When the Watson Hotel refused entry to Jamshedji Tata, he built the Taj Hotels in revenge. But something strange happened when Michael Dell requested late checkout at the Oberoi Hotel!!!
In a recent podcast, former The Oberoi Group president Kapil Chopra shared an interesting story about how Michael Dell, one of the wealthiest tech billionaires, was refused a late checkout at an Oberoi hotel in India.
The discussion highlighted a common customer complaint about strict hotel check-in & check-out policies.
Chopra shared a story about Michael Dell, who needed to stay at the hotel until the evening and asked for a late check-out.
Unfortunately, the receptionist, who was on her first day at the job, didn't realize who he was.
He said, “The country head of Dell & other executives were busy on their phones, leaving Michael Dell alone in the lobby. He quietly approached the front desk and asked for a late check-out.”
The receptionist, following hotel rules, replied, “Sir, check-out is at 12 pm. If you stay until 6 pm, it's a half-day charge. If it's past 6 pm, it's a full-day charge.”
Rather than making a fuss or demanding special treatment, Dell decided to check out immediately to set an example.
The country head of Dell later called Chopra to express disappointment that they didn't make an exception for their CEO, even if it meant charging more.
But Chopra emphasized that "Dell is very particular about leading by example."
It's easy to imagine many other ultra-wealthy #CEOs throwing their weight around & berating the staff for not recognizing them.
But Dell took it in stride & even used it as a teachable moment for his team.
It's a good reminder that even the most successful people don't always get their way and that sometimes it's best to just accept the rules and move on. Kudos to Michael Dell for handling the situation with class!
What do you think about this story? Have you ever had a frustrating hotel experience like this?
#startups #founders #hospitality #humility #equality William Watson Hotel Oberoi Hotels & Resorts #tech Dell Technologies
Clinical Education Specialist at Texas Health Resources
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