Our company has supported the Best Western Quirindi RSL Motel since it opened. We had a standing booking for multiple rooms during the time of a large Agricultural Show in nearby Gunnedah each year and our people would also routinely use it as a stopover point when in the area.
Despite having confirmed this year's reservations just a few weeks prior to the show, on arrival we were informed that there was no record of our reservations. A staff member did comment that she could remember seeing the reservations and couldn't explain why they had been deleted.
Obtaining accommodation in regional Australia where there are significant distances between towns can be challenging, particularly during an event such as the AGQUIP show.
The staff were extremely apologetic but unable to provide the rooms we had reserved. After much wrangling, one additional room was made available however it was still necessary to travel nearly 200 klms to find alternative accommodation for others.
The accommodation standard at the motel is generally good and my overall assessment does not reflect this. As an employer however, I cannot run the risk of our people being forced to drive considerable additional distances in the event that their intended and reserved accommodation is not available. An unreliable reservation system to us is of no use whatsoever.
As a consequence, our business will no longer use this motel. We would urge any employer in a similar position to be extremely cautious. less