TA being rude to guests...HELP!

[jhawkev]

Hi Ladies,

 

I need some advice. Last night we had our first engagement party with friends and some family. Which was so fun and exciting!

 

......Until I keep hearing the same thing from several of our guests. That our TA is rude and bothered by questions or help they have needed while booking for our wedding. I am absolutely FUMING because I have had her treat me like this several times during our booking process (and have let it slide because I just want everything to run smoothly and am terrified to be a Bridezilla).

 

This is our second TA because the first we received through another website was absolutely horrible. So my fiance found one locally and we loved her at first, she suggested our fabulous resort. But since our booking process has started it's a downhill slope of problems I'm starting to notice and her being rude to our family and friends for one of the biggest days of our lives is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

 

We just had a deadline for prices she quoted us and I believe several people called on the last day (including us for booking the rest of our wedding party). However, when the process began we asked her if she wanted to deal directly with our guest. And she said "absolutely". We have our website with her own page, we sent her the link and she approved it. We have a group of about 30-40 people going, and everyone has different circumstances for which they need her help and advice and that seems to put her out in some way.

 

Whether or not, some guests need more help than others, I feel that THIS IS HER JOB and we are giving her a lot of business. There is absolutely no reason for her to be overtly rude to anyone. Especially when no one has been rude to her in any way.

 

Many of my friends were afraid to tell me, worried about making me upset. But I am very upset and need advice on how to approach her about this situation. We have already invested quite a bit of money and have to continue to work with her. But with how I'm feeling this moment I want to call and bite her head off!

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Erika

[Baby_G]

I'm going through the same thing as you. At first my TA was awesome in term of answering questions and doing research on the resorts for me, but once everyone starts putting down their deposits, we seen less effort from her...

[Maybride2009]

How awful! I think the only thing you can do is to let her know that people have mentioned her lack of helpfulness and if it doesn't change I would ask to speak to a supervisor if she has one.

You are providing her with a lot of business...you are right it is not acceptable!

[jhawkev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maybride2009 How awful! I think the only thing you can do is to let her know that people have mentioned her lack of helpfulness and if it doesn't change I would ask to speak to a supervisor if she has one. You are providing her with a lot of business...you are right it is not acceptable!

It's her and one other person in a small office. I'm pretty sure she owns it.

And I just found out my fiance has already called her once about this, because she was rude to his sister. But I think it all happened on the same day.

[Maybride2009]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhawkev It's her and one other person in a small office. I'm pretty sure she owns it. And I just found out my fiance has already called her once about this, because she was rude to his sister. But I think it all happened on the same day.

Is there any way you can possibly change TA's? If not I would call her again and let her know how dissapointed you were to hear from your guests that she made them feel like a bother.

The only way to deal with people like this is to confront them head on...it's not fun but if you are submissive she will keep doing it and I would hate for her to make your guests feel bad...that is so unprofessional of her.

[Maybride2009]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TA Maureen Sorry you are having to deal with this. Has anyone told you specifically what she has said or done other than just saying she is being rude? I only ask because it may be more helpful if you bring it up and have examples because some people just don't even realize they are being rude. So if you told her you heard from a few guests and gave her a few different instances she really wouldn't be able to shrug it off. .

Very good point!

[jhawkev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TA Maureen Sorry you are having to deal with this. Has anyone told you specifically what she has said or done other than just saying she is being rude? I only ask because it may be more helpful if you bring it up and have examples because some people just don't even realize they are being rude. So if you told her you heard from a few guests and gave her a few different instances she really wouldn't be able to shrug it off. Plus there's 2 sides to every story. I remember my MIL told me our TA was being rude and then TA (who I'm also friends with) showed me the emails back and forth from my MIL and it certainly wasn't the TA that was being rude in that instance.

I'm totally for two sides of each story, but I have have specific instances with her myself and my guests have given me specific details. It was all over the phone, so I have no emails. My main issue is the way she talks to people. She says things in a condescending tone and truly acts like many of our questions are stupid. I normally am all over any one with bad customer service skills, but this is such a touchy situation and we have 6 months of time to go....
And she's the one dropping the ball and leaving out very important details that we need to know. She volunteered to help our guests with flights, but when a guest asked her to help she said there was a $25 fee per person (which she never mentioned to us), she's included transfers in the price, but they are not really available for all people. And I just spoke to another person who called on our deadline date and gave the her their information for travel and she never called them back. So the next day after the deadline they called her again and the price had gone up several hundred dollars.

And much of this came out after people had a few cocktails at our engagement party, otherwise I don't think I would have heard. Because they didn't want to complain.

Being a travel agent yourself, how do you recommend I approach it? We still have numerous guests that need to book and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable sending any more business her way.

[JenniferSS]

That's a hard situation to be in ( as the bride!). If you have already made your group requirements ( I am assuming you did a group because of the deadline) I would probably switch the rest of the business to another TA.

 

One of our many jobs ( and one of the most important) is to assist with the guests questions and making them feel excited about attending your wedding and comfortable with the arrangements.

 

It sounds like she is not familiar with group travel and the extra requirements that go along with destination weddings and that may be stressing her out!

[jhawkev]

Well, I sent her a firm but not over the top email and she responded not so positively. My fiance has read her reply and advised me to wait to read it....(since I've already cried today!)

 

I gave her specific instances and even examples of how she spoke with me and my guest and how she left out many, many major details and fees. But I just don't think she really cares. Which is too bad being that I know another newly engaged Bride looking for a TA. And that I will soon start doing event/bridal makeup applications and could have given her even more business than I already have!!!

 

The hard part is we are locked in paying for us, our family, and wedding party. But we still have several guests that need to book, so I'm looking for a friendly, knowlegable TA

[Maybride2009]

I am so sorry you are having a hard time. I am also going through a hard time wedding wise right now too and it just sucks.

I really hope you get this all sorted out. My thoughts are with you for a happy ending