Reservations are an interesting concept. Dictionary.com states that a reservation is: “the act of keeping back, withholding, or setting apart.” I think the key to accomplishing a reservation is the keeping as well the withholding or setting apart. Those 2 actions (the keeping and withholding) should go hand-in-hand. I mean, how happy would a person be if someone kept a reservation but didn’t actually withhold it. An example would be if a person calls to make a reservation at a hotel for a room and over the phone the arrangement is made, the hotel staff keep the reservation in their records, but then, if another person calls, they give that same room reservation to that person instead of the original person. This would be an example of keeping the record of the reservation but not actually withholding the room reserved for the customer. One of my favorite tv shows, Seinfeld, has an episode where Jerry makes a car reservation, it goes like this:
”Jerry: I don’t understand. Do you have my reservation? 

Car Rental Assistant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. ‚Ä®
Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that’s why you have the reservation! 

Car Rental Assistant: I think I know why we have reservations. ‚Ä®
Jerry: I don’t think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don’t know how to *hold* the reservation. And that’s really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them.”
The top things I have had to make reservations for in the past include: hotel rooms, flights, car rentals, and dinner reservations. I have not had many problems making reservations in the past. It can be time consuming and tedious depending on the logistics involved in the reservation, so if you are a person who often has someone who makes reservations on your behalf, be sure to show that individual some appreciation and understanding.
If you are a person who has the job of both keeping and holding the reservation, please remember that both the keeping and the holding are key to a successful reservation.
