But What Happened to My Room - Essay Example

The ethical issue is accepting the $50 bill and locating and providing a room for Liz Borden, despite eminent knowledge that no rooms were apparently available for the night. Forgiving a room to Liz Borden, Paige Lewis violated the duty-based ethics or deontological ethics, which was premised on “the right motive is “to do the right thing”, “to do one’s duty”, “to respect the moral law” (LaFave, 2006, p. 1). Paige Lewis has full knowledge that it is her responsibility to abide by the reservations made by customers, pursuant to the Code of Conduct and the hotel’s policies and procedures regarding reservations. As it was disclosed that the hotel was completely booked that night and there is clearly stipulated policy that states: “Honor the reservations at all cost” (Lieberman and Nissen, 2008, p. 121). Clearly, Lewis violated company policies and the hotel’s Code of Conduct under responsibilities with clients, which indicates that “members will not promise any benefit that is not within their control to deliver” (International Association of Hospitality Advisors: Responsibilities wit Clients, n.d., par. 5).
Concurrently, Paige Lewis also violated the trust of its employer by accepting the $50 bill, considered as a bribe to locate a potential room for Liz Borden. It itself, this is again a violation of the Deontological theory that stipulates that a bribe is morally wrong (Practical Business Ethics.com). Likewise, under consequentialist theory, the outcome of Paige Lewis’ action, displacing the young woman of a room that was rightfully hers in the first place could potentially jeopardize her position when complaints would be filed against her and the hotel.
Alternative Courses of Action
In case that Paige Lewis was presented with the dilemma and was given an appropriate chance to review the options, the following alternative courses could be suggested:
1. Determine and confirm if reservations policies within the Savory Hotel have prescribed
holding times (meaning, the time needed to wait for the customers who made the reservations to arrive within the stipulated time frame). If there is a hold order of say, within one hour from the time of arrival indicated, and if any guest did not call to confirm that they would arrive; then, Lewis could justify giving the room to Liz Borden – only until all confirmations for reservations with clients have been validated.
2. At all costs, do not accept the $50 bill if it is a clear violation of ethical and moral codes of business conduct. Instead, if despite efforts of reconfirming reservations and still, no guests canceled, Paige Lewis could opt to refer Liz Borden to the closest affiliate hotel possible and make coordinations with that hotel if a chauffeured vehicle could pick up Borden with some travel charges, if needed, just to put their minds at rest that Liz would be duly accommodated in another hotel for the night.
Recommendation
The first option should be initially considered to determine if any cancellations would be made through contacting potential clients who previously made reservations. Only then could Lewis provide a room for Borden. Otherwise, option two could be considered and at all cost, the $50 bill should never be accepted with honest and humble apologies. Read More