I wrote a letter to complain about AKL

[BostonRob]

I had a wonderful stay at the AKL at the end of April, but I had some issues with Housekeeping an wrote a letter to complain about it (there's a thread about it here somewhere). I wasn't really looking for any compensation, I just wanted my complaints to be heard and acknowledged, and hopefully addressed so they wouldn't be repeated with future guests.

Anyway, over the weekend I recieved a 'response'. It was a form letter from some guy (I don't have the letter with me and I don't remember his name, but he wasn't a member of the AKL staff) saying essentially this - we get a lot of letters, nobody is going to read yours, call me if you have something you need to discuss, you'll get my voicemail.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, I guess I should be happy to have somebody's name and phone number. On the other hand,I took the time to write a letter, and now I feel like I'm being asked to jump though hoops just to be acknowledged.

I guess I'll give this guy a call (and probably have to leave a message). But I'm curious to see if anybody else has recieved a similar response.

 

[auntpolly]

He's just being honest about how things work and trying to help you get some resolution/ and or be heard.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

thats interesting
i mean its great they got back to you but to sya call this number youll get a voicemail and we will get back to again seems like a waste of time
they could have just said thanks for letting us know and we will look into that.

 

[BostonRob]

He's just being honest about how things work and trying to help you get some resolution/ and or be heard.

I guess that's what annoys me the most. I addressed my letter to the GM of the AKL (I forget his name too, but it was addressed to him by name and by title). So why didn't the letter get to him or to somebody working for him in that hotel?

As stupid as it sounds, I almost think I'd rather my letter got to him and he just ripped it up and threw it away, than to have it funnled through some beaurocratic black hole.

 

[TMM]

I guess that's what annoys me the most. I addressed my letter to the GM of the AKL (I forget his name too, but it was addressed to him by name and by title). So why didn't the letter get to him or to somebody working for him in that hotel?

As stupid as it sounds, I almost think I'd rather my letter got to him and he just ripped it up and threw it away, than to have it funnled through some beaurocratic black hole.

I would be more than annoyed to receive the letter you were sent. Why didn't they take the time to just address the issue at hand?

It is my belief when a customer complains, not matter how large the organization is, the complaint should be looked into. In doing so, Disney is only making itself better by learning from it's mistakes. You took time out of your life to write the letter, the least Disney could do is address it.

I have never been to WDW and in the beginning had a hard time justifying paying Four Seasons prices without the Four Seasons experience for our upcoming trip in January 2006. I have now gotten over that, but threads like this really put me off. We are staying at the AKL in January. I know no hotel experience is always perfect.However, if housekeeping lets me down, I will let them know right away as I have seen several other posts about housekeeping issues at AKL.

 

[ducklite]

If you want your letter to truly gte to the executive offices at a WDW Resort, you must look at the back of your confirmation for the street address of the resort, and FedEx or similar your correspondence there.

I've had good experienes doing this for both compliments and complaints.

Anne

 

[BostonRob]

If you want your letter to truly gte to the executive offices at a WDW Resort, you must look at the back of your confirmation for the street address of the resort, and FedEx or similar your correspondence there.

I've had good experienes doing this for both compliments and complaints.

Anne

Another reason why I'm surprised and irked. I did send it to the street address of the AKL.

 

[Cathy baby RN]

Another reason why I'm surprised and irked. I did send it to the street address of the AKL.

When AKL first opened and we stayed there, I sent a certified letter to the GM. I never heard a word back. The name of the person who intercepted the letter was not the general manager. So much for cutomer service

 

[Laurajean1014]

Don't worry about the letter, get the complaint you had satisfied. That's the goal, right?

I'm not a fan of form letters, but if it gets you closer towards your goal, who cares. A lot of companies do not respond at all. WDW is a wonderful place, but I bet you they must get thousands of letters a day. If they get about 3,000 letter a day, that's over a million a year. That will take time to sipher through and give it to the right individual that can make the best judgement to settle the issue. I think the person gave you a name and number just in case you did not want to wait for the normal circle of time. Sometimes the right way to handle a situation is to wait patiently for the outcome.

 

[Jen D]

Pretty irritating, and not surprising based on what I've read on these boards over the years. Let us know if he calls you back.

 

[auntpolly]

I'm curious. Did it actually say "nobody is going to read yours"? How did they word that?

I don't know, if I write a letter of complaint, I am happy of any acknowledgement.

I had a complaint years ago about a resort. It was serious and I did expect some kind of compensation -- because not only had they had lost something of mine, but it took many, many calls from OH to FL to get it all straightened out and I at least wanted them to pay for alll those phone calls. I mean, how many phone calls does it take to get someone to listen to: I had merchandise sent from the your gift shop 3 months ago and it hasn't shown up.? (and every time have someone say, it was never mailed from here but we'll check into it. )

Anyway, after it was finally resolved, I wrote a letter. Pretty immediately I got some kind of form letter acknowledging that my letter had been received. I don't remember what it said, but it did tell me who to contact, and that it would take awhile to hear back from them because they get alot of letters. So I was patient, and months later I got an apology and some Disney Dollars for my trouble.

I guess what makes me mad is when I hear nothing.

 

[Lewisc]

Sounds pretty stupid. It wouldn't take much to say something like, we're sorry our service isn't always at the 100% level we strive for. I've forwarded your letter to the appropriate departments to see if you can do better in the future. Please feel free to call my voice mail if you have any additional details about your trip you want to share.

I'd be interested if you're willing to share the exact wording, either on the board or via PM.

Maybe too many guests are writting letters looking to get comps.

 

[dennisnlisab96]

How long ago did you send the letter...I sent one last week to CBR about housekeeping issuse. I am hoping I don't get the same type of letter. My son choked on something housekeeping didn't vacuum up from under the bed. We did let them know while we were there but I still sent a letter when we returned home.

 

[BostonRob]

I'll check the letter tonight and post the wording of it tonight or tomorrow.

 

[gepetto]

Is this something you tried to get resolved while you were there? I've always had good luck talking to the housekeeping manager or manager on duty at the time.

 

[lllovell]

When AKL first opened and we stayed there, I sent a certified letter to the GM. I never heard a word back. The name of the person who intercepted the letter was not the general manager. So much for cutomer service

One person in the office signs when the mailman shows up, so I would actually hope the GM isn't the one sitting around waiting for the mail and signing the certified letter slips. He/she has better things to do. I also suspect that there are people at every large company whose job it is to handle mail like this and push some though to the top and to answer some themselves. I don't think its because they are saying your opinions don't matter. Its because the GM has many jobs on them and they could not possible even read all the letters they receive.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

BR- You've definitely got to call the number to see what kind of response you get. It probably wouldn't hurt if you mentioned being dissatisfied with the letter as well. The written response you received is very un-Disneylike.

 

[Cathy baby RN]

One person in the office signs when the mailman shows up, so I would actually hope the GM isn't the one sitting around waiting for the mail and signing the certified letter slips. He/she has better things to do. I also suspect that there are people at every large company whose job it is to handle mail like this and push some though to the top and to answer some themselves. I don't think its because they are saying your opinions don't matter. Its because the GM has many jobs on them and they could not possible even read all the letters they receive.

I don't expect the GM to sit around waiting for the mail. What I do expect is a response in some form to my letter. NO ONE ever acknowledged the letter. Don't worry, I wasn't asking for any type of compensation. We are the owners of a rather large business. Customer service is one of our top priorities. We listen to everyone, no matter how small the problem.We spend big money at WDW. We have 6 children and always have to get 2 rooms. We all have AP's. You said the general manager has "better things to do"? I don't think it unreasonable to acknowledge letters sent personally to him, even if he is not the one receiving it. I'm not saying he has to sit down and hand write me a letter.....even a form letter with his name stamped on it would have been o.k. I heard nothing from anyone. The only reason I knew they received the letter is because the post office has to send back a confirmation that the letter was received.Oh well, we've been back to WDW many,many times since then and next week will be at the Polynesian for for 12 days.I was just wanting to tell BostonRob of my experience with letter writing to the AKL.

 

[SeattleMark]

we get a lot of letters, nobody is going to read yours, call me if you have something you need to discuss, you'll get my voicemail.

I SERIOUSLY doubt that's what it said. It may very well be the way you interpreted it, but Disney would never send anything like that.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I SERIOUSLY doubt that's what it said. It may very well be the way you interpreted it, but Disney would never send anything like that.

I'm sure it's paraphrased. However, even if they said that we are busy with the amount of letters that come in and please call the voicemail and leave a message and we'll look into it ASAP, it's still requiring someone who is already complaining, to complain again at a later date. I can imagine many people getting upset and feeling like they're being made to "jump through hoops" from this type of service reply.