In my experience, every AC has a similar procedure for using the showers: you ask at the desk for a key; if one is available they give it to you, and if not they add your name to a waiting list; after you've showered you return the key to the desk, and they confirm that the shower has been cleaned before giving that key out again. Couldn't be more straightforward.

Not so at the MIA Term D AC, at least not last night. I went to the desk to ask for a key, and it was like they'd never been asked that question before. The woman at the desk in front of the elevators -- the one whom I had asked -- glanced over to the separate service desk, but there was no one was there. She then typed furiously on her keyboard for a while before calling a number that went unanswered. She then paged someone who did not respond. After waiting about 5 minutes, she flagged down an AC employee who was walking by. This woman walked me and one other guy (who had come to inquire about a shower at about the same time) over to the showers, and having no idea which ones might be in use, banged on each door to see if she got a response before letting each of us in.

...? Is this the way they normally operate?