Terrible softskills

[sl005073]

Have you been to a travel agency to enquire but serviced by lousy softskills person ?

Went in with happy mood but came out of the agency with lousy feeling.


I was at Foo Hai Building yesterday. Went there with my wife ... both very happy as we kind of decided to make reservation with the agency. Unfortunately we were served by lousy salesperson. In less than 20mins, we walked without making any reservation. :thumbsd:

We then went to CTC and the service was 180 degree changed ! The salesperson explained all the details patiently. We didn't make reservation as the date is fit our schedule.


I understand all the travel agencies have more or less the same policies. I am willing to accept this. But you don't have to put in so bluntly like "you can't cancel the reservation, only we can cancel it...". So you (travel agency) protect your own interest, what about our (consumer) interests ?

When asked to explain the cancellation policy, the salesperson don't have to make a sigh then explain. What kind of attitude is this ?

 

[Lolrence]

Reminds me of the time I went to Xin Wang cafe for the first time a few nights ago... just rude customer service.

Was that person who served you a non-local person?

 

[sl005073]

You are right. Does not sound local. Probably just young and inexperienced.

Reminds me of the time I went to Xin Wang cafe for the first time a few nights ago... just rude customer service.

Was that person who served you a non-local person?

 

[azul123]

But you don't have to put in so bluntly like "you can't cancel the reservation, only we can cancel it...". So you (travel agency) protect your own interest, what about our (consumer) interests ?

If you looked at T&Cs by many local companies, yes even the Telcos... they have some items in there siding to themselves. I think what should be done is whenever there are some clauses siding with service provider then there should be an equivalent clause to side to the purchaser.

Meaning if purchaser cancel the trip a 50% penalty imposed, equally if travel agent cancel the tour a 50% penalty impose on them as well. No consumer protection, sianz man...

CASE also cannot do anything, most they will do is send strongly worded letters on your behalf and mostly nothing can be done if the other party knows that CASE got no teeth.

We are decades behind in consumerism when compared to 1st World countries.

../azul123

 

[ggodetucsamoht]

if i were to go i wont even look at small small agency, will only consider ASA, CTC, etc.....

 

[dreaming]

if i were to go i wont even look at small small agency, will only consider ASA, CTC, etc.....

it is not a matter of how established the agency is.. it really boils down to individual.

went to five star for a tour package booking, and it was a i ask one question and he answer one question affair.

next, when there was a need to cancel a tour package at ASA, was given a cold shoulder. that guy just shrug it off everything we ask..

imo. there is only a tour agency that i will consider frequenting, and it is consider a small agency by local standard.

 

[dreaming]

btw, it is better to do some research; as each tour agency are strong in certain area. like some are good at organising tour to aust, some to europe, or japan.

though sg ppl spend a huge mount on travel, but it seems like most travel with tour agency. and not exploring the country themselves or backpack..

 

[ricohflex]

have u experienced this....
little gal tries too hard to set you up for a bad deal
she tries ways and means to make you spend more money than you need to
refuses to confirm the hotel of your choice
wants you to stay at another expensive hotel of their choice
even tell you that "the hotel (of your choice) staff cannot confirm your booking because they are having a meeting now"
what a load of nonsense....
sometimes...travel agency little gals try TOO HARD to impress their supervisor / manager who is watching in the background.....that they can squeeze more and more $ out of you
so they try to bleed you dry......

 

[night86mare]

though sg ppl spend a huge mount on travel, but it seems like most travel with tour agency. and not exploring the country themselves or backpack..

it is a sad thing, they miss out a lot.

i guess it's fine if you're there for the first time and it's not such a good place and you are travelling with family..

but after trying the latter, i think it will be hard to go back to the former. organisation sucks everytime, because they are more interested in earning more money by bringing you to the places that they get comm from, by bringing you to places where you stop for 20 min then have to move off.. all i remember about guided tours is feeling very bored and sitting on the bus a lot. is a waste of time.

 

[hongsien]

have u experienced this....
little gal tries too hard to set you up for a bad deal
she tries ways and means to make you spend more money than you need to
refuses to confirm the hotel of your choice
wants you to stay at another expensive hotel of their choice
even tell you that "the hotel (of your choice) staff cannot confirm your booking because they are having a meeting now"
what a load of nonsense....
sometimes...travel agency little gals try TOO HARD to impress their supervisor / manager who is watching in the background.....that they can squeeze more and more $ out of you
so they try to bleed you dry......

Not the same experience, but had a young girl serving me at the travel agent on the second floor of Adelphi (near the escalator, think its gone now) years ago. She was more interested in doing other things than helping me to get a ticket price.........perhaps she thought as I was not interested in a tour package they can't earn enough from me. Some stuck up person.......terrible working attitude some people have!

Anyway, didn't see her working there after 2 weeks or so........and now the company has moved or is closed, don't know what happened to it.....

HS

 

[sl005073]

CB @ Fook Hai ... not a small agency....

IMHO, small companies sometimes give you that personal touch that you won't get in a big company. Its more of the employee attitude.

We went there because we had feedback they are one of the recommended agency for the destination. It is also the departure date that we want. They also included an optional tour that others don't.

Went back again yesterday and was serviced by different salesgal. So much better than the 1st one we met.

 

[boroangel]

With so much travel information on the internet these days...I would strongly encourage ppl to plan your own travels rather than having to book package tours. Unless of cos, you have small kids or the elderly, in that sense sometimes package tours might be a better idea.