Shangri-La Birthday Promotion “Flash Your Age”

Well, I had a brilliant idea of treating my dad to a poshy posh dinner at Shangri-La for his birthday this 10 July. Of course, I had a cunning scheme to make use of the Shangri-La birthday promotion that supposedly provides a discount on the food items equal to the current age of the celebrant. Details here: http://www.slsrewards.com.sg/promotions/en/index.aspx

Of course, things would be more complicated. The first telephone conversation with the reservation officer (RO) went like this:

morning 4 July 2009, today
me: hi, I would like to enquire about your “Flash Your Age” promotion.
RO-1: Morning, certainly. Which date would you want your reservation on?
me: (thinking to myself that things were going quite ok) erm…10 July.
RO-1: (rather quickly…as if by reflex?) sorry sir, our outlets are fully booked for that day. In fact, we are fully booked until 3 August.
me: (damn…) erm… ok thanks.

On putting down the phone, I had my next brilliant and cunning scheme to celebrate my wife’s birthday in mid August using the promotion..heh heh. Thus, the next call.

me: hi, I would like to make a reservation under  your “Flash Your Age” promotion.
RO-2: Morning, certainly. Which date would you want your reservation on?
me: mid august (date blocked out as wife is sensitive)
RO-2: (rather quickly…as if by reflex?) sorry sir, you would only be able to make the booking within one month of the birthday. That means mid July, sir.
me: ah? erm..ok. Thanks.

Then it struck me and my wife (meaning my much more intelligent wife caught on to it and told me… ) that the window of availablity for the promotion seems to be only open exactly one month prior to the birthday.  For those who are confused, you can refer to the dates in bold – does it seem too much of a coincidence that their outlets are booked up to 3 August, exactly one month from 4 July.

The strategy for securing a reservation would maybe involve calling Shangri-La at the exactly stroke of midnight one month prior to the birthday. right…well done Shangri-La.