Usability = Customer Service for Your Users

So, I was reading the blogs and saw a typical article on one of the travel trouble-shooter websites, namely: http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/double-booked-at-the-days-inn/

Where things got interesting were the details-- a very long talk about how hard to use DaysInn.com is. (You won't be seeing that particular rant here; I decided not to book at Days Inn anymore after they switched to the single-packet-of-white-rain-per-person-per-stay shampoo policy. In this era of TSA I need the hotel to provide adequate shampoo and soap!)

Where I laughed was this,

I asked Days Inn to take a look at your reservation. It determined that you had made a mistake when you booked your rooms. While that may be true, I think the Days Inn site has what designers might call “usability” issues that make these errors easy to commit. I think it should refund your second room.

I'm happy to be seeing "usability" hitting a more mainstream customer service website... but I wish it wasn't in quotes!