feel safe but instead accusing my daughter of being part of your poor property management issue!
Because they do have an issue as the pictures will show, as well as the unsafe things that happen like the first night (9/4) there was a car Break-in police called out, then a high-speed chase in your parking lot took place the following night!
Staff on duty apologized at the time on my initial complaint I even spoke with the assistant GM that started she as there when it happened and she stated to me she thought it could have been handled differently! Later I was told by staff they called the Manager and it was related to me there's nothing she would do to make this right, the GM did not even an apologize for her mistake.
All I can say AGAIN is this is so very UNPROFESSIONAL that Ms Sullivan did!

This was to be a very special weekend of her Birthday and they made her feel unsafe until I returned. I'm deeply saddened with there actions, how they handled this and how they made her feel, no paying guests should EVER be made to feel as that GM made her feeI. I will as well as others family members be taking this to direct reports.

I will never recommend a La Quinta to anyone!

Please help me to understand her actions (my daughter doesn't even look close to being homeless) I have know other thought but to question it was because she was Black!

By the way I watched a non-running camper with several individuals parked out back of your property pushing it into the spot (right outside my window) bathing in there lot, and nothing being done.

I am looking for answers !

Cheryl R Anthony

Confirmation #89324Ec005950
RM 416

Indianapolis, In

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