Oh bother
It happened to me yesterday.
I went to a hotel in Brighton to meet with two directors of the Records
Management Society. When I got there I asked if a colleague had
arrived, they said yes, I asked for his number and they said they could
not do that, instead they offered to ring the number and pass the phone
to me. Before my colleague answered they passed the phone to me which
included on the digital display the number.
I suggest that they were broadly right in that they were protecting the
confidentiality of the guest; forget DPA (even though it went all
wrong). I reckon the receptionist was like most, who do not fully
appreciate the requirements or extent of the act and have been simply
told what to do. Thus, this suggests that there is a significant
training gap for even more customer services staff. What went wrong was
a total lack of customer service in mediating the situation.
Regards
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Roland Perry
Sent: 19 July 2006 09:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
In message
<[log in to unmask]
L
E.CO.UK>, at 08:37:08 on Wed, 19 Jul 2006, Martin Hoskins
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>I wouldn't expect anyone to be put through to me by a Hotel
receptionist
>if they were to phone the hotel and ask for me by name. I would expect
>my friends and colleagues to call me on my mobile instead.
I don't often get calls when staying at a hotel, but sometimes make
calls to people who are. Many hotels have DDI phones, so that makes it
easier (and if the guest has circulated the number, very similar to your
"mobile" situation).
>I would expect the Hotel receptionist to put through calls that asked
to
>contact the occupant of, say, "Room 101", unless I had asked the
>receptionist to hold all calls to the room.
I would expect that at the very least the hotel would phone the room to
see if the call was acceptable - unless "do not disturb" instructions
had been left.
>Martin Hoskins
>Data Protection Manager
>
>T-Mobile (UK) Ltd
>Hatfield Business Park
>Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9BW
>+44 (0)7957 234585
>+44 (0)1707 319056 fax
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nick Landau
>Sent: 18 July 2006 22:23
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: FW: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>
>
>Maybe check-in time is the best time to clarify these matters. But most
>customers would think that the hotel was barmy.
>
>The customer could be asked to provide a list of phone numbers and
named
>
>individuals to be let through (or not to be let through) and a further
>refinement is that they could be supplied with a password - maybe the
>mother's maiden name would be a good one for the mother.
>
>Nick Landau
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tim Trent" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 3:59 PM
>Subject: Re: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>
>
>>I have rented a unit of lodging from them with telephone. I have an
>>expectation of normal service created by custom and practice. That
>>service includes my being able to receive phone calls. I perceive it
>>as a similar right as the right to use the toilet I have paid for in
>>my room. Though The
>> League of Gentlemen did place a restriction on one such apparatus.
>>
>> The conversation at checkout time would reveal precisely the rights
>> and expectations. It would involve my exercising my right to see to
>> withhold money and have them pursue me.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jethro R Binks
>> Sent: 18 July 2006 15:39
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>>
>> On Tue, 18 Jul 2006, Tim Trent wrote:
>>
>>> There is a simple remedy
>>>
>>> Vote with wallet.
>>>
>>> Refuse to pay the bill because they have interfered with your rights
>>> to receive calls.
>>
>> Out of curiosity, which "right", in a private premises, is that?
>> Certainly there may be an expectation, either if the hotel literature
>> suggests guests can be contacted via hotel reception telephone, or if
>> to do so is the acceptable norm in most other places, but a "right"
>> ... ?
>>
>> Jethro.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Hughes
>>> Sent: 18 July 2006 14:12
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>>>
>>> Tim
>>>
>>> That is an exact summary. Effectively what this means is that if you
>>> phone the hotel reception and ask to speak to one of their guests,
>>> even if you supply all the relevant information (name, room number)
-
>
>>> with no disclosure necessary on the part of the hotel - they will
>>> still not put your call through.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Tim Trent [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>> Sent: 18 July 2006 14:02
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>>>
>>>
>>> Just to get this clear. You are staying in a well known hotel in
>>> Milton Keynes and have told me that you will be there, in room 604.
>>>
>>> I call the hotel and ask to be put through to you, by name, and
quote
>
>>> your room number.
>>>
>>> The hotel refuses and says "it is against the law to put me through
>>> to
>> you"
>>>
>>> ---------------------
>>>
>>> If that is a correct summary of what you have said I disagree
>>> entirely. The hotel may be obeying your instruction of "no calls"
>>> ("I'm sorry, our guest has asked not to be disturbed"), but it is
not
>
>>> against the law. :)
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charles
>>> Oppenheim
>>> Sent: 18 July 2006 13:57
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: [data-protection] Hotel Reception
>>>
>>> I think the hotel was correct. There is no proof that the person
>>> calling is her mother, and even if she was her mother, how do we
know
>
>>> that the daughter has sworn never to speak to her mother again? I
>>> doubt many hotels have as one of their Purposes passing on guest
>>> details
>> to any third party who asks.
>>>
>>> The daughter should have phoned her mother or texted her what her
>>> room number was.
>>>
>>> Charles
>>>
>>> Quoting John Hughes <[log in to unmask]>:
>>>
>>> > Dear All
>>> >
>>> > Last night my niece, Angela, was staying in a hotel in Milton
>>> > Keynes, one of a very well-known chain. Her mother (my sister)
>>> > phoned the hotel reception desk and asked to be put through to her
>>> > daughter's room, giving Angela's full name and her room number.
>>> > The receptionist told her this would not be possible "because of
>>> > the Data Protection Act".
>>> >
>>> > My sister then asked if the receptionist would call Angela
>>> > internally and ask if it was ok to put her mother through. The
>>> > reply was "no" as this was "against the law".
>>> >
>>> > Can anyone explain to me how???
>>> >
>>> > John Hughes
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
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>> Jethro R Binks
>> Computing Officer, IT Services
>> University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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--
Roland Perry
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