So-so experiance with Tiffany Town Car

[Chicago526]

After great success with them in Dec '04, we booked them again for our honeymoon Oct. '05. We ordered a stretch to WDW and a town car for the return to the airport.

We were greated and met up with our limo, no problems. We get to the GF and instead of pulling in under the canopy right by the front door and bell hops, the driver pulls into the motor coach/bus lane and we wind up waaaay out on the driveway. I had to stand in the grassy median while the driver processed my credit card for payment, we were so far away the bell hops didn't see us and we had to carry our own bags across the car pick up lane to the SL Conceirge CM that was waiting for us. So much for our elegant entry! If the tip wasn't manditory I would have withheld it.

For the return, we wound up leaving a day early due to Wilma. I called on Wednesday to change it, again no problems. On Saturday, we decided to go to the airport early, in case there was a problem with our airline ticket (we had to change it and I wasn't confident the person that made the change did it right, but that's another thread). We decided to take a cab and leave right away, incase there was a problem and we had to wait in line to speak to an airline agent. This was about 2 hours before the town car was supposed to show up. I called to cancel, and the reservation agent was VERY rude, when I explained that we had an abrubt change of plans and had to go to the airport ASAP, she asked "and you're just canceling NOW?" with a TON of attitiude! Since this wasn't a pre-paid pick-up, we could have just no-showed. We called to cancel as a curtesey to both the company and the town car driver, and I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have even bothered.

We may be going back next fall to celebrate our 1st aniversary (finances permitting!) and I'm not sure if we'll book them again. The cab we took cost about the same as what the town car would have been (would have been less but we hit traffic at the toll both so that added on a few dollars) and compared to this experiance with Tiffany, a lot less hassle.

 

[maine_jennifer]

I had a so-so experience with Tiffany when I first went to Florida. Nothing major like them being rude to you, (that's just wrong!) but something was 'off'. I really didn't feel great about it. A lot of people are happy with them, but as in everything, everyone has good and bad experiences. And personally, once I have a bad experience, that's the end of that. Thankfully, I found a car service (Sunray Transportation) that I'm extremely happy with and wouldn't even think of using anything else. Hopefully you can do the same.

Cheers!

 

[disney's daughter]

Didn't they get new owners?

 

[Hopefully]

Yes, they were sold several months ago!

 

[alpha2]

For the return, we wound up leaving a day early due to Wilma. I called on Wednesday to change it, again no problems. On Saturday, we decided to go to the airport early, in case there was a problem with our airline ticket (we had to change it and I wasn't confident the person that made the change did it right, but that's another thread). We decided to take a cab and leave right away, incase there was a problem and we had to wait in line to speak to an airline agent. This was about 2 hours before the town car was supposed to show up. I called to cancel, and the reservation agent was VERY rude, when I explained that we had an abrubt change of plans and had to go to the airport ASAP, she asked "and you're just canceling NOW?" with a TON of attitiude! Since this wasn't a pre-paid pick-up, we could have just no-showed. We called to cancel as a curtesey to both the company and the town car driver, and I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have even bothered.

What people don't seem to understand is that limo services like Tiffany's have their schedules prepared the day before. That means your space is reserved to you and nobody else. With less than 24hours it is imposible to have someone else put in the time you had arranged, therefore they will lose $$$ everytime someone cancels too late. Most companies have some kind of cancellation policy, the fact Tiffany might not, doesn't give you the right to cancel and expect them to just say "thank you, we understand". You say you could just have no-showed, but in fact, with only 2 hours, you DID. Why didn't you try to ask them to pick you up earlier. Who knows, they could have a driver there available, or your original one waiting for your pick-up close by.

Sorry if I disagree with you, but most people think a Limo service is like a taxi company with lots of cars running around being dispatched as they go. It is not like that!!! They have a schedule pre-arranged usually 24hours ahead.

 

[mom_rules]

How about Tiffany leaving you stranded at the resort when you were trying to catch a plane? After waiting 20 mins past our pre-arranged pickup time I called and was told they did not have a driver or vehicle available and would we mind taking a taxi? This was a prepaid trip-we had to pay for both legs when we arrived in Orlando. They did mail me a cheque to reimburse the taxi fare ($50) but did not offer an apology or a refund of the unused trip. This was a couple of months after their ownership change. (Tiffany, Prestige and a couple of others are owned by the same person now I think- correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[Chicago526]

What people don't seem to understand is that limo services like Tiffany's have their schedules prepared the day before. That means your space is reserved to you and nobody else. With less than 24hours it is imposible to have someone else put in the time you had arranged, therefore they will lose $$$ everytime someone cancels too late. Most companies have some kind of cancellation policy, the fact Tiffany might not, doesn't give you the right to cancel and expect them to just say "thank you, we understand". You say you could just have no-showed, but in fact, with only 2 hours, you DID. Why didn't you try to ask them to pick you up earlier. Who knows, they could have a driver there available, or your original one waiting for your pick-up close by.

Sorry if I disagree with you, but most people think a Limo service is like a taxi company with lots of cars running around being dispatched as they go. It is not like that!!! They have a schedule pre-arranged usually 24hours ahead.

While 2 hours may not be a lot of notice, it's still better than leaving the guy sitting in front of the GF wondering where we were. And when you're in the travel/transportation buisness, last minute changes and cancellations are all apart of the game, I'm sure I'm not the first person to EVER have a change plans at the last minute. It also still doesn't excuse being rude to me over the phone. They may have lost $$$ by my cancelation, but they lost my future buisness for good by being rude, so they've lost even more money in the long run.

 

[CarolA]

You know... if I was compliaining about losing business to Disney's free service one thing I would do is try to provide a TOP rate product... Let's see... I can pay you a lot of money for a so so product or take Disney for free.... It's easier to sell folks on paying for a quality experience if you DELIVER one.

There was a HURRICANE! If the agent expected everything to run as normal he/she was not connected with reality! LOL!

 

[alpha2]

While 2 hours may not be a lot of notice, it's still better than leaving the guy sitting in front of the GF wondering where we were. And when you're in the travel/transportation buisness, last minute changes and cancellations are all apart of the game, I'm sure I'm not the first person to EVER have a change plans at the last minute. It also still doesn't excuse being rude to me over the phone. They may have lost $$$ by my cancelation, but they lost my future buisness for good by being rude, so they've lost even more money in the long run.

They definitely shouldn't have been rude with you, that is wrong!
My point is, if they had a cancellation policy (they might in fact), but did not have your credit card on file, would you have paid their cancellation fee?

Just a side note, If you decide in the last minute not to travel and call your airline 2 hours before boarding, you loose your PREPAID money (or at least part of it), don't you? The same with your resort and other arrangements you might have prepaid for. Why should it be diferrent with transportation companies that have a schedule to folllow?

 

[alpha2]

How about Tiffany leaving you stranded at the resort when you were trying to catch a plane? After waiting 20 mins past our pre-arranged pickup time I called and was told they did not have a driver or vehicle available and would we mind taking a taxi? This was a prepaid trip-we had to pay for both legs when we arrived in Orlando. They did mail me a cheque to reimburse the taxi fare ($50) but did not offer an apology or a refund of the unused trip. This was a couple of months after their ownership change. (Tiffany, Prestige and a couple of others are owned by the same person now I think- correct me if I'm wrong).

They did refund your money for the unused return trip; it was the $50.00 you used for the taxi........

 

[mom_rules]

Yes-that's what they tried to tell me - would they have paid for my plane ticket if I hadn't made it on time? We hit the airport running just as boarding was starting.

 

[Chicago526]

They definitely shouldn't have been rude with you, that is wrong!
My point is, if they had a cancellation policy (they might in fact), but did not have your credit card on file, would you have paid their cancellation fee?

Just a side note, If you decide in the last minute not to travel and call your airline 2 hours before boarding, you loose your PREPAID money (or at least part of it), don't you? The same with your resort and other arrangements you might have prepaid for. Why should it be diferrent with transportation companies that have a schedule to folllow?

If they had a cancelation policy, (which they don't) then yes of course I would have paid (even if they didn't have my cc on file, but I've never heard of a company with such a policy that doesn't either require pre-payment or a cc on file). But since this wasn't a pre-paid arrangement and they don't have a cancelation policy, your comparison to airlines and hotels doesn't make sense.

When I cancel a town car pickup, the company at least saves the cost of the gas it would have taken to get to the hotel. I did at least save the driver/company time and fuel. Had I not canceled at all, he/she would have driven to the GF and waited for at least 30 minutes before realizing I'd stood them up. At least this way they save time/fuel and have at least the possibility of snaging someone that needs a ride on short notice.

If cancelations w/in 24 hours are such a problem, then they need to adopt a cancelation policy and require pre-payment or a credit card on file. Being rude to people who cancel last minute isn't going to help them any, unless their goal is to go out of business.