Customer service? Hah!

It's a long story. Go get another cup of coffee. I'll wait.

OK? Settled in? Here's the story...

For our upcoming Alaska cruisetour (#21) we wanted to book the "McKinley Glacier Landing Flightseeing Tour by Airplane " excursion. So we did this online a few weeks back. Unfortunately there was only one slot open, Makrewser got it and I was waitlisted.

A week ago, I got an email from HAL saying that a spot had opened up. I quickly went on line and booked it. Double checked that it was listed, and it was. In retrospect, I should have realized that I didn't get an email confirmation, but I was traveling, attending a conference, and didn't have very much time to analyze my email.

On Saturday morning, I got another email from HAL which said:

"We received your waitlist request for the below shore excursions. Notification was sent on the date/time listed by each tour below that space had become available, which would be held for you to confirm within 72 hours. As you have not confirmed the below shore excursions, we have released this space.

We will continue to hold your waitlist request to be booked onboard if space is available, however, additional notifications will not be sent. If you would like to check availability for this tour, please visit our website at the following link any time up to 10 days prior to sailing.

If you have any further questions about shore excursions, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions and General Information sections of the Holland America website, or call 1-888-425-9376 between 6am and 6pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday."

I get this on Saturday morning, but can't call until Monday?

That's customer service?

The automated notification service (which doesn't cost anyone a second of their time) is turned off for me?

That's customer service?

But the kicker came this morning when I called.

First, of course, you listen to the ad for hanging up and going to the web site. Then there's the litany of menu choices. Make a choice, and you get the "go to the web" ad again. Then another menu of choices. Choose from that one, and get the message that all the agents are busy. Well, fine, we often get that message these days when trying to get service. But instead of being told "your call is important to us, please stay on the line." I hear: we're going to hang up now. Leave your name, booking number, a message about your call and we'll maybe get back to you. But it might be two or three days before we do, so don't hold your breathe!

That's customer service?

If anyone in Seattle is "listening" in, here's a clue - if your call backlog is two to three days (heck, if it's two to three hours) you need to hire more folks to man the phones!

Thanks for listening. I feel a bit better now. Not a lot better, but I probably won't start breaking things. Or kick the dog. But those missionaries better not knock on my door...;)

That's indeed sad. Makes one wonder if they received their "Customer Service" training and protocal from Sprint. :confused:

Sounds like your booking "fell through the cracks." Sad. In many companies these days customer service seems to have gone the way of the typewriter.

Jhannah hit the nail on the head for sure with that statement.

For the most part customer service is lacking compared to 20 or 30 years ago. Service period is lacking.

nita

It's a long story. Go get another cup of coffee. I'll wait.

 

OK? Settled in? Here's the story...

 

For our upcoming Alaska cruisetour (#21) we wanted to book the "McKinley Glacier Landing Flightseeing Tour by Airplane " excursion. So we did this online a few weeks back. Unfortunately there was only one slot open, Makrewser got it and I was waitlisted.

 

A week ago, I got an email from HAL saying that a spot had opened up. I quickly went on line and booked it. Double checked that it was listed, and it was. In retrospect, I should have realized that I didn't get an email confirmation, but I was traveling, attending a conference, and didn't have very much time to analyze my email.

 

On Saturday morning, I got another email from HAL which said:

 

:eek:

 

I get this on Saturday morning, but can't call until Monday?

That's customer service?

The automated notification service (which doesn't cost anyone a second of their time) is turned off for me?

That's customer service?

 

But the kicker came this morning when I called.

 

First, of course, you listen to the ad for hanging up and going to the web site. Then there's the litany of menu choices. Make a choice, and you get the "go to the web" ad again. Then another menu of choices. Choose from that one, and get the message that all the agents are busy. Well, fine, we often get that message these days when trying to get service. But instead of being told "your call is important to us, please stay on the line." I hear: we're going to hang up now. Leave your name, booking number, a message about your call and we'll maybe get back to you. But it might be two or three days before we do, so don't hold your breathe!

 

That's customer service?

 

If anyone in Seattle is "listening" in, here's a clue - if your call backlog is two to three days (heck, if it's two to three hours) you need to hire more folks to man the phones!

 

Thanks for listening. I feel a bit better now. Not a lot better, but I probably won't start breaking things. Or kick the dog. But those missionaries better not knock on my door...;)

I don't blame you for being furious. It is very frustrating that often when I call HAL I get a recording that says, "If you are calling during our normal business hours, we are unable to take your call, so please call back.."

And the fact that we cannot speak to a human being over a weekend is ridiculous. Every travel group (airlines, trains, hotels) lets us call over the weekend. Many people only have the weekend to make these personal, and often LONG phone calls.

HAL needs to get with the program and have customer service agents available for longer hours, and over the weekend.

I had that happen to me on an optional. When I finally got a human on the phone, she was surly and told me in a nasty way that I didn't follow the steps properly to finalize the booking online, instead of being gracious and just taking the d##n booking she made it sound like I was the idiot and I had done something wrong, and then didn't even bother to say "Thank you for choosing Holland America."

I think it stinks that you went through this. They ought to comp the optional for you.

Don't know your itinerary, but we usually book these flights on our own at far less than the cruise company charges. Most of the time they'll pick us up at the pier. A google search for McKinley flight seeing should bring enough sites to choose from.

You should not miss out on this wonderful flight...good luck.

I have not had a pleasant experience with customer service from ANY company either large or small in a long time. :mad: Makes me wonder how any company (Namely Wal Mart, Penneys, etc.) can be so successful and be so lax with it comes to customer satisfaction. My theory is that the American people unfortunately will not do without something even if they have to purchase from a company where they have had a bad experience. Strictly my opinion you understand.:D

Most people just let things go when they SHOULD go higher and I don't mean just call once~~I mean write SNAIL MAIL, CALL, & E-MAIL. If we don't stand up for ourselves who will???

Some will say they are going to write a letter but never take the time. If a customer is given terrible treatment, take names and phone numbers with their ext and go above them. Ask for their sup. and then if that doesn't work ask for the pres. of the company or the CEO. YOU have to stand up if you want a company to hear you.

DON'T LET THEM TREAT YOU LIKE CRAP. I have used the above info and been nice as pie and seem to get better results.

For the most part customer service is lacking compared to 20 or 30 years ago. Service period is lacking.

 

nita

And an outside cabin is selling for about 80 % less than it did 30 years ago. Does anyone see a connection ?

I have not had a pleasant experience with customer service from ANY company either large or small in a long time. :mad: Makes me wonder how any company (Namely Wal Mart, Penneys, etc.) can be so successful and be so lax with it comes to customer satisfaction. My theory is that the American people unfortunately will not do without something even if they have to purchase from a company where they have had a bad experience. Strictly my opinion you understand.:D

Most consumers shop for the best price and when we do this, something has got to give and it's usually service.

Ever try to deal with a phone company?

Ever try to deal with a phone company?

Yes. Home service went out. Called on our cell phone. Earliest they could spare a technician was ONE WEEK!!!!! Ludicrous!

Of course, the TV cable company is the same way. :(

I never got any notification that my waitlisted clamshell had become available. Luckily what I really wanted was a cabana which I was able to get after checking the site MANY times each day. They just got the HMC excursions up for our April cruise this week. They clearly have no control over their systems.

When you received your email indicating a spot had opened up on the tour for which you'd been waitlisted ... were there specific instructions in that email telling you how to secure your place on that tour?

If indeed HAL was holding your spot awaiting a contact from you, it is highly unlikely they would have opened up that tour on their website ... becaue then anyone could book it and take your spot without going thru the waitlisting process.

I'm not trying to be snarky here ... just wondering if you skipped a step that, therefore, caused you to lose that spot.

When you received your email indicating a spot had opened up on the tour for which you'd been waitlisted ... were there specific instructions in that email telling you how to secure your place on that tour?

 

If indeed HAL was holding your spot awaiting a contact from you, it is highly unlikely they would have opened up that tour on their website ... becaue then anyone could book it and take your spot without going thru the waitlisting process.

 

I'm not trying to be snarky here ... just wondering if you skipped a step that, therefore, caused you to lose that spot.

Perhaps you overlooked the part of my narrative which stated: "I quickly went on line and booked it. Double checked that it was listed, and it was."?

The tour isn't "opened up on the website," for anyone to book, it's opened up for the person with the booking number corresponding to the one that is in the notification email...

Perhaps you overlooked the part of my narrative which stated: "I quickly went on line and booked it. Double checked that it was listed, and it was."?

 

The tour isn't "opened up on the website," for anyone to book, it's opened up for the person with the booking number corresponding to the one that is in the notification email...

 

 

No, I didn't overlook your statement that you quickly went on line and booked.

I merely asked if there were specific instructions in the email, since it seems that going online as you did got you back on the waitlist.

I'm with you Camp 637. Unfortunately, not everyone takes responsibility for their role in a breakdown in communication. Too often in these threads, I think we only hear one side of the story. In this instance, customer service should be recognized in their working to accomodate the request and holding the spot for 72 hours.

I too get frustrated with long wait times, but know that often those who complain the most and the loudest, also do so if prices increase as a result of additional expenses. Investing in resources that will provide adequate staffing to accommodate an immediate response to an inquiry takes time and money. You get what you pay for. People complain about minimum wage jobs with no benefits, yet don't want to pay higher prices for full time, professional staffs.

By the way, there still are companies with exceptional customer service. I feel sorry for those of you who don't have relationships with any of them.

I'm sorry for the mess-up, Dave, and hope it works out that both you and Makrewser get to take the tour.

Your sad tale has only served to reinforce to me why I HATE :mad: ! to use the telephone. By the time I've completed selecting a language :rolleyes: , climbing my way to the top of the voice-mail tree, and actually reaching a human being I'm so angry that it's hard to keep it civil.

Sorry you had this happen to you, Dave. I sincerely hope they get it together and you enjoy your tour.

I'm with you Camp 637. Unfortunately, not everyone takes responsibility for their role in a breakdown in communication. Too often in these threads, I think we only hear one side of the story. In this instance, customer service should be recognized in their working to accomodate the request and holding the spot for 72 hours.

Which serves little purpose if they then lose the reservation!

I too get frustrated with long wait times, but know that often those who complain the most and the loudest, also do so if prices increase as a result of additional expenses. Investing in resources that will provide adequate staffing to accommodate an immediate response to an inquiry takes time and money.

Who said anything about "immediate" response? Since when is a call back "2 to 3 days" later adequate customer service?

Ever try to deal with a phone company?

When our local telephone company hooked up my service and my neighbor's service at the same time, they gave him my number and gave me his number. My first two calls into the automated system went through a number of menu options which eventually referred me to their website and disconnected me.

On the third try I just sat on the line.....refusing to punch any numbers or say anything to the voice robot.....and ultimately landed a real, live person who transferred me to the service department. I thought I was home free.....then I discovered that the person I had reached absolutely could not understand my problem. I guess he figured as long as I had a telephone, I should be happy. I tried to tell him that I had moved to a new residence.....and had paid the telephone company to hold the number which I had used for 40 years....and that right now my neighbor was receiving calls on that number.....but he still didn't get it.

There's a lot more involved.....it just got stupider and stupider.....but my point is that "customer service" is pretty much an oxymoron in today's world. HAL is just another company that is trying to do more with less. That doesn't make it right, and I agree with you that it's disheartenting to say the least. The sad thing is that I'm really not confident that it's going to improve.

It took a while, but I finally did get the correct phone number.....I hope that you will also have a good result and get the tour that you want. You've certainly earned it.

First, Dave, sorry for the mix-up, frustration, and disappointment. :(

Next, I have never had trouble with HAL customer service. I have never called HAL customer service. I always and only call or drop in to see my

in town TA. And she fixes it. I like having an in town TA. And using her business keeps money in our home town community. But I digress. ;)

Last, RuthC, that E. Bunny is

going to get his big chocolate

ears bit off! (YUM!) :D

And the fact that we cannot speak to a human being over a weekend is ridiculous. Every travel group (airlines, trains, hotels) lets us call over the weekend. Many people only have the weekend to make these personal, and often LONG phone calls.

I spoke with a very nice individual yesterday (Sunday) at HAL. I had received an email on Sunday stating my excursions were cancelled because I had cancelled my cruise. I didn't cancel my cruise. My agent got me a deal with the promotion last week and it gave me a new booking number. They didn't tell my agent that they would be cancelling my excursions. She was livid with HAL. All turned out well as I was able to rebook today when I received my new booking number. When I commented to my agent about the customer service, she told me it is lacking at many of the cruiselines. Although the person I spoke with on Sunday was not able to give me my new booking number or book the excursion that was cancelled, he was able to tell me that our names were on the ship as having a reservation. Since it was booked by an agent, he did not have access. I was happy with the person I spoke with and I did not wait to speak to him. It was direct connect. I guess I got very lucky.

I like having an in town TA. And using her business keeps money in our home town community. But I digress. ;)

 

Last, RuthC, that E. Bunny is

going to get his big chocolate

ears bit off! (YUM!) :D

Agree!!! So many towns are becoming ghost towns due to loss of business. We do need to support our towns, states and country.

Last, RuthC, that E. Bunny is

going to get his big chocolate

ears bit off! (YUM!) :D

I'm a nibbler, myself. ;)

We now return you to our originally scheduled thread.