Am I A Difficult Customer?

[chloelovesdisney]

Book the vacation you want. It will even out as most guests booking with the travel agent won't make any changes at all. Don't worry about it.

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks. That's how we feel too. We're spending almost $15,000 on this trip. It's not small change and being international guests we don't get discount codes or pins to help us out. We only take a trip like this once every 5 or 6 years, so we want to make sure we make the most of it and get what we want but I'm not an unfeeling selfish snob. I realise that all our changes will be really bugging the hell out of our poor agent, which is where my dilemma lies. Might have to send her a big Disney thank you gift from the park once we arrive

It was pretty clear from your OP that this is how you feel. Rather than truly asking a question, I feel y ou were looking for folks to tell you you are ok.
Everyones vacation to WDW is expensive, it is not small change to any of them
Very Few folks in the US get discount codes or pins to help them out.
Everyone wants to get the most out of it and to get what they want.
The highest cost is your airfare, and the Travel Agent can not help you with that.
Good Luck and enjoy your vacation.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Well, I have changed my reservation enough times in the past to break the reservation, lol. But that's also why I don't use TA's. I'd rather just drive myself crazy.

 

[goofy4prez]

Yes, your a difficult customer, after all you have made 12 changes. An easy customer books it, makes no changes and then takes the vacation while the TA moves on to the next person. But with that said, who cares. You are coming a long way from Australia, and you are spending a lot of money coming here. I say make the changes you want even if it means 12 more changes. When it's all said and done it is your money, your vacation and your memories.

 

[Nancyg56]

I get it! I make changes too, but at this point I just take care of my own vacation. You really are in a tough spot though, you have made a LOT of changes and there are more on the horizon, so I suggest you wait until you know what you really want to make any more. Not for the TA, you aren't her only "problem child", but for your sake. I find that the more changes made, the more confused I get, so I think that it is best to look ahead to see what your ideal promotions will be and book that if it does through.

 

[MrsDuck]

It is her job to make sure you get what you want, even if it takes 20 times of getting there. She might get a little crabby but she will get over it, she is in a service industry so go ahead and make sure you get what you want.

This x100.

 

[wildcard898]

As a former travel agent, i'd much rather have a 'difficult' customer with a good attitude like you seem to have, rather than many of the 'easier' customers out there. It's true that every change takes time for the agent, without earning her any more money, but it comes with the territory and any decent agent would much rather you get the holiday you truly want rather than feel you can't ask!

If I were in your position, i'd definitely do whatever you need to get your ideal holiday. I think your idea of a disney gift for the agent is a good way to show your appreciation.

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes, you're a bit 'difficult'.... but why not? booking at Disney is SO complicated,and they are changing things constantly...which is crazy making for those of us who are pretty familiar with a Disney vacation! So,OP, it sounds like you're being polite, but you definitely deserve to get what you're paying for..... I feel like I'm 'difficult' too nowadays, and that is usually due to the above mentioned reasons..... it's SO expensive,and random changes and deals make us all want changes to get what we can out of our hard earned money! Heck, that's one reason I would never be a 'real' travel agent, I LOVE helping friends set trips up, but would never want the responsibility of actually making a million changes if needed(or 12 lol) ....however a 'real' TA is obligated to do their best for the client....

 

[jsmla]

I'm not a travel agent but was in a job where I dealt with clients. Some were easy, some were awful and most fell somewhere in between. I knew that it was my job to make their experience a satisfactory one, not theirs to make things easy for me and I wasn't even on commission.

 

[Sue M]

I hear you on the dollar. Our Canadian $ isn't doing well either. I went to the bank a couple of wks ago yo buy $100usd and it cost me $140.
As for changes, many people change. And if she's a specializes Disney vacation planner, it's their job to apply discounts to your existing res the minute they come out. Tell her in advance when discounts come out you want to change resorts with the new discount. She'll flag your acct.

She's your TA, she works for you! And it's her job work with you to make sure you have the trip you want.

 

[tmcgraw]

Thanks. That's how we feel too. We're spending almost $15,000 on this trip. It's not small change and being international guests we don't get discount codes or pins to help us out. We only take a trip like this once every 5 or 6 years, so we want to make sure we make the most of it and get what we want but I'm not an unfeeling selfish snob. I realise that all our changes will be really bugging the hell out of our poor agent, which is where my dilemma lies. Might have to send her a big Disney thank you gift from the park once we arrive

Um. If I were spending 15,000 on a trip, I'd make all the changes I wanted to. That is a lot of money to not get what you want. Make all the changes you need!

 

[Sinders99]

It was pretty clear from your OP that this is how you feel. Rather than truly asking a question, I feel y ou were looking for folks to tell you you are ok.
Everyones vacation to WDW is expensive, it is not small change to any of them
Very Few folks in the US get discount codes or pins to help them out.
Everyone wants to get the most out of it and to get what they want.
The highest cost is your airfare, and the Travel Agent can not help you with that.
Good Luck and enjoy your vacation.

Hmmmm to tell you the truth I'm not realky sure how to take your response. I feel that it is a complete assumption and slap in the face. I was asking a genuine question. I don't know what other people do in their planning or how many changes are made before an agent becomes angry/upset. For all I know everyone makes 20 changes on their booking before they settle on a plan!!???!! This is our first trip to WDW and are completely unfamiliar with the process. So NO I wasn't asking other people to back me up or justify my actions - it was a genuine question.
As for the rest of it I never implied that I was more entitled to be difficult because of the amount of money we're spending. Yes we are spending a lot of money but so is everyone else! I'm not an elitist snob and I resent the implication you've made in your post. I'm a big girl and can take it. If I'm being a difficult Disney planner tell me. That's why I asked the question.

 

[Sinders99]

Yes, your a difficult customer, after all you have made 12 changes. An easy customer books it, makes no changes and then takes the vacation while the TA moves on to the next person. But with that said, who cares. You are coming a long way from Australia, and you are spending a lot of money coming here. I say make the changes you want even if it means 12 more changes. When it's all said and done it is your money, your vacation and your memories.

Thanks for your honest feedback. I genuinley apreciate it I just have no idea how many changes are too many and what everyone elses planning process is. One very valuable piece of information I've gained from this thread is to wait for discounts to be announced before bugging my poor agent any further

 

[Sinders99]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what I could do to thank my agent? I'd like to send her a little thanks from us once I arrive in the US. We'll never meet face to face but I'd still like to do a little something meaningful to express our thanks

 

[Sinders99]

Update on the poll results ........... Drum roll .............
30% I'm a Difficult Customer
70% I'm Not a Difficult Customer

 

[Sue M]

Thanks for your honest feedback. I genuinley apreciate it I just have no idea how many changes are too many and what everyone elses planning process is. One very valuable piece of information I've gained from this thread is to wait for discounts to be announced before bugging my poor agent any further

Um, no!! I would tell TA before discounts come out what you want, so that she can be on the booking line the moment it opens the day of. When discounts are released they are snapped up fast. So to get the resort and room category you want it's essential to get it right away.

 

[imthemamahere]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what I could do to thank my agent? I'd like to send her a little thanks from us once I arrive in the US. We'll never meet face to face but I'd still like to do a little something meaningful to express our thanks

I personally love the idea of a little gift from Disney World as a thank you for your travel agent. But that's me, the Disney freak - perhaps more useful (and more appreciated, based on her personality?) would be a gift card for a store/restaurant she could easily use? I'd also make a point of calling her management (if she isn't independent) and letting them know that she was cooperative/helpful through many changes and got you what you wanted. If she has a Facebook or Twitter account, you could also thank her there - public praise from a customer can mean real $$ from others who see it and book with her down the line.

As for whether you're a "difficult" customer... you're certainly making your travel agent earn her commission. But I'd classify someone as "difficult" if they're nasty, rude, disrespectful, slow to pay, bounced a check, etc. From what you've posted here, it seems to me that you're speaking with respect as you're asking for another change - which is, ultimately, her job to do. So I personally wouldn't say you're difficult. Maybe a little indecisive...? As others have recommended, wait until you KNOW what you want, then call your TA for further changes. This should be a little more peaceful for you, and for your agent as well.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I personally wouldn't say you are a difficult customer I would say you are an indecisive customer. IMO you could be both a difficult customer and a indecisive one at the same time but from your first post I don't get the impression that you are trying to difficult in a rude manner at all.

Yes, 12 changes is def.more than others make but at the same time a TA is there to assist in your vacation. To me it almost seems like you and the TA aren't having those "what do you want out of your vacation..here let me suggest x,y,z and oh yea if you do this then this is what happens" talks (but I don't know the whole story either). To me an effective TA guides you in your vacation and isn't just there to book the stuff for you so you don't actually have to do it yourself.

I'm a planner so I don't like to rely on others to do the research and booking for me but if I were to use a TA I would expect them to have an interest in what my needs are asking questions that will help them help me.

I will however say that the statement the OP made of "Some of our changes have been due to an ever falling dollar - in which case we've had to economise and some have been because we decided to add a short Disney Cruise into our itinerary to split up park time."..well by the looks of your plans (and please don't take this the wrong way) but it seems there is a slight contradiction there..a cruise isn't something most people think about regarding saving money (though I honestly don't know how much a Disney cruise costs in comparison to park tickets) so just based on that if I was a TA I might be a bit confused if my client was telling me they wanted to reduce costs as their currency isn't worth what it used to be in comparison to the USD but then wants to select various items that could potentially increase costs and (again I don't have the specifics that the OP has regarding all the costs associated with the changes made and contemplated so this is just taking the statement made and trying to fill it in).

I'm not necessarily defending the TA because I do agree it is your vacation but we here on the board don't know how every conversation went with you and your TA so I think it's hard to jump on and say the TA is in the wrong.

 

[Allison]

Update on the poll results ........... Drum roll .............
30% I'm a Difficult Customer
70% I'm Not a Difficult Customer

Part of that I think is the way you worded the poll. Being a difficult customer doesn't mean you should just leave your "poor travel agent alone" and not get the vacation you want.

 

[kamik86]

My husband works with the public and his rule of thumb is that if you think you might be "that" customer, you probably aren't.