I HATE my TA Rant

[AshleyL]

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanineA 

 

 

Glad to hear it has all worked out and I hope you have no more problems from here on

 

Thanks! Me too!

 

 

 

out.

 

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by akua420 

 

We're staying at Couples San Souci, I am so excited!  It looks super romantic, and a lot of people from the wedding are staying 2 weeks so I want alone time for me and FI  We have to pay for transportation between resorts, so its pretty close to the Bahia.  We got a way better price quote then anywhere else, the couples negril was going to be almost $2000 more! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were looking at the couples Negril but I didn't realize it was that much more! I'll definitely be looking into Couples San Souci now! Thanks! And same in our group - some people planning on staying 2 weeks and private time will definitely be needed so we want a couples only resort.

[AshleyL]

Btw akua I see you have hit 150 posts. Congrats on not being a noob anymore

[akua420]

I know, I was shocked, I though iut would be able the same (MY TA could be lying though, I don't TOTALLY trust her, ha) but it was going to be grand for the week at san souci and almost 6 grand at couples negril!  If you do find out let me know to see if I did get lied to!

 

I went NUTS today commenting so I can look at those gran Bahia pics but it STILL says noobie, guess i have to wait 24-48 hours!  Good luck, you're almost there!

[AshleyL]

I know I finally hit 150 and I still can't open any attachments

 

I will definitely let you know what prices I get for those resorts. That sucks you don't trust your TA either! My photog stayed at the Royal Plantation on her honeymoon and loved it! They had 2 private butlers and everything! I asked her to price that place out for me too, but I have a feeling that might just be wishful thinking.

[akua420]

 

 

Originally Posted by AshleyL 

 

I know I finally hit 150 and I still can't open any attachments

 

I will definitely let you know what prices I get for those resorts. That sucks you don't trust your TA either! My photog stayed at the Royal Plantation on her honeymoon and loved it! They had 2 private butlers and everything! I asked her to price that place out for me too, but I have a feeling that might just be wishful thinking.

 

Yeah it sounds amazing, I bet it would be super expensive.  The nice thing is with the group booking me and my FI get a free room upgrade, and since all the rooms are the same at the bahia I get to use it at the couples, so pretty excited about that!  I don't know if there is a TA out there to be trusted.  I went to three, and finally ended up with the one I have now so she was the best, but I still don't trust her.  This one AWFUL one said that she couldn't find us a resort for under 3000 a person, and there was no way I was going to make my guests pay THAT much!  Needless to say I jumped ship after she made me feel soooo cheap.

 

[Natalie79]

I hate my TA too!  In February we booked a block for 20 rooms.  I did not want to book a block, but my fiance insisted on it, saying so many people wanted to come.  We had to cancel 8 rooms (the max I could cancel without penalty).  Our guests have been horrific with deadlines...but that's another story.  Anyway, now that final payment is due we have 1 room left that is unbooked. 

 

ALL I DID was ask "Can we put names in the room and change at a later date?".  She replied "Your rooming list is due August 16th."  Then I replied "I would just like to know if I can change the names, i understand if there is a fee.  It doesn't make sense to not be able to change a name".

 

After the 2nd name change question.  This is what she replied.....

You signed a contract and agreed to certain terms and conditions of this
group booking. When you contacted me you could not wait for the original agent you contacted to get back because you so wanted this group contract. Since then you have
not abided by terms and conditions of that booking. We have reduced the
contract down by 8 rooms and I waived all of our Sand and Sun fees for you
in doing that caused me to do more work with no compensation. I have done
my best to accommodate all the changes you wanted and keep the fees on you
to a minimum. I even noticed that the Jr. Suite Ocean Fronts were running
on low inventory. I knew you were really wanting to get upgraded to that
category but the upgrades do not get determined until all guests pay in
full. So to make sure you got the room you wanted I had them add that room
category to the contract in place of your Jr. Suite Ocean View and had the
significant price differnce taken from my commission.

As I stated the final rooming list is due to them on August 16th as is
clearly stated in the contract you signed. So you need to either cancel
the unbooked room at a 2 night penalty or book someone into it so that I
can submit their name(s) in the rooming list. IF booking the room, $35.00
per change fee applies to any changes made and if you book people into the
room and there are any cancellations (either of a guest or of the entire
room) within 40 days prior to arrival they are in full cancellation
penalty. If a guest or a room cancellation occurs before the 40 day prior
mark there is a 2 night cancellation penalty.

Please let me know if you would like the room cancelled or give me the
name(s) of guests to place in that room.

 

Am I wrong to think she is being really rude????  This email really upset me, like i'm not stressed enough that we could still lose $600 by not having this room booked.  I have been so nice to get everything I owe her in a timely manner and this is what she writes me?  I even booked my honeymoon with her to support her business...even though I could have booked it elsewhere for cheaper.  I am not happy right now. PLUS...I never asked her to take off the fees or anything like that.  It's not my fault.

[akua420]

Natalie79 - You just scared me!  We may be short like 2 people for ourgroup booking bonus. Since me and my FI are staying at a couples resort for our honeymoon it had an earlier pay by date, so only we have to pay by Aug 17, and the entire group pays by Nov 16th.  At this point our trip will be paid for, so I'm really worried if we lose a person and are under the group minimums what will happen, and I"m scared to ask so I'm going to wait until the trip is paid for and then hopefully its too late to do anything to us, beacuse I'm worried about the same thing! 

 

I think that email was TOTALLY rude!  All she had to say was $35!  She didn't need to go on, and then basically say you are ripping her ff and she's doing all this work for free.  TA'S SUCK!!!! 

 

I would be totally mad, you are jusitifed and scared me too!  Good luck and keep us updated to what happens.  So rude, I mean you're spending THOUSANDS of dollars, and brought her thousands more with all the other guests, she should be grateful!

[Natalie79]

Hi Akua!  If your deadline is November for booking it shouldn't be to bad to get 2 more by then.  Ours have been trickling in since June.  If you are close to the deadline and know more people are coming, my advice would probably be to book the rooms so you don't lose your group agreement, that could be a whole other headache.

 

I know for my contract, if we fell under 10 rooms it would nullify the contract, which luckily didn't happen.  But I still have the room there that I really hope gets booked.  I was just so mad that one little question by me ended up into being a huge rant.

 

 

This is what I wrote her back. I was SO upset.

All I wanted to know was if I could change the names on the room if we booked it.  I knew the rooming list was due on the 16th.  I am not dumb.

I'm sorry if your commissions have decreased, but I don't know how that works in the travel industry.  You are OBVIOUSLY very upset about dealing with my group, and If I knew booking these rooms was going to be such a pain for you & me I would have never done a group block in the first place. 

I appreciated all the work you have done, and am very upset by your email.  Apparently you are very resentful towards me, when all i wanted to know is if we could change the name on the room!  You don't think I have been stressed on my end dealing with all this as well??  It's supposed to be the best day of my life and 90% of my stress is dealing with people not booking rooms and having this money looming over my head.  My fiance and I have gotten into several fights just because of having this room block.

 

Also, we booked our honeymoon through you because I was very happy with the job you were doing and I wanted to help your business.  If we had booked it on our own we would have gotten a cheaper rate.

I will let you know about the room today.  I'm sorry you still have to deal with me.

[akua420]

Great response!  I cant wait to hear what she says back.  TAs are so annoying beacuse they make it seem like they're doing you a favour, when really you're giving them THOUSANDS of dollars in business, they should be kissing our asses.  Really makes me angry.  I'm going to xcall my TA Monday morning to find out but in the meantime I will stew. 

[TammyWright]

well, we actually provide a service that you pay ZERO for.  the resort/wholesaler pays us.  do you know how many times we have saved peoples butts with the advice that we give, streamline booking for people, make sure people are booking at the right resort and right dates of a brides wedding.

 

and no, we don't need to kiss your ass and you do not need to kiss ours.  we just need to have a respectful relationship.
 

just a note, that I am not working with akua or natalie, and i do sympathize with their situation but it really is best to have a mutually respectful and beneficial relationship with your TA.  we are working with you...alot of my clients become long term clients as well as friends.

Originally Posted by akua420 

Great response!  I cant wait to hear what she says back.  TAs are so annoying beacuse they make it seem like they're doing you a favour, when really you're giving them THOUSANDS of dollars in business, they should be kissing our asses.  Really makes me angry.  I'm going to xcall my TA Monday morning to find out but in the meantime I will stew.