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What to do when your travel agent makes a mistake and says she'll get fired for it?


shellzj
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Hello Cruisers,

 

In July 2016, I booked my cruise over the phone with a very large travel agency for a Holland America 7-night Alaskan cruise out of Seattle with a June 3, 2017 sail date. I booked this cruise right after HAL announced their Explore4 promotion, which for the suite I booked includes the following:

  • Signature Beverage Package
  • 200 internet minutes
  • Prepaid gratuities
  • Dinner for 2 at the Pinnacle Grille
  • About $1,200 in benefits I was/am excited about using

However, as I was booking plane tickets to Seattle, shore excursions, etc., I got worried that I didn't see any mention of the promotions on my HAL account. Low and behold, the agent booked the wrong rate code. Instead of booking Explore4, she booked the agency's "group code", which was supposedly $200 cheaper but didn't include Explore4.

 

I talked to the agent this week, and she knows she made a mistake (no self-respecting agent would knowingly book a rate that was $200 cheaper given that the promotions were worth at least $1200), and she sounds genuinely sorry about it. However, she says that HAL won't let her fix it and that her employer will:

  1. Dock her pay check for the $1200 difference (to add the promotion items back in)
  2. Then fire her

She almost sounded like she was about to cry. This was at least the second cruise I've booked through this individual in two years (5th through the agency); she's not a novice agent, and she really tries to be helpful. But in this case, she just made a mistake because she's human.

 

So what would you do?

I don't want this agent to lose her job, but I also don't think I should be on the hook for $1,200. I think that this very large agency is probably one of the largest travel agencies in the US, and that they should be able to easily fix this without anyone losing money or their jobs.

 

And I can't imagine this is the first time that an agent has booked the wrong rate code.

 

(Before you ask or make accusations, I didn't notice the error on my e-invoice in July because for whatever reason, this very large agency never documents these types of promotions in writing. None of my last 4 bookings with them has ever enumerated free drinks, gratuities, etc. You just have to trust it's there and/or double check directly with the cruise line - which, lesson learned, I should have called HAL sooner.)

(Update - I emailed her and told her I didn't want to lose her job and offered to pay the $200 in the "mistake fare." But now I wonder if she's playing me? I found a screenshot I made at the time of booking at another site advertising a lower fare than I paid with the same promotions, but I can't be sure it was the exact same booking type.)

Thanks for your collective help.

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$1200 is a material loss. I don't think you can ignore this. Sometimes we learn best when asked to be accountable for our "mistakes". This was a major mistake, and you should not absorb the loss due to essentially a stranger to you, who is now emotionally blackmailing you. Report it.

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You may want to consider the new "Ready, Set, Sail" promotion. With any luck your fare will be lower (ours was so I rebooked) and you will receive at least some of the perks you lost out on because of the travel agent's mistake. It includes prepaid gratuities and OBC.

 

However you resolve this situation I hope you have an excellent trip!

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As someone who works in a customer service position, I was taught to take ownership if I made a mistake. It's a bitter pill to swallow but it has to be done. Just about anything can be fixed. She needs to take ownership of her mistake, it's about making the moment right.

Edited by IllinoisGirl1978
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I agree that you should try to get the promos you thought you were getting. It's possible that the agent is trying to talk you out of asking for those promos. You have no way of knowing for sure how much trouble she's in. Not having anything in writing makes me wonder if they agency will balk.

 

I book on the phone with an online agency, and the promos never show in my HAL booking. I thought I've read here that promos only show on the website if you book through HAL. With the agency I use, as soon as I put down the deposit I get a confirmation that shows all the promos for my booking. Everything has always turned out as expected, but I have that confirmation to back me up, just in case.

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Yikes this is awful for you.

 

Do you have any emails or correspondence from when you booked that mention the $1200 worth of items you were going to receive?

 

 

I agree with everyone who is advising you to go after those promotions you were promised. I'm sure the agency's insurance would cover it.

This person is wrong to make you feel guilty for her oversight/mistake.

 

I have a feeling I know who you are speaking of and we just went to their huge travel show. We put an Alaska land and sea trip on hold with one of their agents that day and the print out she gave us didn't mention any of the promotions we were going to get for booking at the show. She said that's the way their system works.

Sounds like a crazy system if you ask me.

 

We didn't end up booking that particular trip, I booked myself through HAL.

 

 

Good luck and please let us know how you make out!

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Large companies often have a "graduated discipline" process when employees do not meet performance standards.

 

So if this agent genuinely is worried about losing her job over this mistake, one might be able to assume this is not her first, nor will be her last.

 

If on all other accounts this is good, valuable and productive employee, one can possibly assume her company will offer her this "graduated discipline" process, in lieu of firing her and starting all over to train someone new. This process may include a probation period and extra training requirements.

 

Rarely does one see one strike and you are out in larger corporations or public institutions. But if this was her third strike, then best for all concerned if she is let go. She earned it.

 

(Assumptions only - but that seems to be part of this equation here - assuming if you don't take the loss, she will get fired)

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Large companies often have a "graduated discipline" process when employees do not meet performance standards.

 

So if this agent genuinely is worried about losing her job over this mistake, one might be able to assume this is not her first, nor will be her last.

 

If on all other accounts this is good, valuable and productive employee, one can possibly assume her company will offer her this "graduated discipline" process, in lieu of firing her and starting all over to train someone new. This process may include a probation period and extra training requirements.

 

Rarely does one see one strike and you are out in larger corporations or public institutions. But if this was her third strike, then best for all concerned if she is let go. She earned it.

 

(Assumptions only - but that seems to be part of this equation here - assuming if you don't take the loss, she will get fired)

 

 

I would say that is a very good assumption, I was thinking the same thing.

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How do you know how many other mistakes this agent may have made with other peoples bookings?

Her mistake, her obligation to fix it. It's nice that you don't want her to be fired, and I doubt that would happen unless, as I said, it's happened before.

Look at it this way, what if her mistake was that she hit your car at a red light causing $1,200 in damage? Would you not want her to pay your damage? She damaged your booking by making her mistake.

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She needs to make good what was promised and booked. If she is worried about losing her job, it sounds like she has made quite a few mistakes.

I book through one of the largest travel agencies in the country and our TA always sends a conformation of everything that we are due to receive on the cruise once the deposit is made.

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This is purely a business issue.

 

Your TA is making it a personal issue. Extremely unprofessional IMHO.

 

Tell her to fix it or you will be forced escalate to management. The agency may have enough influence with HAL to get fixed or adjusted N/C by HAL.

 

Don't use this TA any more. Always get the offer/deal in writing. If it is not in writing it is not a deal.

 

This is the reason we do not deal with friends, don't want a new best friend when we select a TA. It is strictly a business transaction to us.

 

The really good ones are professional, business oriented, and far too busy to get personal. If you get one that wants to get personal and speaking of family, etc. drop him or her like a ton of bricks. Just our opinion.

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As an alternative, if you are interested, request what the TA/agency is willing to do for you given that you have proof and the agency does not confirm the "order" at time of booking. They need to make it right. Will they upgrade you to a Neptune Suite? Add $1200 of OBC? Discount your cruise?

 

It was not your mistake and you should not have to pay for it.

 

This whole situation is made worse by the TA's unprofessional conduct when it was revealed she had made a mistake. Why would she put you in the situation of feeling sorry for her and worse, to cover the cost. She certainly has nerve.

 

I hope you find a satisfactory resolution and enjoy your long-waited cruise.

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Reading this made me think about my own reservation so I went back and checked everything. I also have the Explore4 promotion which when I booked clearly said "dinner for 2 in the Pinnacle Grill". Now reading my invoice I see that it says "Guests receive 1 complimentary Pinnacle Grill dinner per stateroom". Are they simply saying you dine once per stateroom for free or do they really mean only one of you dines for free? I know this isn't exactly on topic...or it might be, my invoice does list a rate code but unless you have a list of the code how would you know if the TA put in the right code?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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I too would demand what I had booked. The agency, if this large, can cover their loss. And even if it was a small agency, you are owed what was booked. The agent certainly wouldn't pay out of her pocket if YOU had made an error.

 

Given the length of time that has passed, you bear someresponsibility, IMO for this error remainin g for so long don't you always check booking confirmations? If not, why not? Do you care that muuch a bout the $$$ for this woman to lose her job? Had you sen the errrors ooner, perhaps HAL may have permitted her to correcxt it?

Is it worth that much to you? I am not saying you do not have the right to say, yes, you care that much. I would not but, that is a personal choice and circustsance. I would aways err onthe side of someone maintaining their livelihood. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Should we all u lose our means of supporting ourselves and our families? h AVE A HEART. I'D choke ON that money if I cost a TA her job be ause she made a human error I don't love money enough to live with that.

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Given the length of time that has passed, you bear someresponsibility, IMO for this error remainin g for so long don't you always check booking confirmations? If not, why not? Do you care that muuch a bout the $$$ for this woman to lose her job? Had you sen the errrors ooner, perhaps HAL may have permitted her to correcxt it?

Is it worth that much to you? I am not saying you do not have the right to say, yes, you care that much. I would not but, that is a personal choice and circustsance. I would aways err onthe side of someone maintaining their livelihood. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Should we all u lose our means of supporting ourselves and our families? h AVE A HEART. I'D choke ON that money if I cost a TA her job be ause she made a human error I don't love money enough to live with that.

 

Have a heart - you cannot be serious!

This is a business matter not a personal matter. The TA's company owes the OP the value of Explore 4 promotion. The agent made a mess of it and now needs to fix it. Period. As stated elsewhere it is completely unprofessional of her to use emotional blackmail.

It is a matter of the wallet not a matter of the heart.

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Have a heart - you cannot be serious!

This is a business matter not a personal matter. The TA's company owes the OP the value of Explore 4 promotion. The agent made a mess of it and now needs to fix it. Period. As stated elsewhere it is completely unprofessional of her to use emotional blackmail.

It is a matter of the wallet not a matter of the heart.

 

 

Ditto

 

If the agent is saying she may lose her job...this is obviously not the first time she's made a mistake like this.

 

That was completely unprofessional for her to have even told the OP she would lose her job over this.

 

 

She needs to act like an adult and admit her mistake to her boss.

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Have a heart - you cannot be serious!

This is a business matter not a personal matter. The TA's company owes the OP the value of Explore 4 promotion. The agent made a mess of it and now needs to fix it. Period. As stated elsewhere it is completely unprofessional of her to use emotional blackmail.

It is a matter of the wallet not a matter of the heart.

Exactly. I could not agree more. Actually I think the OP is being played because large agencies would carry errors and omissions insurance.

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I am a strong believer in getting what you pay for.

 

You are being played like a violin.

 

Perhaps she will offer you a free bottle of plonk or a $100. credit on your next cruise! Sound familiar?

 

 

Get what you agreed to and paid for.

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I am a strong believer in getting what you pay for.

 

You are being played like a violin.

 

Perhaps she will offer you a free bottle of plonk or a $100. credit on your next cruise! Sound familiar?

 

 

Get what you agreed to and paid for.

 

How is she in the plate of chocolate covered strawberries dept?

 

We had more than a few room service delivery misses once in our super deluxe Prinsendam Neptune Suite.

 

Apologies all around and even a nice note expressing their regrets and hope their small offering of chocolate covered strawberries will help make up for the service delivery errors. Except there was no plate of chocolate covered strawberries accompanying that nice note. We batted 1.000 on that one.

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I don't classify this as catastrophe.

 

For those or you mistake proof persons. Good for you. ;)

Sail, If I have $1200 I want to give away, I will donate it to a charity.

If I make a mistake that costs someone else money then it is up to me to make it up to them.

A professional travel agent would make their client whole and not whine to them.

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This is purely a business issue.

 

Your TA is making it a personal issue. Extremely unprofessional IMHO.

 

Tell her to fix it or you will be forced escalate to management. The agency may have enough influence with HAL to get fixed or adjusted N/C by HAL.

 

Don't use this TA any more. Always get the offer/deal in writing. If it is not in writing it is not a deal.

 

This is the reason we do not deal with friends, don't want a new best friend when we select a TA. It is strictly a business transaction to us.

 

The really good ones are professional, business oriented, and far too busy to get personal. If you get one that wants to get personal and speaking of family, etc. drop him or her like a ton of bricks. Just our opinion.

 

Sail, If I have $1200 I want to give away, I will donate it to a charity.

If I make a mistake that costs someone else money then it is up to me to make it up to them.

A professional travel agent would make their client whole and not whine to them.

 

I totally agree with both of you.

 

for Sail and others that may not know, if you book with a TA you don't always see your explore4 unless they send you page 2. (I only had it once and dropped it after the price went down more than the value (for us) of the Explore4)

 

There is no owness on the OP IMO. The owness is on the TA to disclose and make sure the client knows what the ramifications are.

 

the TA's company has errors and ommissions insurance. It the TA is that afraid of losing their job, they can pay it out of pocket.

 

It's a mistake, plain and simple. An error. But the OP should NOT pay for the TA's mistake. . And the TA should not be playing this game. Highly unprofessional IMO.

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How is she in the plate of chocolate covered strawberries dept?

 

We had more than a few room service delivery misses once in our super deluxe Prinsendam Neptune Suite.

 

Apologies all around and even a nice note expressing their regrets and hope their small offering of chocolate covered strawberries will help make up for the service delivery errors. Except there was no plate of chocolate covered strawberries accompanying that nice note. We batted 1.000 on that one.

 

 

:'):'):') Sounds like my kind of luck.

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