Crashing headlong into the future/ won't even leave a dent / just walk in like you own it / remember...
Crashing headlong into the future/ won't even leave a dent / just walk in like you own it / remember, it ain't set in cement...
Member since:23.03.2001
Reviews:90
Members who trust:224
At the top of the Ciao charts, everyone seems to be singing the praises of Travelcare, however a recent experience means I would not consider booking with them in the future. I felt I needed to write this opinion in the interests of balance…
We recently visited one of their branches to enquire about self-drive holidays to Northern France, and were shown a selection of holidays by a helpful adviser. We eventually settled on a two week break in an apartment in Brittany that had all the facilities we needed as well as being very good value. We obtained a price including the long ferry crossing to St Malo (= shorter drive), and were on the point of booking when their computer system crashed.
As they were due to close within the hour they said it would not be restored until the next working day, but I was concerned we might lose this terrific deal if it couldn’t be booked there and then. I was assured I needn’t worry, but to reassure me she wrote out all the details by hand – booking code, crossings, accommodation code, etc, for when I came back in.
On Monday morning I came back to pay for the holiday, only to be told a mistake had been made and the price we had been quoted was barely half of the total cost. She couldn’t understand how the price we had been given was arrived at. I was told that neither a manager nor the adviser we had seen at the weekend was available, and was told to come back the next day. She was very reluctant to return my hand-written quote, saying she would put it in the file for the next day, but eventually I left with it.
On my third trip I got to see the manager, who said the tour operator had misquoted originally. I explained that we had been about to book on this price, which they would have had to honour, and asked him to phone the tour operator again, which he refused. So I asked him if he would split the difference between the two costs (over £300), whereupon he offered me a £15 discount! He said that was the best they could do on these cheap packages as they didn’t make much on them, and then turned his back on me to talk to someone else.
I was seething with anger; I felt I had been treated very unfairly. They have lost a customer for life, and we had booked with them before more than once (admittedly only other worthless ‘cheap packages’). I didn’t cheer up until we had booked a much nicer and slightly cheaper holiday through Bargain Holiday (who we found on Teletext. Will do the op once we’ve actually been, but superb prices). There’s no way I will ever bother with the Co-op again.
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I kinda guessed you don't like co-op from your ops!
sue.51 19.06.2001 01:29
Good op - sorry to hear about your rough ride, booked with on Saturday for the second time, and so far (touch wood) have found the service to be outstanding.
sue
Paiceyjohn 18.06.2001 14:53
What a shame - it sounds like you got the thin end of the wedge - certainly not a good example of quality customer service. I say what a shame, because this is the only bad example of Travelcare I have heard about. As well as being in the Ciao top five, they came second in the Guardian/Observer awards for best agent - I think your local branch must be the duff one in the chain! Thankfully, your story ends on a happy note and it sounds like you've got a top bargain holiday and I hope you have a cracking time.
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Apr 30th, 2001
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