IHG Platinum contact centre have no clue

[OzEire]

Long story short I stayed two nights in the HI Old Sydney and was credited for only one night (I don't even know how this happens, surely its automatic). Sent off the usual webform for retro credit and got the formula response, thanks, your loyalty is appreciated, we will get back to you shortly.

Two days later I get the, send us a scanned copy of your bill (subtext: because we don't believe you) email. Sent reply same day.

Got a reply two days later with, your bill confirms that you only stayed one day (ha ha, so we were right, stop trying to rig the system). Sent a reply saying that the bill clearly shows two nights accom, not sure why this is not clear.

Got a reply the next day from another CSR with the formula response, please send us your bill, your loyalty is appreciated....

Rented and watched a Bill Murray film about weather predicting rodents.

Sent off a response tonight and strongly resisted the urge to use very sarcastic and witty remarks, particularly in response to their throw away lines about loyalty. Its a multinational conglomerate and experience shows that they don't care for such humour. I don't have high hopes. I don't feel appreciated.

It's one night FFS.

ps. I generally have a policy of not making further bookings with a company while I have a retro claim pending - IHG have missed three further bookings in the two weeks this is been going on. If only someone in the company knew how robotic and unhelpful some of their processes really are.

OzEire

 

[markis10]

Pick up the phone and talk to them, much better and normally it gets resolved on the spot. Written inquiries only seem to get the human equivalent of the autoresponder.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Pick up the phone and talk to them,

Isn't it a ironic. In the day of big business wanting to eradicate human to human communication, they employ systems that need the good old telephone to get results. Obviously, the run-around works enough times with complainants simply giving up, which makes it worthwhile for them (in their twisted view of loyalty).

 

[anat0l]

Isn't it a ironic. In the day of big business wanting to eradicate human to human communication, they employ systems that need the good old telephone to get results. Obviously, the run-around works enough times with complainants simply giving up, which makes it worthwhile for them (in their twisted view of loyalty).

Technically, the email or email-based responses are not handled by a robot (as much as we believe them to be).

The reasons why the IHG telephone works is mainly because you either get someone that (a) knows what the hell they are doing, (b) knows someone who knows what they are doing, (c) is willing to play along and give you what you want, or (d) can't be buggered and so turns into a (c) type.

But I would have called straight away as well. That said, I wonder how they really misread the bill to be only one night.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Technically, the email or email-based responses are not handled by a robot (as much as we believe them to be).

The reasons why the IHG telephone works is mainly because you either get someone that (a) knows what the hell they are doing, (b) knows someone who knows what they are doing, (c) is willing to play along and give you what you want, or (d) can't be buggered and so turns into a (c) type.

But I would have called straight away as well. That said, I wonder how they really misread the bill to be only one night.

Ah yes, but the end result is the same.......
1) telephone and genuine human interaction = it works*
2) automated email responses and no intelligent interaction = it doesn't work*

Note:

*The word work(s) relates to the pax. For the IHG interpretation, please replace = with ≠

 

[OzEire]

The update to this story is that eventually one CSR finally looked at the situation and resolved it.

Im sure it took them about 30 sec in the end, about half as long as my first email.

That is the point right, when CS works well its easy? For both sides.

I do wonder how big corporates deal with the lost custom due to poor CS, it must be near impossible for managers to monitor the quality of CS being provided, nor quantify lost revenue/profit.