Am I a Difficult Customer?

[Taylor95]

I am having a really bad experience with my TA & current booking. I don't think I'm difficult or demanding, but my TA is really making me feel like I am! I have cruised two times and currently have my third booked & have used the same large online company for all. When I originally booked my June cruise in October, I booked two cabins, an inside & B6 balcony. In January (before final payment), prices dropped and I was able to save over $1100 by switching to two guarantee balconies. My TA made the change for me but complained horribly how long he had to sit on hold etc. - made me feel guilty for making the change. After I printed the revised booking I saw an error with my OBC so as bad as I hated to, I called him back. Once again he complained about the amount of time he was having to spend on my booking & actually said to me that after so many hours of his invested time he wasn't making any money & if I was going to need a lot more maybe we should part our ways. I was aggravated with his attitude but apologized and said he wouldn't hear from me again until final payment. Fast forward, final payment was made a couple weeks ago & today I see where M6 cabins have dropped to only $40 more a person than what I paid for a BX. I was super excited & made the dreaded call to my TA to ask if it was possible for me to pay the difference & upgrade. He called NCL, called me back and said I could upgrade but would lose my OBC. Then...he said to me "I am an hour into a call with NCL, I need a yes or no answer"!. Talk about sucking the excitement out of me! I know I have had multiple requests, but is this behavior normal? If so, I will plan on booking direct with NCL next time so I don't have to feel guilty about asking for changes.

 

 

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[Tralfie]

Change TA's.

 

Immediately.

 

Don't even think about it. If they don't remember that the customer is always right -- and YOU, not they, are the customer — then dump them. YOU are how they make their money. They need you more than you need them.

 

Richard/Tralfie

[nursemommy7578]

wow! what a jerk! I suggest you "part ways", lol.

 

I deal directly with NCL and am so happy with the service!! With our current holiday booking i've made 4 changes :eek::eek: lol but they always seem happy to help and very understanding of our needs.

 

good luck!!

[TifffanyD]

Yup ditch him.

[MommaBear55]

Change TA's.

 

Immediately.

 

Don't even think about it. If they don't remember that the customer is always right -- and YOU, not they, are the customer — then dump them. YOU are how they make their money. They need you more than you need them.

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

Exactly.

[TrumpyNor]

First of all - NO you are NOT a difficult customer, your TA is the difficult one here....

 

I agree with Tralfie - change your TA as soon as possible, or get yourself a PCC (personal cruise consultant) at NCL. I have a PCC, and I usually do changes to my bookings several times depending on promotions going on or because of price drops. I just send her an e-mail, and usually within an hour I receive an answer that she has taken care of my request. I have had the same PCC since 2008, and I am a very satisfied customer. :)

Edited April 30, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[B6ConMe]

Sorry you had to go through that!! :( That's very upsetting.

 

You deserve so much better. I don't deal with a TA, I go through a PCC (had him since the beginning) but I've heard so much about the great service most people get, no way would I put up with that kind of behavior. He would have been fired a long time ago.

 

If you want to find another TA do it. If you want to go directly through NCL do it, but don't stick with this TA, he doesn't deserve your business or anything else.

 

Good luck

[fishin' musician]

I strongly suggest you share with his supervisor what you have shared with us. He does not represent his agency well and would likely be considered a liability rather than an asset. This information is vital to management and you may be rewarded for your efforts.

[B6ConMe]

You are getting the responses you want but yes you are a difficult customer

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Not really, IMO or in other's opinions either apparently :(

 

 

I strongly suggest you share with his supervisor what you have shared with us. He does not represent his agency well and would likely be considered a liability rather than an asset. This information is vital to management and you may be rewarded for your efforts.

 

This is excellent advice.

[Taylor95]

With my first two cruises I didn't attempt to make any changes, didn't really know then that you could; I guess I was the ideal customer then! I am past final payment so can't really do much now but I definitely won't use this TA again. I will probably take the suggestions of sharing my experience with his supervisor & hope that I won't have anymore questions about this booking.

 

 

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[SeaShark]

You know what they say about stories...

There is one person's side,

There is the other person's side,

And somewhere in the middle is the truth.

 

I sure wish we could be fair and hear BOTH sides before passing judgment.

 

I never like coming to a conclusion based on only half of the story. YMMV

[Taylor95]

You know what they say about stories...

There is one person's side,

There is the other person's side,

And somewhere in the middle is the truth.

 

I sure wish we could be fair and hear BOTH sides before passing judgment.

 

I never like coming to a conclusion based on only half of the story. YMMV

 

 

You are right, there are always two sides. I didn't post to pass judgement - I really did want to know if my requests were "normal". I'm pretty sure conversations are recorded so I will make sure to suggest to his supervisor that they listen to the conversations so they can know/hear both sides :-)

 

 

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[bobg529]

Sales people who resent providing service to their customers after the sale is made deserve neither the sale nor the customer. Fire this jerks butt as soon as possible and make sure to tell his boss WHY. Enjoy your cruise anyway! :)

[NH Cruisers]

You are right, there are always two sides. I didn't post to pass judgement - I really did want to know if my requests were "normal". I'm pretty sure conversations are recorded so I will make sure to suggest to his supervisor that they listen to the conversations so they can know/hear both sides :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If your TA thinks you are difficult, they best not take my MIL into their business.

 

From your story, you sound like you are a normal vacationer trying for the best deal. Isn't that what TA's try to say they do best?

 

I my self book cruises direct with the cruiseline. I would most likely be considered difficult since you are.

 

I personally do not care for TA's. I have not ever benefited from them.

[Fivehole]

You are certainly within your rights to ask for assistance when you notice price drops. Doing so does not make you a difficult customer. Your TA certainly has a responsibility to service your booking. If he has offered you an OBC that you could not have otherwise received had you booked direct with NCL, then he also has the right to remove the OBC if the fare drop is such that he would be forfeiting his entire commission (or an amount he deems unreasonable, again assuming the bottom-line fare/OBC package is on par with what you would have received had you booked direct). He has the right to not want to work for free.

 

NCL's hold time is not your problem; it is your TAs problem. He should be proficient enough with using their on-line booking portal to handle most requests without ever having to call NCL.

 

In his defense, anyone who has worked in sales has also encountered the customer who is not asking for anything "out of bounds" but can be impatient (i.e. call continuously unwilling to simply leave a voicemail if TA is busy with someone else), continuously ask/imply "what else can you give me for free", use an obnoxious tone, call at all hours of the day/night (many TAs work from home these days), etc.

 

There are many ways to describe a "difficult customer" IMO.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Fivehole

[Fivehole]

I personally do not care for TA's. I have not ever benefited from them.

 

Sorry you've never had a good one! They are worth their weight in gold!

[shelly11]

I always book with NCL directly. I love my PCC. He helps me no matter how many crazy questions I have.

[MouseGal]

My guess would be that your TA's complaint is the loss of commission - the reduction in price is also a reduction in his commission. One huge reason it is so much easier to handle those requests when you've booked directly with the cruise line. Many TA's won't mind, because they are counting on your repeat business and they want a long-term relationship, but you said this was "a large online company"? So that TA probably won't be working with you again, and he has nothing invested in working with you.

Your requests are completely reasonable - you have a right to save the money, and to get the best cabin possible on your cruise!

[GrabMyWrist]

Not at all. Personally, I would have spoken with his supervisor. I'd recommend moving to another TA or NCL.

[starsanai]

Hi,

Its wonderful how one finds exactly what one is looking for on the forum. Thanks Cruisecritic & members.

My problem is similar, my TA is really hard to get right after I made the payments. And we are large group of 27 people. He's made some blunders like charging us extra $4000 (and hasnt been refunded yet after 1 month), interchanged people in cabins without asking & for no apparent reason, had told us he'd get our cabins close by but now they are on different decks, etc.

I'm really tired, can I now call NCL and have them fix my problems or would they ask me to get in touch with my TA again?

[deliver42]

I've been in 11 cruise: RCI,NCL, and Carnival, with Celebrity next, and after the first 2, I always book direct and never had a problem, other than the occasional wait times. The consultants are knowledgeable and more than willing to help. This is their company they are protecting.

[pokerpro5]

My guess would be that your TA's complaint is the loss of commission - the reduction in price is also a reduction in his commission. One huge reason it is so much easier to handle those requests when you've booked directly with the cruise line. Many TA's won't mind, because they are counting on your repeat business and they want a long-term relationship, but you said this was "a large online company"? So that TA probably won't be working with you again, and he has nothing invested in working with you.

Your requests are completely reasonable - you have a right to save the money, and to get the best cabin possible on your cruise!

 

DING DING DING

 

The Mouse has got it.

 

He is angry about the situation for two reasons.

 

First, he is losing some commission.

 

Second, he is having to spend extra time on doing something that will only end up costing him money.

 

Not your problem, but that's the situation.

 

Dump this loser.

[dtiger]

I agree with previous posters to drop this travel agent as soon as possible. He is not providing you with customer service, making you feel guilty for calling for legitimate reasons and has a bad attitude.

[Buford T Justiice]

Interestingly, I think I have used the same or similar TA in the past and he is a royal, arrogant, pain. But the other side of the story (at least for me) is that he discounts well below NCL retail price, AND provides additional OBC this is usually close to the DSC. I believe he is a principal of the company.

 

I book the cruise and cabin at the price I like, and rarely communicate with him, and if necessary only communicate through email, so I don' have to deal with the comments.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Buford T Justiice

[NH Cruisers]

Sorry you've never had a good one! They are worth their weight in gold!

That's what I hear! I am sorry I never found one too. I have taken recommendations in the past and been dissapointed.