Bad experience with an airport to Disney car service

[Lewisc]

I'd expect to be told about the extra cost. You admit to not telling the customer about the extra charge. You didn't have authorization to bill her credit card for extra charges that weren't disclosed, let alone agreed to.

Your side of the story doesn't sound much different than what the OP posted. It's a shame you see the need to lie and cheat over $20.

The customer said they didn't take advantage of a 30 minute grocery stop. The customer said the driver was unwilling or unable to assist with luggage.

You are right, I should have told her of the extra charge. That is my only mistake. But think for a minute. When you hire any service and in the end you start asking for small "favors" up and down, don't you expect being charged for it. Is like going to a restaurant and asking for some more vegatables, fries or ...(included in your meal) and being amazed they charged you an extra side dish in your bill. Well, like I explained to her, our drivers are trained to do all the clients wants if time is not a factor. That doesn't mean you can take advantage of them and believe we at the office will not find out. In most cases we would have let it go and forgot about it, but I must say again, the OP was not an easy one with many requests which are not in her original reservation.

 

[GregoryNicolas]

Now you now see why this company has been ****** out. The owner is a complete idiot. First off he took it on his own to make up a charge of multiple stops. That is bogus. Your destination was one airport. Second off he questioned the tip amount. That was bogus. I personally don't feel sorry for a woman driver when they drive a van, because I have noted all the men do the work for them. In many cases they sit back and look over for help. Why should you tip when you do the work. Second off, companies hire woman down here because they do not have to pay as much to keep them as they do men. That is a known fact.

I would dispute the whole charge because the company didn't live up to expectations and second off because they decided to add extra charges to your credit card without your authorization. The owner should suffer the amount of the credit card for forgery of a settlement.

I personally apologize to you for running into such a crude individual. The transportation industry suffers everytime someone like Nicholas tries to pull such stupid stunts. Believe me we all aren't like that, but as you know there are always a few idiots within every group and it looks like you ran into one.

Now here we have class. Calling people idiots without having even met someone. Who are you to make such a stupid comment anyway. My driver got paid EXACTLY like a man would. What a shame others like you probably would pay a woman less for the same job.
Bogus charge? Are you the owner of my company now? Who are you to decide what is bogus or not? Unbelievable.

Crude individual,stupid, idiot..... Edd, you are possibly the most impolite person I ever encountered in all the boards I'm a member off. Who are you to apologige for my actions. You should go down from your pedestal and realize I owe no one an apology. Also, that attitude of yours does explain to me why after many many years driving that is all you really became, a driver. If you are such a gentleman and a good and honest driver how come you never done nothing else with your life. I tell you why. It requires intelligence, honesty, hard work, and being polite is also a good idea when dealing with thousands... Since you say you represent "the industry" how come I never see you in the Livery Association's meetings? Give me a break!

 

[GregoryNicolas]

The censoring is due to failure to abide by The DIS rules (spamming, steering, surreptitious advertising, unauthorized linking) when posting messages and replies. I would love to see the name plastered all over a bad report but I do try to play fair.

Again, there was NEVER advertising of my company, nor spamming, steering,and most of all linking, NEVER!!!!! I'm still waiting (2 years now) for you guys to send me one line that I wrote where I did any of that.

 

[GregoryNicolas]

Diane,

I knew someone would say something about that "woman" remark but it is true. Most, I have seen some different, take advantage of that. The fault should be squarely on the owner for putting a smaller female driver into that position. As drivers you have to work for the tips, by pleasing people who have spent their hard earned money for a vacation. Your driver, male or female, can't do the work than they don't need to be in that position. There are also a few men around that are so fat they don't even get out of their vehicles to help load, yet they expect to get tipped because they are disabled.

Edd, witouth even noticing yourself, you are the most pretencious bigot and discriminating person here in this thread. You don't even realize your uninteligent remarks are ugly and should be deleted from everyones view.

 

[Lewisc]

Bogus charge? Are you the owner of my company now? Who are you to decide what is bogus or not? Unbelievable.

A charge that's billed to a customers credit card that's neither disclosed nor approved is more than bogus.

Greg the customer said the driver didn't help with the luggage. The customer said the driver was a petite woman who looked like she wasn't physically capable of handling luggage.

 

[GregoryNicolas]

I'd expect to be told about the extra cost. You admit to not telling the customer about the extra charge. You didn't have authorization to bill her credit card for extra charges that weren't disclosed, let alone agreed to.

Your side of the story doesn't sound much different than what the OP posted. It's a shame you see the need to lie and cheat over $20.

The customer said they didn't take advantage of a 30 minute grocery stop. The customer said the driver was unwilling or unable to assist with luggage.

Exactly Lewisc, she said, she said, and she said..... That is my point.

The 30 minutes stop is never taken when going to the Port for a cruise for obvious reasons (and it is a free service we provide, not an extra), it doesn't mean you can ask our drivers to do extra work for free. There was never a lie or cheating here. Again, you don't know half the story, so please understand why I'm here defending my reputation.
I of course don't care about the $20.00 and I admit I could have called her after she was droped at the airport and tell her she would have an extra charge of $20.00 in her card, but the way she acted when she called us asking why the extra charge I'm sure she would have said simply that "she didn't know" and so on. You have no idea how many people try to take advantage of a driver and expect to never pay for it. Sometimes we let it go, this time I chose not.
Our driver is a tough lady who never got away from helping with heavy luggage. She has been working for a while with us and EVERYONE praises her for her friendliness and all the help with luggage she provides. She is not afraid to work and do all a man does, and most of all she worked way above what is expected of a driver, male or female, and never was compensated for it. Yes, tip is optional, but again.......

 

[Edd]

Sorry about your problems you ran into in the past, but you have probably compounded them for the future. Your actions don't speak highly for the transportation industry in Orlando.

I am successful! Doing a lot of business!

However I don't alter credit cards. In effect you took $20.00 from that passenger. I don't charge extra for passengers to be taken to the other side of the Orlando terminal. I don't require tips, I work for them. I don't write e-mails that make passengers think I am disrespectable of them. I don't allow passengers to load or unload my vehicle.

And finally I am very successful because I believe highly in customer service and I don't think that goes with your company.

 

[GregoryNicolas]

I'll have to say that the restaurant waiter or the limo driver or the computer programmer (me) or whoever has to sooner or later (sooner is perfectly acceptable) put his foot down and come out and say that the extra side dish or passenger stop or software feature is going to cost X dollars more, unless such price was already stated to the customer via a menu or brochure, etc. Lacking that disclosure and notification, I will have to side with the customer and the charge should not be imposed.

Regarding the censoring, it is just the name of the company that was being censored from the various conglomerations of good or bad comments.

I have to agree my driver should have called the office and said all she said before; if she had I would have told her to have a credit card slip signed for the extra $20.00 and I would have said to the client myself why the extra charge and etc.... Our drivers are told to do all they can to provide excellent service and are told to go out of their way to satisfy a client (within reason of course). That is what we have been doing for 5 years and will not stop doing. But please understand my side here for a second if you will. After she called me from the airport explaining all that she had to do, plus she finally told me all she did when they were taken to the Port a few days earlier, I couldn't believe the overall attempt to get "MUCH MORE than what I'm paying for" mentality. Drivers are not supposed to take any matters in their own hands when a client asks for more and more and more and more....They are asked to call the office. Well, this driver felt bad and didn't (maybe thinking she would get a nice compensation for it-which never came of course)

Thanks for taking the time to explain the ban even though I still think we should talk and get this problem resolved. Many here know me personaly and they all know I am always open for a nice chat and am very friendly. I must say what happened 2 years ago whas a mistake from the administration here and it did sadden me a lot no one ever gave me the oportunity to talk.

 

[Edd]

I don't think you understand yet, that you stole $20.00 from that passenger. Of course you would have to be judged by a court to be quilty. You have already admitted it. You probably thought the passenger would never notice it on her bill. That is worse than any of the other violations you are accused of concerning the boards.

That puts you in the class of thousands of people who are enjoying free room and board at many of our very exclusive fenced in resorts.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think Edd's right. I think it's illegal, or at least a violation of the merchant's agreement with the credit card companies or clearinghouses, to add charges after a credit card slip has been signed.

Think about it. If it were okay to add $20 to an already-signed (meaning the customer approved of and agreed to the amount) slip, what's to stop somebody from adding $200? Or $1,000? It doesn't matter of the owner of a business claims "I would never do that". It's already been done in this instance.

 

[AllyBri]

I don't think you understand yet, that you stole $20.00 from that passenger. Of course you would have to be judged by a court to be quilty. You have already admitted it. You probably thought the passenger would never notice it on her bill. That is worse than any of the other violations you are accused of concerning the boards.

That puts you in the class of thousands of people who are enjoying free room and board at many of our very exclusive fenced in resorts.

I agree, I don't think he understands or gets it.
That being said, I feel he has done more harm to his company with his posts then any number of unhappy customers could possibly do.

 

[GregoryNicolas]

Sorry about your problems you ran into in the past, but you have probably compounded them for the future. Your actions don't speak highly for the transportation industry in Orlando.

I am successful! Doing a lot of business!

However I don't alter credit cards. In effect you took $20.00 from that passenger. I don't charge extra for passengers to be taken to the other side of the Orlando terminal. I don't require tips, I work for them. I don't write e-mails that make passengers think I am disrespectable of them. I don't allow passengers to load or unload my vehicle.

And finally I am very successful because I believe highly in customer service and I don't think that goes with your company.

Very good Edd. I'm glad you are a succesful driver. I take the job offer out then.

You Edd have no idea who I am, how much I do in the industry here in Orlando, how many affiliations I have or .....Our company is recognized as the most customer service oriented in Orlando (along with Sunray!!!!). We, after 5 years and over 15.000 clients, have one BBB complaint and 1 credit card charge back (both problem were actualy solved to the clients satisfaction). You in the other hand, think that because you are such a nice driver, that is all you are in retrospect, you have all the answer for members here. I've read many of them and many help some companies and not others. People will catch on you only talk good things about the ones that give you work...I know you have been very careful not to say anything to direct, but I know what you are doing. I, in the other hand, was naive to think that if I was writing here really helping people, never saying anything about my company, peope would know I was really helping and not looking for business. I was wrong. When I wrote here in the past as a regular member like you, my business had already grown to a point where I did not need more. How about you? Are you expending your business? Investing in the Orlando industry? Giving jobs and work to over 15 people like we are? What is your help for the industry Edd? Not charging for two stops at the airport? Working for your tips?

 

[GregoryNicolas]

I agree, I don't think he understands or gets it.
That being said, I feel he has done more harm to his company with his posts then any number of unhappy customers could possibly do.

Hello AllyBri,

I got it, trust me, I got it. It doesn't mean I believe I was completely wrong in charging this $20.00. I must say again so all of you understand. I could have called the client and tell her about the extra charge. My driver could have called the office before the fact and told us the OP was using us over the agreed confirmation, etc. etc. etc. We could have done so many things but did not. Well, in my eyes, at the moment, all I did was to charge this client for all the extra work she had us do (and I'm not talking simply about 2 drop offs at the airport).

Now I think I'm not doing any harm to my company. On the contrary, I believe it would be weak of me just letting this go by without an explanation and without giving you all my opinion. There are thousands here, some will agree, some will not. At least I'm sleeping tonight knowing I said everything I had to.

 

[jeanneg]

I have nothing more to say to Mr. Nicolas because trying to reason with him in a respectful manner has gotten me nowhere. I have already reported the fact that he has altered a charge receipt to the appropriate authorities and they will deal with it for me.
However to clarify the situation for EVERYONE ELSE who has been so supportive, the special request that Mr. Nicolas refers to was a double pick-up at the beginning of the trip for which we were charged and willingly paid an extra $20 (plus 20% gratuity). That was never an issue: it was a special request and we paid for it. At the time of booking, I originally asked Mr Nicolas if we could swap the extra pick-up for the free 30-minute shopping trip which we did not use and he said "no" ....end of story. I am only disputing the additional charge for the drop-off at the other side of the same airport which was never mentioned. There was absolutely no additional favors that were requested or received. I also never said that the driver was unable or unwilling to handle the luggage; the men in our group did it voluntarily out of the kindness of their hearts because they were able to do so easier and more quickly. And speaking of favors, Mr Nicolas also failed to mention that he phoned me at my home the evening before we took off and requested that we revise our pick-up time to accommodate an additional fare he had later on that same morning. Even though it meant I had to stop packing in order to reach other members of our party that were already vacationing at WDW, I did so, and we were all there ready and waiting when the van arrived. We did this because we are all very nice people and were sensitive to his business needs. I believe in treating people kindly and with respect because what goes around, always comes around. That is why I was so shocked at his behavior.
I can't understand why a businessman would make such a big deal over such a relatively small amount of money, especially when he freely admits that he never mentioned there would be an additional charge. Go figure....

 

[GregoryNicolas]

I don't think you understand yet, that you stole $20.00 from that passenger. Of course you would have to be judged by a court to be quilty. You have already admitted it. You probably thought the passenger would never notice it on her bill. That is worse than any of the other violations you are accused of concerning the boards.

That puts you in the class of thousands of people who are enjoying free room and board at many of our very exclusive fenced in resorts.

How ignorant are you Edd to say something so absurd. I'll go to the end saying she deserved to pay way way more than $20.00 for what she got, and I had all the right to charge her. All I did wrong was not tell her when she was droped off at the airport and also my driver not to say enough of using us!!!!!!!!!!!! I only need her credit card information to process a charge. We do not require a signature, if we did I wouldn't take hundreds of credit card payments over the phone and internet. My reputation is flawless, not only among my clients, agents, and discussion boards, but also the credit card companies we work with for the last 5 years. They know how many credit cards we processed without a single problem. They also will look into that to determine if I should or not have charged her. Again, I never had to do that, but this lady had it coming after all she did to me and my driver. I had enough of this meaningless discussion. Believe what you will, but I know what I did was not done in bad faith, that is what matters to me the most really!!!!!!

 

[Disneydreaming6]

Not that my opion matters much, and I just want to say, I don't know you, I don't know Edd, and I don't know the op. and I sure don't know anything about your being banned, but I have to say I have read this whole thread and it is very sad. Mr Nichols you keep trying to plead your case when there really is no case to plead. You stole 20.00 from your client. You keep saying you could of called her and told her about the extra charge, your driver could have called you and told you about the extra stop. The customer didn't tip well enough. there is no could of in this instance, there is only I should have. If you don't call the client and tell them there is an additional chg. you can't chg the card more then what they signed for. It's called stealing. If you went to the restaurant and paid 50.00 for the meal, signed the slip and went home. At the end of the night when the owner totalled his slips says heck I didn't make enough money tonight I think I'll add 20.00 to everyones bill. When you receive your cc statement, I don't really think you would say, well heck I had great service, I didn't tip the waitress as much as I should have, and the owner was really nice when I made my reservations, oh, ok, another 20 isn't going to kill me. You would be on the phone to your cc company complaining about the chg. You just can't add additional chg's to customers cc. It's against the law. And then to come on here crying we dont' know the whole story. Yup your right we don't. but by your attitude about the situation, and how you keep going around and around. I think we can figure out you got caught. You stole the 20, and now trying to cast blame somewhere else.

I am so glad I drive to disney.....

 

[jeanneg]

Since I refuse to speak directly with Mr. Nicolas would someone please ask him what I "did" to the driver. If I remember correctly, she was very thankful at the time for all the assistance we provided to her. Mr. Nicolas was not present but there were 9 other passengers who will vouch for the fact that we did everything to make the job easier for her. I'm starting to think that he must have us mistaken with another group!

 

[GregoryNicolas]

I have nothing more to say to Mr. Nicolas because trying to reason with him in a respectful manner has gotten me nowhere. I have already reported the fact that he has altered a charge receipt to the appropriate authorities and they will deal with it for me.
However to clarify the situation for EVERYONE ELSE who has been so supportive, the special request that Mr. Nicolas refers to was a double pick-up at the beginning of the trip for which we were charged and willingly paid an extra $20 (plus 20% gratuity). That was never an issue: it was a special request and we paid for it. At the time of booking, I originally asked Mr Nicolas if we could swap the extra pick-up for the free 30-minute shopping trip which we did not use and he said "no" ....end of story. I am only disputing the additional charge for the drop-off at the other side of the same airport which was never mentioned. There was absolutely no additional favors that were requested or received. I also never said that the driver was unable or unwilling to handle the luggage; the men in our group did it voluntarily out of the kindness of their hearts because they were able to do so easier and more quickly. And speaking of favors, Mr Nicolas also failed to mention that he phoned me at my home the evening before we took off and requested that we revise our pick-up time to accommodate an additional fare he had later on that same morning. Even though it meant I had to stop packing in order to reach other members of our party that were already vacationing at WDW, I did so, and we were all there ready and waiting when the van arrived. We did this because we are all very nice people and were sensitive to his business needs. I believe in treating people kindly and with respect because what goes around, always comes around. That is why I was so shocked at his behavior.
I can't understand why a businessman would make such a big deal over such a relatively small amount of money, especially when he freely admits that he never mentioned there would be an additional charge. Go figure....

The big deal is you are now very nice and calmly giving you side of the story which at 90% is untrue and false. You told me there would be 8 passengers total for that trip, 6 to be picked up at a hotel near the airport, than 2 more you never met before from Germany at the Hertz rental car 2-3 miles away (you told me on the phone you never met them, in you email afterwards you said they were old friends - that statement was said after I told you we do not do shuttle service and actually can not, that if you had unknow people in your party they should have reserved a separate private car (as vehicle for hire regulation determines). I did trade you the 30 minutes stop for the wait time in those two locations!!! A day before your trip there was an extra 2 people added to the reservation to be picked up at the Hertz rental car, also not in the original reservation we agreed on. At the Port we waited over 30 minutes for you and your "friends" to come out, which we again could have charged for at a rate of $50.00 an hour (right Edd?) but did not (I told the driver to wait longer and that I would cover her next run for her). Then, after waiting longer to depart from the port you ask my driver to stop in both sides of the airport (A and B) which would be OK have you not already abused of our company enough. Another detail you failed to say; in both sides of the airport we stopped twice (2 times on the A side and 2 times on the B side). My driver, when she called after dropping you all off, said she believed you were a tour organizer of some sort and tried to squeeze the most out of us for you own profit from your "friends" (her words)...

 

[GregoryNicolas]

It's against the law. And then to come on here crying we dont' know the whole story. Yup your right we don't. but by your attitude about the situation, and how you keep going around and around. I think we can figure out you got caught. You stole the 20, and now trying to cast blame somewhere else.

I am so glad I drive to disney.....

I'm not crying, on the contrary, I know exactly what I did wrong and it wasn't charging the $20.00 extra. That is 100% legal. The OP asked for extra services (the ones we charged-not counting the ones we could have) after she had paid one week earlier (when she was droped at the Port). My driver knew all was paid for when she came to the port to pick them up to go back to the airport. She also knew there was only ONE stop on the way back, not 4. She also knew the client had already paid for the way back to the airport but the pick-up time was 9:30am not 10:15am.

I have ALL the right to charge for extra stops, extra time, and any extra service ordered by our clients or forced on us over what was paid for originaly and agreed upon on their confirmation. I DO NOT need authorization nor a signature as a service provider as long as the charges are proven reasonable and true; and again I must say, we NEVER had a charge back due to overcharging after 15.000 clients. I'm not about to start now.

 

[goofy4tink]

Deep breath everyone, deep breath. Man, I go to sleep and wake up to all this activity.
A few things here....I know for a fact that this company is right up front about making multiple stops. If they know about such stops, they will tell you that there is an addtl charge, at the airport, at the resorts...whatever. An extra stop is an extra stop.
But, I also know that people are asked to change their reservation times, after booking, in order to make it easier for a driver to make another pickup. This I find annoying...to have to change my plans so that a company can squeeze in one more stop without driving back to a resort again.
So....I think there is probably right on both sides, as well as some wrong doing. This is turning into a 'he said, she said' type thing. Unless I see something more 'substantial', this thread will end soon. Enough with the accusations. We weren't there, we can't know for sure.