TravelCity complaint

[ScottMccarthy]

Hi Guys,

It's pretty quiet at the moment and I haven't posted in ages but I had cause to complain to TravelCity today..I've copied the mail below..what do you think?

I am writing to complain regarding the level of customer service I have experienced regarding my Florida booking. This is my first booking made with Travel City and as it stands currently I am not impressed by the service offered. I hope you will be able to restore this.

I rang to book my Florida fly drive some weeks ago, my reference is XXXXXXXX.

At the time of booking I was not offered a choice of flights or flight times. However a few days later I took a look at your web site and saw that there was an alternative flight leaving on the same dates but offered better times due to the return flight leaving later. I called and spoke to an advisor who advised that this change was possible but would be chargeable. I commented that I was not happy with this charge as no effort to let me know of my choices was made upon booking. I requested that the call get escalated to a supervisor who still kept the same line. However they did say that the actual flight times were only around thirty minutes different in actuality.

I accepted this and made a note to check that the website was updated accordingly since you were still advertising flights at this time.

A couple of weeks have now passed and the flights still remain the same on the website. I have called in today and spoke to Angela at the Swansea centre who was very helpful. She spent a great deal of time checking the actual flight times for me. She was unable to help with the complaint but nevertheless please pass on my thanks as she seems to care about the service she is offering. The flights times are much more convenient and so I would like to change flights. I still however object to the charges and feel that this would be the least you could do in light of the services from the sales staff and the lie I was told by a supervisor regarding flight times.

I hope that you can restore my faith in your company to secure the chance of my future bookings. I travel to Florida at least once a year and think it would make good customer service sense to assist me, especially as the admin involved does not seem to justify the charge.

Many Thanks in Advance,

Scott McCarthy

 

[AlexE]

go for it Scott

I had a problem after my first, and only, holiday using TCD. I had no problem with the call centre, as basically they are given a script to do and they do it well on the surface.

Unfortunately when any problems occur this service goes drastically downhill as you are forced to write or fax a letter as they will not entertain the idea of dealing with you on the phone. Obviously something to do with having everything in writing.

However, you must persist with your query, and I mean really persist and I'm sure things will work out for you.

I posted on these boards after sending my initial letter and my post was picked up by a guy who worked for them. You might be lucky if he is still reading these boards. Unfortunately, I havent got his details now or I would PM them to you.

Good luck

AlexE

 

[mariechez]

Very impressive Scott l hope that it gets sorted.

Marie

 

[nuttytart]

Scott, I have sent you a PM

 

[ScottMccarthy]

Thanks all for your comments. It nice to see that others feel the same way.

No reply as yet so we shall see what they come back with. That is if they do respond to my mail. I put a delivery and read receipt on the mail but have not had either back although the address seems to be valid.

I also sent a mail on their webform and haven't had a response.

 

[nuttytart]

Scott use snail mail.

 

[ScottMccarthy]

Hi Guys,

Well I called today as I had not received a response.

Firstly I was advised that they have not had e-mail. I advised that I had not received a delivery failure and simply clicking on NO on a read receipt does not constitute "having no e-mail"

Then was advised that they need the complaint in writing and it needed to go to another person at the Swansea office. I asked for their e-mail address.

I then asked why I have been given the run around and given different addresses to try to resolve a simple issue?

The supervisor then did ask what the details were.

She advised that the issue was with reservations but she did feel that I should have been given the option. She tried to say that it was due to the changes in airline but I advised that this was not the case as the times had not changed. Then I was advised that I had not been lied to. I explained that being told one thing when in fact the details were incorrect and confirmed by another was in fact a lie.

To sum it up the booking has now been changed and I should receive a confirmation in the post.

I'm glad that the booking has been changed but the way that I was dealt with has definitely left a sour taste.

I can't understand why companies don't realise that this kind of attitude is unacceptable and amend their manner but as they are the cheapest I guess they feel that affords them this luxury. Still I seem to have got the end result!!

On another note I flew with American Airlines to JFK this weekend and must say their service and planes were excellent.

A few less movie choices and no "goodie bag" like Virgin but the seat pitch and width definitely give them an edge. I'd recommend to anyone.

 

[shellbell]

Glad that you have got this sorted out, the way that they treated you was terrible. I trust that you won't be booking them in the future Hope your holiday is fab though

 

[kazzie]

I really hope they get it right for you at last

If anyone books with TCD now I'd be amazed

I wouldn't dream of it based not on the problems people have had but on how they deal with it afterwards.I think we all accept things don't always go to plan,my mark of a 'good' company is how they deal with problems to rectify them to the best of their ability when it does go 'wrong'.

This shows that any letter to a company with a complaint should be sent recorded delivery as they just say 'I didn't receive the letter/e-mail'

 

[dawnpisces]

i too have had the unfortunate experience of a complaint to TCD. On our first trip to Florida in 2000 we were sent to a villa at Southern Dunes which didn't have a pool although we had actually booked and paid for one! TCD did rehouse us the next day after i complained at their Lake Buena Vista office. The next time we went in 2002 i rebooked with TCD thinking well their pricing overrides our experience! Lo and behold we get a villa with a pool but no pool heater although this had been booked and paid for! We had also been sent to a management co that was closed and didn't have the necessary lock box that was supposed to contain our keys to our villa. After contacting them more than once we were - surprise surprise - rehoused again after two days. On our return home i complained in writing sent it recorded delivery and kept a copy, after an unsatisfactory response i wrote again and this time i got £225 compensation which i accepted. My advise is to keep complaining by all means available and to keep copies, if you have a genuine grievance it's worth it.
Despite these events i would use them again but i would ask many more questions and get replies in writing just in case, and if all else fails COMPLAIN!!

 

[ScottMccarthy]

Hi All,

I'm glad to say I got the result I'm after. I

Confirmation now received

 

[kazzie]

Good news

I think if you complain long and hard they get it that you're just not going to take this lying down!

 

[steve404]

Just thought I would make a stand for TCD, I have no affiliation with them other than having booked twice with them before and everything ran smoothly, hopefully same again in June. Every company has their reps having off days, I find politely putting the phone down and then ringing again and speaking to another rep usually does the trick with most companies, or the old 'can I speak with your line manager' trick. There must be some other happy TCD users out there, are'nt there???

Steve..............

 

[duchy]

Having just booked with TCD this is all interesting stuff.
Speaking as an ex travel agent I was actually very impressed with the second consultant I spoke to (the first didn't ring me back with the quotation I had asked for) when making my reservation. What I requested wasn't bog standard but she dealt with it all very well and also didn't try to push any extras on me. Insurance/car hire etc. Some holiday companies can't cope with the fact I usually know *exactly* what I want as i booked these type of holidays myself for so long !! Offered yes-pushed no. She even rang me back promptly !
So far so good

 

[warks]

As someone who has used TCD many times, I think they are fine and am surprised at the trouble some people are having.
we have two Holidays booked with them for this year,

The first in May is a split holiday 1 night Orlando 10 nights on the Gulf Coast then 3 back in Orlando, and did this without any bother. The other in November is two weeks at Highlands Reserve. Told them exactly what we wanted and got it
so I still say thumbs up to TCD

Warks

 

[mkingdon]

I too am a TCD "veteran" and have used them for several trouble free and inexpensive holidays.

I'm doing lots of touching wood now so I don't jinx our next trip.

Craig

 

[dawnpisces]

good to see people having positive experience with tcd, as i said in my previous post i will probably be booking with them again soon. our experience was dealt with on site and back home albeit after some communicating from myself, and i was happy with the outcome. i really hope i haven't jinxed anybody and least of all myself.