Complaint about Luxury Link customer relations services.

[danaa70]

Hi, Though my issue is not with a US based auction, I have had problems with an auction I purchased Dec. 31 on LL for Inkaterra properties in Peru. (The entire tale in on the South American thread)

Today I emailed Nancy Taylor,as I had not heard of her before; in addiiton I went to the Inkaterra site and found emails for all the top level managers and the owner and emailed them my concerns. In a nutshell, barely a response from customer serice organizing this trip. Remember, this trip is in Peru......at the bottom of the LL page sent to me upon winning the bid, it explicitly advises to handle all reservations, etc. within thirty days. Since Jan 2 I have been calling and emailing Inkaterra. Finally after numerous email begging for a response, I received an itinerary based on the dates I chose. HOWEVER, all the properties require planes, trains and automobiles includingticketswith a train difficult to obtain, and tickets to MP which are also difficult. Most tour agencies do this for their clients as a gesture. It also states they will help me with these reservations. Not one word on coordinating any of these;of course they did offerto SELL me two nights at a fourth property and a second night that should have been included in the package (but wasn't) and they said we reallyneededit to see the area!



I will be waiting to see what kind of response I get. This is terribly discouraging and I doubt - unless they come up with some plan thatcan satisfy me - I wouldEVER recommend a LL auction to anyone. They obviously don't care, anyway.



So if traveling far distances...make sure the company will come through as promised. If they cannot bother to email me when I have serious questions regarding the trip; what kind of company is it. I cannot believe it's even on LL.



I have noticed their latest auction bids have included stays in crucial areas on the way to MP - and transfers - and tickets. Too bad they did not when I won my auction. I hate to use that word, "won", as I really do not feel like a winner.

[danaa70]

An update on Inkaterra...after emailing the CEO, GM, Sales MGr and several others, I just received an email from the President and Ceo of Inkaterra who expressed surprise at my situation (well I have also been surprised by this; certainly did not expect it.) He is looking into it so hopefully by the first of the week I will get a resolution. If only his customer service could read an email and reply as quickly as he. I was not asking or the moon; just reservations.

I did appreciate the fact that he was concerned. Dana

[obrienkf]

Betty-Lynn and others.



Clearly one of the greatest elements of the Luxury Link community is that the managers / monitors of Luxury Link allow the community to disucss the quality of service and their own customer service in such a public forum, without censorship. And they get on top of disasters pretty darn quickly. I have only had exceptional, high calibre service response from the LL crew, and have not had the 'our server went ky-bash' moment that Nancy clearly had in dealing with your concerns.



Patience is part of what most of us demonstrate time and again with LL. They have their own challenges in ensuring that the ppty's provide the service as promised, and that cannot be a simple process.



Good on you for articulating your disappointments in a manner that could be dealt with by LLcustomer service... and good on you for ensuring that the community was aware that LL provided appropriate response once the technical challenges were resolved.



I have had a few 'goof-ups' contacting properties in the past, but i used the 'contact us' avenues that LL provided. And Nancy et al got on top of it without delay, to my staifaction (one stupid challenge was with a ppty in Marrakesh, and the hang up was that the local telephone company added a number to contact them directly... a simple issue, a disaster on my side, easily resolved by LL, and the Kniad made a generous compensation for my inconvenience and frustration...)



Weclome to the community. Don't be too hard on the small team in LL. They have done yeoman service for many of us, over many years, and they need time, sometimes, to contact the right person at the 'off the beaten path' hotel that we have chosen. Its a good community, and if a ppty is truly trash, and beneath anyones normal standards, it will be dropped by LL, as they dont want or need the hassle.



nice and informative exchange...



kind regards

[youngandflourishing]

With any company I am sure there will be kinks here and there. I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, but I would be willing to bet it is an isolated incident. I am new to Luxury Link, but I have heard great things about them for years. I regret that I waited until now to check it out for myself. Thanks for your valuable input. I get skeptical when companies sound too good to be true. It's nice to know (as strange as it may sound) that there is a small element of human error here.

*youngandflorishing*

[danaa70]

I appreciate everyone's opinions and input. I am just documenting my personal experience with my auction win; I thought that is what forums were all about.

I am now pretty prepared for the trip to Peru; and will just sit back, relax and read my guidebooks



. I quickly learned how to ellicit answers and help from other sources that were not affiliated with my auction win; some very small properties that we will be staying in before and after our "trip". They gave me numerous tips and assistance on how to book tickets, trains, guides etc. (which are necessary before arrival) and even offered to pick them up as we would not be there in time from the states to do it ourselves..



I thought that was great customer service.



If anyone is thinking about going to Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley and Cusco on their own, I will be happy to pass on their names. Since everything these days is done via email I wasnot surprised these small lodgings respondedwithina day; but was surprised it took the company that I had already paidlast monthto take weeks. That's all I am saying about this again.



When I return, I will report on how if all went. Hopefully in the end I will be totally and happily surprised.



I still enjoy perusing the Luxury Link auctions, dreaming of the next one I'd want to take. Thanks for all the support, Dana

[PierreandBetty]

I so much agree that being able to voice our grievances tothe Community helps get matters resolved much more quickly. The Monitor certainly forwards these posts with instructions to resolve the matter expediently. LL must know that if we have to write to the Community it's because we haven't gotten anywhere with our correspondance with LL and this is our ultimate avenue. Being able to post on the Community board without fear of being censored is certainly an incentive to continue bidding on LL packages.



Hopefully Danaa 70 will have a nice trip; she sure deserves it after all that work.



Regards to all.

[maylinglai1]

Although I adore LL, I think it's good you posted your feedback, as every website should have honest positive and negative feedback. I think this community board actually helps to ensure timely response by LL customer service as well as good behavior from the resorts it selects.

Many of the existing packages have now been reviewed by members. Should you be brave enough to give LL another response, after what sounds like a not quite so good experience, perhaps selecting one with a positive review would be good?

Also, I do hope you insert a review of your experience on the destinations portion of this website. I always find it helpful to know what other people thought of a place both good and bad.

[rknsharma]

Another complaint:

I purchased a 3-day package on 8/19/12 for Savannah, GA. I was unable to firm up my travel plans until 3/30/13 when I asked for 3-days in September 2013 which were included in the original time window. I was unable to make the reservation through their web site and asked for help from their travel manager. She put in a manual request for these dates and eventually advised me that the dates originally advertised as available were no longer available. I asked for a refund of the $456 I had paid via credit card. I was then advised I would be given a credit of $416 for future travel, less a $40 handling fee. I called their phone number in Los Angeles and spoke to a very terse representative who indicated it was his manager who had made the decision not to refund the handling charge. I waited all day yesterday for the phone call. No one called.

If anyone should be charging a handling fee, it should be me charging luxury link for the amount of time I have spent trying to resolve this situation amicably. It is truly dissapointing when a merchant can't follow through on a advertised product.

Recommended:
No

[kyshel]

Another complaint:

I purchased a 3-day package on 8/19/12 for Savannah, GA. I was unable to firm up my travel plans until 3/30/13 when I asked for 3-days in September 2013 which were included in the original time window. I was unable to make the reservation through their web site and asked for help from their travel manager. She put in a manual request for these dates and eventually advised me that the dates originally advertised as available were no longer available. I asked for a refund of the $456 I had paid via credit card. I was then advised I would be given a credit of $416 for future travel, less a $40 handling fee. I called their phone number in Los Angeles and spoke to a very terse representative who indicated it was his manager who had made the decision not to refund the handling charge. I waited all day yesterday for the phone call. No one called.

If anyone should be charging a handling fee, it should be me charging luxury link for the amount of time I have spent trying to resolve this situation amicably. It is truly dissapointing when a merchant can't follow through on a advertised product.

Recommended:
No

So, 7 months after you "planned" to travel you wanted to book another month later? Was this an auction? Did you read the terms of your contract when you made the purchase in August?
I think you should be happy with any credit less the service charge. Perhaps you can get the same great buy directly form the property.

[Mountie]

Another complaint:

I purchased a 3-day package on 8/19/12 for Savannah, GA. I was unable to firm up my travel plans until 3/30/13 when I asked for 3-days in September 2013 which were included in the original time window. I was unable to make the reservation through their web site and asked for help from their travel manager. She put in a manual request for these dates and eventually advised me that the dates originally advertised as available were no longer available. I asked for a refund of the $456 I had paid via credit card. I was then advised I would be given a credit of $416 for future travel, less a $40 handling fee. I called their phone number in Los Angeles and spoke to a very terse representative who indicated it was his manager who had made the decision not to refund the handling charge. I waited all day yesterday for the phone call. No one called.

If anyone should be charging a handling fee, it should be me charging luxury link for the amount of time I have spent trying to resolve this situation amicably. It is truly dissapointing when a merchant can't follow through on a advertised product.

Recommended:
No

I'll bet you requested Labor Day weekend.