X Losing Revenue Over Dumb Rules!

[c-legs]

Hi,

Just my $0.02 bits.....

But I suggest there might be an edict from non-cruise lines sources, as a security issue, that all unclaimed/unpurchased photos, come debarkation day, must be destroyed. I did read that somewhere, and remember also being told that on a previous cruise sometimes ago.

I may of course be wrong and anybody can set me straight on that.

But I suspect this is the case, which would explain why Tuggers cannot get her wish satisfied.....to make matters worse, the way this ''decision'' was communicated to her is dead wrong, by a mile.

My opinion

Cheers

c

[Cruise Junky]

Hi,

Just my $0.02 bits.....

But I suggest there might be an edict from non-cruise lines sources, as a security issue, that all unclaimed/unpurchased photos, come debarkation day, must be destroyed. I did read that somewhere, and remember also being told that on a previous cruise sometimes ago.

I may of course be wrong and anybody can set me straight on that.

But I suspect this is the case, which would explain why Tuggers cannot get her wish satisfied.....to make matters worse, the way this ''decision'' was communicated to her is dead wrong, by a mile.

My opinion

Cheers

c

 

But as tuggers said in her OP they've done this many times before.

[tuggers]

Guys, this isn't ruining anyones cruise I just have a low tolerance for, dare I say it, stupidity. They work on commission only. Hence they want to sell photos. They have always done this for b2b people going back several years. They take a file folder, they write your name, cruise dates and cabin numbers, they put in the pictures you want to save, the folder is put under the counter. Whenever you're ready you go through them and make your purchases. I have had photo shop managers tell me they always sell more pictures when they accomodate the b2b's in this fashion. If it's buy it now or lose it people tend to think there might be a better one next time. This way they can compare.

This is not something that was done only for me. It was done for anyone who asked. Just think it is small minded to lose out on any money. You always want a shot at every dollar on the table! :rolleyes: Businesses DREAD lost revenue dollars.

[Lsimon]

...

I suggest you speak with the Guest Relations Manager. I'd definitely voice my displeasure. Please don't let it upset you, and have a wonderful Cruise.

 

Seems like there was one cruise where I was introduced to someone with a title something like Revenue Manager at one of the officer's parties or the cruise critic party. Person was in charge of all the ancillary revenue departments and their on board marketing efforts. Haven't head of that title since so I don't know if there is still someone with that title or function on staff but it seems like that would be the person to talk to or at least send a comment to. Also one of those nice little attention to detail cards might be in order.

[Bridge Maven]

Guys, this isn't ruining anyones cruise I just have a low tolerance for, dare I say it, stupidity. They work on commission only. Hence they want to sell photos. They have always done this for b2b people going back several years. They take a file folder, they write your name, cruise dates and cabin numbers, they put in the pictures you want to save, the folder is put under the counter. Whenever you're ready you go through them and make your purchases. I have had photo shop managers tell me they always sell more pictures when they accomodate the b2b's in this fashion. If it's buy it now or lose it people tend to think there might be a better one next time. This way they can compare.

This is not something that was done only for me. It was done for anyone who asked. Just think it is small minded to lose out on any money. You always want a shot at every dollar on the table! :rolleyes: Businesses DREAD lost revenue dollars.

 

This can also work the other way. I know a lot of people who bought photos during a cruise and regretted it the next day. It is comparable to why stores pressure customers to purchase an item while they are there because they know if that person leaves there is a good chance that they will never buy it. Most people are much more likely to buy on impulse.

[smoosh21]

The OP wants the company to hold it not until the end of this cruise but to hold it until the ship returns to Coco Cay on her next cruise as she is on a B2B. I would never expect the company to keep photos beyond the current voyage. It would be quite the nitemare if EVERY B2Br wanted this done!

 

If it was done before, it was a courtesy more than likely, but IMHO should never be expected.

 

I would have to agree on this. It is not that it would be impossible to do, but it would fall outside of what is standard practice. The photo department probably starts each cruise by deleting all the files from the previous sailing. It is easier to just delete all the files, than trying to move and save a few.

 

Heck, the Photo department may not even have the authority to do anything of this sort. There could be a policy set by the IT department that does a dump of the servers where the files are held and there are no exceptions to the rule.

[tuggers]

Sorry, its been done for years, it can still be done, and its not going to be all that hard.:rolleyes:

[Bridge Maven]

I would have to agree on this. It is not that it would be impossible to do, but it would fall outside of what is standard practice. The photo department probably starts each cruise by deleting all the files from the previous sailing. It is easier to just delete all the files, than trying to move and save a few.

 

Heck, the Photo department may not even have the authority to do anything of this sort. There could be a policy set by the IT department that does a dump of the servers where the files are held and there are no exceptions to the rule.

 

Smoosh, I agree with you completely. Even though it was apparently done in the past as a deviation to accommodate a few passengers, most businesses re-evaluate what exceptions to the rule they are willing to continue.

[JEDIKNIGHT]

I skip the "all aboard" picture altogether. Just walk past em and say "no thanks". Yeah, after lugging bags, and being all wrinkled I want that picture of myself really badly.

 

My next favorite is at dinner time. I enjoy a nice hot meal and I love when the photographer TELLS us to "scrunch together"... yeah, sure we will. Last cruise I nicely asked if she can come back in 10 minutes and she curtly said no. My loss, I saved money.

[Bridge Maven]

I skip the "all aboard" picture altogether. Just walk past em and say "no thanks". Yeah, after lugging bags, and being all wrinkled I want that picture of myself really badly.

 

My next favorite is at dinner time. I enjoy a nice hot meal and I love when the photographer TELLS us to "scrunch together"... yeah, sure we will. Last cruise I nicely asked if she can come back in 10 minutes and she curtly said no. My loss, I saved money.

 

Jediknight - Years ago I use to buy the cruise line's photos as a memento of a cruise. Now I can't see wasting money on contrived poses when the candid photos we take with our own cameras are so much more interesting and meaningful.

[Project_gal]

Seems like there was one cruise where I was introduced to someone with a title something like Revenue Manager at one of the officer's parties or the cruise critic party. Person was in charge of all the ancillary revenue departments and their on board marketing efforts. Haven't head of that title since so I don't know if there is still someone with that title or function on staff but it seems like that would be the person to talk to or at least send a comment to. Also one of those nice little attention to detail cards might be in order.

 

We met the "Marketing Manager" on Infinity last November. Sounds like the same role.

 

Sue

[uktog]

Thats right Sue, we had dinner with the Marketing Manager on Eclipse this year - many people think their role is future cruises, but it is all aspects of Revenue Management including the conscession, shore excursions etc - they report to the Hotel Director

[Girllovescruising]

Jediknight - Years ago I use to buy the cruise line's photos as a memento of a cruise. Now I can't see wasting money on contrived poses when the candid photos we take with our own cameras are so much more interesting and meaningful.

 

 

I find the photographers on the whole really obnoxious and not very good at their job. They will insist on making you stand in posed formal groups all of which look the same. We now ask them to just humour us and do one of us laughing and standing in a relaxed pose. They don't like doing it but it is inevitably the photo we buy.

I remember on the Aurora a few years ago we had a group done with my brother and his family - the young male photographer said 'would the two matriarchs come to the front' ie my sister in law and me :eek: I know we aren't exactly in the first flush of youth but MATRIARCH for goodness sake :mad: By this time the rest of the group were laughing so much at our reaction that we actually had quite a good photo.

 

Made a point of avoiding him again though!

 

Gillian

[billie5]

Sorry, its been done for years, it can still be done, and its not going to be all that hard.:rolleyes:

 

Because company policies or mandates can not change over time?

 

Come to think of it, I went to a medical clinic recently and they would not let me pick up my wife's test results. I've done that for years, they know me quite well at the clinic and could just have handed me the results. Not all that hard.:rolleyes:

[fleckle]

Because company policies or mandates can not change over time?

 

Come to think of it, I went to a medical clinic recently and they would not let me pick up my wife's test results. I've done that for years, they know me quite well at the clinic and could just have handed me the results. Not all that hard.:rolleyes:

This reminds me of how lately they will not even accept information for a spouse over the phone but say they need to have the other person on the line to give consent, unless they have a signed release form on file. I guess it is for their own legal protection, but they have no way of knowing who the other person you put on the phone really is. It could be any man or woman, or even the same person using a higher or lower pitched voice, but that seems to satisfy them.

[Maryscooking]

[quote name='JEDIKNIGHT']I skip the "all aboard" picture altogether. Just walk past em and say "no thanks". Yeah, after lugging bags, and being all wrinkled I want that picture of myself really badly.

My next favorite is at dinner time. I enjoy a nice hot meal and I love when the photographer TELLS us to "scrunch together"... yeah, sure we will.[/quote]

I could not agree with you more! I detest having my dinner interrupted for photo taking.

We have a portrait done on formal night, which we only sometimes may or may not end up purchasing. And we do sometimes stop to have a family or group photo taken on shore when the backdrop looks particularly scenic. Other than that, I find that my candid photos have much more "life" to them, and tell a better story of our trip.

As for the OP, I agree that customer service was lacking in this case.

[sdbmd]

[quote name='billie5'] I've done that for years, they know me quite well at the clinic and could just have handed me the results. Not all that hard.:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Get your wife to sign a HIPAA release and you should have no further problems getting the results. Without that, the clinic can be slapped with some nice fines for violating your wife's right to privacy.

People realize there are rules in the world and sometimes they're dumb or irritating or annoying. Doesn't mean we should always expect them to be bent for us because we're good customers, have had it done for us before, are well known at the office, etc.

[NnJ2010]

[quote name='sdbmd']Get your wife to sign a HIPAA release and you should have no further problems getting the results. Without that, the clinic can be slapped with some nice fines for violating your wife's right to privacy.

[B]People realize there are rules in the world and sometimes they're dumb or irritating or annoying. Doesn't mean we should always expect them to be bent for us because we're good customers, have had it done for us before, are well known at the office, etc.[/B][/quote]
well said

[Bridge Maven]

[quote name='sdbmd']

People realize there are rules in the world and sometimes they're dumb or irritating or annoying. Doesn't mean we should always expect them to be bent for us because we're good customers, have had it done for us before, are well known at the office, etc.[/QUOTE]

sdbmd, I agree with you completely :)

[billie5]

I think you missed the point of my post, Sdbmd. Please see the post I was quoting (mocking, perhaps?).

Bill

[Bridge Maven]

I think that when a company has made an exception for a good customer in the past that person has a tendency to perceive it as a special benefit that will always be available for them.

There was a time when our bank would give me an interest rate for a CD that was higher than the ones they were officially offering, but now they have a new branch manager that doesn't deviate from the published rates. My initial reaction was obviously one of disappointment, but then I realized that I should be appreciative of the fact that they did it for me as a special favor in the past and the bank has no obligation to give me this privilege every time I renew a CD.

[Aussie One]

[quote name='tuggers'][FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Heavy Handed Approach Loses X Revenue.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]I have done my fair share of B2B’s (sometimes B2B2B, etc [FONT=Wingdings][FONT=Wingdings]J[/FONT][/FONT]) and have never had a problem with the photo shop working with me.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Today I went down and picked out the a boarding picture (19.95), 2 6x8’s (9.95 each) and had asked about the price for 50 Christmas cards which I thought was reasonable at $39.95. So I was talking about a minimum of an $80 purchase.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]I asked if they would be taking the same type of picture (with the butler) at Coco Cay and they said yes. So I asked if they would put that picture in a folder for me for the next cruise to compare with the 2nd picture (this was the one I wanted for a Christmas card). He said sure, to bring him the picture and he would put it in a folder with a note. As I left to go get my picture I was followed by [COLOR=black]LISA[/COLOR] who informed me they would never do such a thing. When I said it had been done many times for me when I was doing B2B she said they didn’t care how many ‘B2B’s’ I did, they held no pictures.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Companies always seem so short sighted to me when they take these hard and fast approaches. Now I will buy no pictures from either cruise. For a company looking for revenue at every turn it seems wasteful to throw away any sale. I put all my pictures back. Believe me, I can live without them. I have drawers full at home as I’m sure most of you do.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Only difference this time is I always buy the boarding picture to know which cruises I’ve been on. On these two [COLOR=darkorchid]cruises [/COLOR]I will do without even that $40 sale.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=#9932cc]Thanks [COLOR=black]LISA[/COLOR], you just lost the company money! :rolleyes:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

Read my Thread Photo Saga Eclopse Scroll back This will solve your problem Grumphy

[PS90]

[quote name='sdbmd']
People realize there are rules in the world and sometimes they're dumb or irritating or annoying. Doesn't mean we should always expect them to be bent for us because we're good customers, have had it done for us before, are well known at the office, etc.[/quote]

I have to disagree with this. Any line of work and any company has their own policies and bylaws, as well as legal and governmental rules and regs. But, every company has some amount of lee-way in some areas that can and, IMHO, should be extended to good customers more so than new or infrequent customers. That is one of the ways to keep a loyal following.

In my line of work, just as an example, we will very frequently do a quick physical exam (for a simple and apparent medical problem), or answer patient's questions over the phone, for no charge - when that patient is a very good client. We don't offer much at all for no charge for new clients or people that don't pay their bills well. A few no-charge exams doesn't really lose us a whole lot of revenue, but the patients that receive them are thrilled, and often pass that info on by word-of-mouth, encouraging others to possibly want to stay loyal to our clinic.

Obviously, if there is indeed some kind of "cruise law" that requires these photos to be destroyed at the end of the cruise, then that is another story, but if not - then the OP is not asking for a whole lot from the photography contractor. In other words, I can't see how saving a couple photos is causing any kind of huge inconvenience or loss of revenue for them, so why not?

Seriously, how many B2B cruisers are onboard at a time, anyway? A couple hundred, at most? Easily a manageable number to stash a few photos.

[glutenhab]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial Black][U][COLOR=#9932cc]Thanks [/COLOR][COLOR=black]LISA![/COLOR][/U][/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]What? You refuse to leave 2 chocolates on my pillow instead of 1? How dare you! My last steward did it. I'm posting your name all over the web. You're gonna lose your job over this! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Great encouragement for anyone to go out of their way again. Crating pictures around from one cruise to another being expected, no [U]demanded[/U]? Wow![/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]

[DHADEN]

[quote name='CoachT']She is not asking them to hold photos until the end of ONE voyage. She is asking them to hold photos until the NEXT voyage as she is on a B2B. Why would anyone expect them to do this in the first place?[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I]To Answer your question, [B][SIZE=4]BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR CUSTOMERS AND THEREFORE GOOD FOR BUSINESS!!! [/SIZE][/B][/I][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I]What's the matter with you people? Don't you know that Managers are put in place to [B][U]MAKE DECISIONS[/U][/B]..... Why? Because the rules don't always apply![/I][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I]Therefore - you put your [B][U]BRAIN[/U][/B] in gear and make the right decision to help a customer with a very reasonable request. Keeping the pictures in a file for the cruiser for next week would not be a problem.[/I][/FONT]

[quote name='Bridge Maven'] CoachT, I think she feels that way because she takes more cruises than most people do and is one of Celebrity's best customers. [/quote]

[I][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Shame on you for you PERSONAL ATTACK. Why don't you just help the OP with her question or stay out.[/FONT][/I]

[quote name=' [B']sdbmd[/B]26648340]People realize there are rules in the world and sometimes they're dumb or irritating or annoying. [I][SIZE=4][COLOR=darkorange]Doesn't mean we should always expect them to be bent for us because we're good customers,[/COLOR][/SIZE][/I] have had it done for us before, are well known at the office, etc. [/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I]That's EXACTLY what it means. If a rule is Dumb or Irritating or Annoying, then someone (gee like maybe a manager of the deopartment) had BETTER override it and get things right. That's why the people are there.[/I][/FONT]
[I][FONT=Comic Sans MS][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial Black][/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][quote name='billie5'][/SIZE]
Because company policies or mandates can not change over time?
Come to think of it, I went to a medical clinic recently and they would not let me pick up my wife's test results. I've done that for years, they know me quite well at the clinic and could just have handed me the results. Not all that hard. [/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]This is a great example of how you CAN get these kinds of Dumb or Irritating or Annoying, rules changed. Get your wife to sign a HIPAA release and you should have no further problems getting the results. You should have done that for each other when you got married.[/FONT]
[/I]

Tuggers;
I'm with you. They should have done that for you.

[U]YOU[/U] should have politely asked "Lisa" for her suprevisors name and then demanded to speak with them. Talk to the supervisor, and if that didn't make sense of the matter, then you take it to the Hotel Manager on the ship.
Calmly ask for someone to place the CUSTOMER SATISFACTION above the "Winning The Arguement".