My AAA TA is crazy! LONG, sorry UPDATE on page 2

[d4est]

So, I called her yesterday to have dining removed from my ressie. She was pretty grumpy about it, but said she'd check. I decided to stop by her office, since I was going into town.

After waiting for over 1/2 an hour (she was with someone) I sit down & introduce myself. She immediately tells me what a pain my ressie has been, with all the changes...that she was on the phone with disney (for me) SO MUCH & she has hardly had time for her other clients...that the supervisors she talked to at Disney gave her a hard time about the code I had her apply for the discount (YRD)...that after yesterday she was ready to cancel my ressie & put in back in my hands!!! I was speechless for a second there...

Then she tells me that the supervisor she spoke to said my vacation package was booked illegally??? and wanted to know where she got the code & they needed the "certificate" to use the code. This is the weird part. The code on my paperwork is NOT the code I gave her (YRD)...she said she got the code from someone she spoke with at Disney. I won't post the code here, because I don't think it is a general public code. I have never seen it. I will just say that it is a 3 letter code that does begin with Y.

I seriously want to cancel my package with her. She was rude, in a weird sort of way. I mean, planning is her job. Is it right or normal for a TA to say "I am so frustrated with your ressie...I've about had it..." to a client? Isn't all this part of her job? I'd kinda feel bad cancelling, because she has spent a lot of time on this, but I really don't care for her attitude.

Also, my price was $1846.16 with the dining. When I had her take off the dining the new price she gave me is $1376.95 and I'm no math wiz, but that doesn't add up. Dining for two adults & 1 child for 6 days is $521.82! Her new difference is $469.21

What would you do? I am worried. The attitude, the "illegal" booking code...

HELP!

 

[maxiesmom]

I would probably cancel my ressie with her, or see if it can be transfered to a different agent. First, she doesn't seem to realize that you are a customer, not "pain". What you are asking her to do is her job, what she gets paid for. And even if she felt that way, to tell you that is totally tacky.
Second, I would be paranoid that if you keep her that you would get to Disney and something would be wrong with your ressie. Do you have a package or room only reservation? If it is room only I would either book it myself or go thru Dreams Unlimited. They can book the AAA room only rate for you. Also, don't get down on yourself for making changes. Alot of us do it and it is no big deal! Keep us posted on what happens.

 

[d4est]

It's a package, but AAA doesn't really matter as it is "supposedly" booked under the new
"visa" code YRD, well YRE now that I took off dining.

 

[Joan1]

It is totally tacky for her saying that to you and I would report it to the agency manager

I would rebook a reservation first directly with Disney or with another travel agency before you cancel it with AAA. You don't want to be left without a room at your resort choice. Make sure she doesn't try and charge you a cancellation fee

 

[d4est]

Thanks...it felt pretty tacky...I felt like shrinking...then I felt like cuffing her!

Hey agotta, I tried responding to your PM, but your storage is full??

 

[kmkja1]

In my opinion her comments are totally unacceptable. I can understand her feeling that way but she should never have conveyed it to you.

 

[scanne]

I would contact the supervisor of your AAA branch and speak to him/her in person about what happened. That is totally unacceptable and I would definitely try to cancel the entire ressie or at least have it transferred to another agent.

I just don't understand some people's lack of customer service and PEOPLE SKILLS especially when they work in an industry that requires daily communication WITH people! Duh!

Keep us updated!

 

[InstImpres]

That is unacceptable!!!! I can see her frustration (I spent 2 hours with Disney last weekend for a code change. I did mention to a friend that sometimes Disney can be frustrating but it in no way has anything to do with any client. I could see her sharing her "Disney frustration" with you if you aare a long time client and have become friendly, that she might mention it in passing but to tell you she "was going to cancel my ressie & put in back in my hands!!!", I would definetly not leave it with her. That service does not warrant her earning commission. I am sure her supervisor would not be happy.

Good luck!
Sandy

 

[belleandthebeast]

Ahhhhh!

1st-I can't believe that if you reservation was a pain, she let you know that. Very tacky.

2nd-You don't need to know what it took to get your reservation the way you wanted and she shouldn't have shared that w/ you (refer to 1st)

3rd-"Illegal" booking code??? What a nut!

4th-I can't believe that she would indicate that she wanted to put your reservation "back in your hands"

I would talk to her again and explain your concern. This whole situtation might just be her expressing herself. We all have our bad days. I'm sure some of my clients think I'm off the wall sometimes. Never like this though
. Sounds like she has a screw (or 2) loose.

If you aren't satified w/ that, talk or e-mail her supervisor w/ your concerns.

 

[d4est]

Ahhhhh!

1st-I can't believe that if you reservation was a pain, she let you know that. Very tacky.

2nd-You don't need to know what it took to get your reservation the way you wanted and she shouldn't have shared that w/ you (refer to 1st)

3rd-"Illegal" booking code??? What a nut!

4th-I can't believe that she would indicate that she wanted to put your reservation "back in your hands"

I would talk to her again and explain your concern. This whole situtation might just be her expressing herself. We all have our bad days. I'm sure some of my clients think I'm off the wall sometimes. Never like this though
. Sounds like she has a screw (or 2) loose.

If you aren't satified w/ that, talk or e-mail her supervisor w/ your concerns.

Hmmm, where to start...

I should have shared that her "office" is an open space @ AAA, with other agents & customers near by (one lady waiting in the seat behind me). She was loud with her comments. Anyone could have, & probably did, hear her.

She has this general attitude whenever I call her.

The booking code...her words...illegal, & something about needing a "certificate." I wish I could post the code she has on my ressie, but think it would be against posting rules. I don't even know if it is a valid code. She said the Disney supervisor was really pushing her about it (ie, where did you get it, we need to have the certificate...)

I gotta tell ya...I am looking into booking with another AAA agent mentioned on the boards, or going with DU. I just don't feel like I should have to deal with this. Just doesn't feel right. I should have known when the very first quote she gave me was higher than what I got at Disney.com, paying rack! Major red flag.

 

[Conkozan]

I would fire her butt. Contact a Specialist agency (Dreams, Magical Journeys, Small World) see if you can rebook the exact same thing and cancel with her. She was VERY unprofessional!

This makes me so angry I am stepping on my soapbox.

I have said it before and I will say it again. It is not the price you start our with that matters, it is the price you end up with. A lot of these people who go to AAA because of the initial discount find out later that AAA is very difficult to deal with when it comes to modifying for the specials. (not all-there are some good AAA agents, but not many).

In my eyes it seems that AAA really doesn't have a reason to service you in the manner you deserve. They are a huge countrywide company and if they lose your booking, there are 10 people heading to Vegas, the Islands, Europe that will book with them when you walk out the door.

They are paid by the hour so it is no skin off the agents teeth if you book or not, if you are serviced or not-they make the same at the end of the week.

If I was having heart surgery, I would not go to a General practitioner (what AAA agencies are) but would go to a cardiac specialist (what Dreams, Magical Journeys, Small World are). Initially it may seem to cost more, but in the long run you will save money when the specials come out and save your sanity as well.

Off soap box

Hope it all works out and you have a great trip despite it all!

 

[LittleP]

Your agent gave you an out by threatening to cancel your reservations. You should tell her that you will take her up on that offer to cancel and go to another TA. Both of you are frustrated and it doesn't seem like a relationship worth trying to mend. There are a lot of good TAs who would actually like your business. She put the "offer" on the table so you should not feel bad about accepting it.

I just had a friend price my package with her AAA agent (a good one!) and it was exactly the same as the YRD code package I priced through DU. I'm going with DU because my agent there has cheerfully dealt with all of my changes and questions and knows that it's still a work in progress.

 

[belleandthebeast]

I would fire her butt. Contact a Specialist agency (Dreams, Magical Journeys, Small World) see if you can rebook the exact same thing and cancel with her. She was VERY unprofessional!

This makes me so angry I am stepping on my soapbox.

I have said it before and I will say it again. It is not the price you start our with that matters, it is the price you end up with. A lot of these people who go to AAA because of the initial discount find out later that AAA is very difficult to deal with when it comes to modifying for the specials. (not all-there are some good AAA agents, but not many).

In my eyes it seems that AAA really doesn't have a reason to service you in the manner you deserve. They are a huge countrywide company and if they lose your booking, there are 10 people heading to Vegas, the Islands, Europe that will book with them when you walk out the door.

They are paid by the hour so it is no skin off the agents teeth if you book or not, if you are serviced or not-they make the same at the end of the week.

If I was having heart surgery, I would not go to a General practitioner (what AAA agencies are) but would go to a cardiac specialist (what Dreams, Magical Journeys, Small World are). Initially it may seem to cost more, but in the long run you will save money when the specials come out and save your sanity as well.

Off soap box

I feel like I need to defend myself here.

1. I am very sorry you look @ AAA agents in this manner.

2. We do work on commission.

3. I matters to ME if my clients are unhappy and I would never, ever, treat a client as this agent did.

4. I do not believe that for every client who walks out the door, that there are 10 more walking in to book other destinations. Nor do the other 23 agents working for my company!

5. I TELL my clients at the time that they book that if a special package code becomes available after they book and it will save them money, I would gladly change the code, even if it requires me to do the extra paper work it takes. I do and continue to, offer the best deal to my clients because if I save them money now, they will remember ME in the future.

I love booking Disney. I am a Disney specialist. I go to Disney at least once a year. I do care about everyone of my clients, and as I stated above, I would never let a client know if their reservation was causing me a hassle. That is my job! That's what I do in a days work.

Oh, and by the way, I prefer to book Disney above all other destinations because "I" am a Disney expert. You can poll my clients!

 

[d4est]

Well, I contacted & got a quote from a well-recommended AAA TA from here on the boards, Michelle Shears. She was VERY quick in getting back to me. I will post an update after I know it is a sure thing & call my current AAA to cancel. It should be an interesting conversation!

Thanks for letting me vent & offering advice & support! You guys are great.

Any ideas on the "illegal" code & "certtificate?"

 

[WDWBetsy]

Well, I contacted & got a quote from a well-recommended AAA TA from here on the boards, Michelle Sears. She was VERY quick in getting back to me. I will post an update after I know it is a sure thing & call my current AAA to cancel. It should be an interesting conversation!

Thanks for letting me vent & offering advice & support! You guys are great.

Any ideas on the "illegal" code & "certtificate?"

Glad you contacted Michelle. She is so cheerful and helpful. And let me tell you - I had plenty of changes and she never minded.

I have to wonder if your bad agent typed in the wrong code herself. If you provided her with a valid one, it's not your fault. Sounds like she's just trying to blame stuff on you.

Good luck and have a fun trip!

 

[d4est]

If the code was a typo, it was a weird one...only the Y is the same. The other two letters aren't even near RD or RE on the keyboard.

 

[skbasnett]

I feel like I need to defend myself here.

1. I am very sorry you look @ AAA agents in this manner.

2. We do work on commission.

3. I matters to ME if my clients are unhappy and I would never, ever, treat a client as this agent did.

4. I do not believe that for every client who walks out the door, that there are 10 more walking in to book other destinations. Nor do the other 23 agents working for my company!

5. I TELL my clients at the time that they book that if a special package code becomes available after they book and it will save them money, I would gladly change the code, even if it requires me to do the extra paper work it takes. I do and continue to, offer the best deal to my clients because if I save them money now, they will remember ME in the future.

I love booking Disney. I am a Disney specialist. I go to Disney at least once a year. I do care about everyone of my clients, and as I stated above, I would never let a client know if their reservation was causing me a hassle. That is my job! That's what I do in a days work.

Oh, and by the way, I prefer to book Disney above all other destinations because "I" am a Disney expert. You can poll my clients!

Belleandthebeast ~ I agree with what you are saying 100%. Being an AAA TA we have to take pride in our work. I do try to get codes when they are released, I NEVER guarantee that they can be applied. IT is however a great suprise to both myself and the client when this can happen.
I also try my hardest so my clients will remember me or pass on my name to others.

I too apologize for the way your AAA TA treated you. That is both wrong and more imporatantly unprofessional.
Disney is my favorite thing to sell. I am also a Disney Specialist and I do hold that title high. I show that I am a Specialist by putting hard work behind my clients vacations.

I only wish other agents would do the same because it is those agents who make it difficult for us here at AAA.

 

[d4est]

Thanks for your concern & appology, although you have nothing to be sorry for. I am sure there are a LOT of great AAA TA's out there. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get one & a Disney specialist was NOT an option at my local AAA. At the time of booking, I wasn't aware that I could book with ANY AAA TA out there. I just assumed (bad thing!) that I had to book thru my local office. Live & learn!

Have a great Disney day everyone. I will update after I cancel.

 

[Conkozan]

I feel like I need to defend myself here.

If you read again, you will see that I said there are SOME good ones, but sorry-I still feel that way.

 

[WDWBetsy]

I have said it before and I will say it again. It is not the price you start our with that matters, it is the price you end up with. A lot of these people who go to AAA because of the initial discount find out later that AAA is very difficult to deal with when it comes to modifying for the specials. (not all-there are some good AAA agents, but not many).

In my eyes it seems that AAA really doesn't have a reason to service you in the manner you deserve. They are a huge countrywide company and if they lose your booking, there are 10 people heading to Vegas, the Islands, Europe that will book with them when you walk out the door.

They are paid by the hour so it is no skin off the agents teeth if you book or not, if you are serviced or not-they make the same at the end of the week.

If I was having heart surgery, I would not go to a General practitioner (what AAA agencies are) but would go to a cardiac specialist (what Dreams, Magical Journeys, Small World are). Initially it may seem to cost more, but in the long run you will save money when the specials come out and save your sanity as well.

I used a Disney specialty agency on our 2003 trip. The agent made me feel like I was bothering him and was very short in any phone call and emails. Did we have a good time on our trip? Yes. But I didn't choose to use him again.

Just because some AAA agents have provided lousy service doesn't mean that AAA as a whole is bad, and frankly I think it's unfair to lump them all together. I had poor service in the Indianapolis area and shopped around. There are quite a few good AAA Disney specialists out there. Bottom line: there are bad agents out there regardless of where they work. And there are really good caring travel agents who many of us find out about due to referrals.

You also have to consider that no agent can guarantee that specials will come out at all or will apply to your travel dates or situation. I went with AAA because I knew I could get a good discount plus the dining plan. The other agents couldn't do it for me at the time, and when the discounts did come out, I found out I saved more with the AAA discount.