Hi
I booked a hotel on otbeach to go on 22/08/2010 and return on 02/09/2010. However, when I received my confirmation email it said 22/09/2010 to 02/10/2010!
I immediately emailed them to request to change the dates and look into whether their was a problem with their system (they rang me before this and said there was a problem and my payment didnt go through so I had to pay over the phone).
Anyway, I received an email saying they will be in touch within 48 hours. About 3 days later I received an email saying my date change request has been cancelled as the dates were not available even though I went onto the website and the hotel for them dates were available.
I rang them up again and they said they would look into it. I requested they call me back. About half an hour later I get an email (yes, no call!) saying the dates I requested are available but it would cost £166.65 in total (including admin fees).
The original hotel was £684.00 and when I went on the website it was coming up as 736.36. They explained that you do not receive the website discount when changing dates which I can understand.
As all this was within a matter of days after booking, am I not within a 7 day cooling off period? According to the whatconsumer website, online orders should have a 7 day cooling off period:
Buying online from shops or suppliers
The purchase of goods and services over the internet, by phone or by mail order generally is subject to the Distance Selling Regulations. One of the most important implications of these regulations is a cooling off period of 7 days during which you have the right to cancel. You must provide notice of cancellation in writing and it must be posted to, left at, faxed or emailed to the business address of the supplier, and you must ensure this is done no later than 7 working days after receipt of goods. Contracts for financial products sold by distance means are subject to different rules, see below for more on this.
Can anyone advise me?
Thanks
Whilst there are various regulations that apply to the travel industry the 7 day cooling off period does not apply to them. Only Time Share has a statutory cooling off period which is 14 days.
When you made the booking did you do screen prints of the transaction? If you did and can show that the error is on their system you may persuade them to reconsider - however I have been doing some researching for holidays - not with OTB - and several times having entered all the information correctly the holiday that has come up is for different dates.
I am not suggesting that you did not put the right dates in but sometimes systems have a mind of their own. That is why it is essential to double check before you confirm.
Have you done a price check on the later dates to confirm the prices?
fwh
When you made the booking did you do screen prints of the transaction? If you did and can show that the error is on their system you may persuade them to reconsider - however I have been doing some researching for holidays - not with OTB - and several times having entered all the information correctly the holiday that has come up is for different dates.
I am not suggesting that you did not put the right dates in but sometimes systems have a mind of their own. That is why it is essential to double check before you confirm.
Have you done a price check on the later dates to confirm the prices?
fwh
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I didnt do any screen prints of the transaction as I assumed it was correct so I can understand them not doing anything about this as it may have been my own fault, we will never know!
Thats a pity about the 7 day cooling off period not applying.
What do you mean by a price check on the later dates? I checked the prices for the new dates and it was saying £736.36, however otbeach are saying this is with discount and you do not get discount when changing the dates. However, they are charging me £166.65 inc £80 admin fee so they are basically charging me £684.0 + £86.65 = £770.65. I cant see the online discount being £34.29!
Thats a pity about the 7 day cooling off period not applying.
What do you mean by a price check on the later dates? I checked the prices for the new dates and it was saying £736.36, however otbeach are saying this is with discount and you do not get discount when changing the dates. However, they are charging me £166.65 inc £80 admin fee so they are basically charging me £684.0 + £86.65 = £770.65. I cant see the online discount being £34.29!
Good Afternoon,
Please can you send me details of your order to forums@onthebeach.co.uk where I will look into this issue and get back to you.
Many thanks
Please can you send me details of your order to forums@onthebeach.co.uk where I will look into this issue and get back to you.
Many thanks
hi....just like to say its good that an employee of OTB is taking the trouble to help ....just curious if doing this off own inititive or have OTB realised this is a good way to sort things out and given someone the job....either way its nice to think they care enough about OTB reputation to do it....it nice also to think people do get real help when asking fot it on HT as well as good advice.....so well done OTB ant HT ...tweetie
ps...Maybe other holiday names will realise and give us a rep too....nothing worse than a horror story for bussiness.....but what a customer relations exersise to be able to put these things right before they turn into a horror story
ps...Maybe other holiday names will realise and give us a rep too....nothing worse than a horror story for bussiness.....but what a customer relations exersise to be able to put these things right before they turn into a horror story
Welcome back OnTheBeachHolidays, I hope that you are able to help members with some of their recent problems.
Could you just confirm please that the forums@onthebeach.co.uk address which you have just quoted is the one to be used now, as the address always quoted previously is forums@otbeach.com
Many thanks
David
Could you just confirm please that the forums@onthebeach.co.uk address which you have just quoted is the one to be used now, as the address always quoted previously is forums@otbeach.com
Many thanks
David
Yes David we have recently migrated our domain from otbeach.com to onthebeach.co.uk
forums@onthebeach.co.uk is what we'll use for now on on the forums.
All of our old otbeach.com email addresses still get to the desired destinations too though.
Many thanks
forums@onthebeach.co.uk is what we'll use for now on on the forums.
All of our old otbeach.com email addresses still get to the desired destinations too though.
Many thanks
Just to keep you updated, I have emailed my details to the email address you said.
I look forward to hearing your response.
Thanks
I look forward to hearing your response.
Thanks
And in reply to Tweetie Pie,
We do this of our own back on these forums as sometimes this is where a customer will come first with an issue. We are very pro-active in our approach to doing this an usually. We monitor a handful of the top forums with Holiday Truths being up in that list. There is nothing more I enjoy than trying to turn a negative customer comment or issue into a positive experience in the end.
Sharm10 - your message has been received. Many thanks
We do this of our own back on these forums as sometimes this is where a customer will come first with an issue. We are very pro-active in our approach to doing this an usually. We monitor a handful of the top forums with Holiday Truths being up in that list. There is nothing more I enjoy than trying to turn a negative customer comment or issue into a positive experience in the end.
Sharm10 - your message has been received. Many thanks
Hi
I would just like to say that I emailed forums@otbeach.com and had great help from a lovely employee who replied rapidly to each email I sent. I have now sorted out my problem and although the initial otbeach experience wasnt the best, I would happily return to use them again in the future.
Well done otbeach.
I would just like to say that I emailed forums@otbeach.com and had great help from a lovely employee who replied rapidly to each email I sent. I have now sorted out my problem and although the initial otbeach experience wasnt the best, I would happily return to use them again in the future.
Well done otbeach.
Many thanks for coming back with an update and glad that OTB were able to sort out your problem via this website.
We hope to see you again around the forums in the lead up to your holiday.
luci
We hope to see you again around the forums in the lead up to your holiday.
luci
@Sharm10 - Many thanks for updating the post. Glad we resolved your issue for you.
hi OTB.....could you have a go ....and do the same for rob63 ....he seems to be still having problems getting things sorted....his thread is " hotel problems on the beach" in holiday complaints...think you could be of great help...tweetie
Hi Tweetie, the person who you mentions matter is currently already being dealt with by our Customer Relations Manager who I work closely with. I cannot go into detail of his case on the post but we are working to resolve his issue.
Thanks
Thanks
I'm just a little curious - I have had no experience of On The Beach, and based on the number of threads on this forum, never will. But surely if all their staff were as helpful to customers as the staff member who comes on this site then maybe there wouldn't be so many OTB threads in the complaints forum in the first place?
Sorry if I'm
but if OTB are aware of the service issues, why aren't they being rectified?
Just wondered .....
Sorry if I'm
but if OTB are aware of the service issues, why aren't they being rectified? Just wondered .....
Hi KatieP,
In response to your comment, we understand your position but feel that we must put this into context
On the Beach carries more than 750,000 passengers every year, and this figure will soon reach one million. Of this number, a very small amount of people will experience issues which will leave them dissatisfied with us.
We are one of the most successful UK online travel agents and have been operating independently for more than 10 years. We operate solely online and therefore many of our customers will be very familiar with social media sites like this one. It is a customer's choice to voice their opinion on these sites and we as a business respect that.
What is important, is that we are pro activate enough to monitor this channel of communication and act upon our customers comments where and when required. Of course, the aim within the business is to stop the compliant before it happens, however we don't claim to be perfect and at times as an agent, some events that cause dissatisfaction are out of our direct control.
Rest assured however that On the Beach does put its customers first and takes any customer complaint very seriously indeed. We listen to customer feedback and are actively engaged in the process of making many internal process changes and website developments that could improve our customers overall experience when booking with us.
In response to your comment, we understand your position but feel that we must put this into context
On the Beach carries more than 750,000 passengers every year, and this figure will soon reach one million. Of this number, a very small amount of people will experience issues which will leave them dissatisfied with us.
We are one of the most successful UK online travel agents and have been operating independently for more than 10 years. We operate solely online and therefore many of our customers will be very familiar with social media sites like this one. It is a customer's choice to voice their opinion on these sites and we as a business respect that.
What is important, is that we are pro activate enough to monitor this channel of communication and act upon our customers comments where and when required. Of course, the aim within the business is to stop the compliant before it happens, however we don't claim to be perfect and at times as an agent, some events that cause dissatisfaction are out of our direct control.
Rest assured however that On the Beach does put its customers first and takes any customer complaint very seriously indeed. We listen to customer feedback and are actively engaged in the process of making many internal process changes and website developments that could improve our customers overall experience when booking with us.
Ive been getting e-mails with otb for holidays dont know why as ive never used them .Ive saw holidays on there site that i would of took but very scared to use them after reading all the horror storys on holiday forums .
But i thing its great that they come on here and help as many un happy people with there problems good luck mazza
But i thing its great that they come on here and help as many un happy people with there problems good luck mazza
Hi Mazza,
You should be confident to book with us, like we mentioned above "we carry more than 750,000 passengers every year, and this figure will soon reach one million. Of this number, a very small amount of people will experience issues" this is a very very small percentage of unhappy customers.
The thing with sites like this is you will only read the problems people have with companies as people are very reluctant to say how much of a good experience they have had with certain companies. I am speaking for all companies here too not just ours. If you look on most forums you will find many people that have issues with with a lot of big companies. At On the Beach we take advantage of reading forums to help our customers out and change our ways to make a better user experience.
Many thanks
You should be confident to book with us, like we mentioned above "we carry more than 750,000 passengers every year, and this figure will soon reach one million. Of this number, a very small amount of people will experience issues" this is a very very small percentage of unhappy customers.
The thing with sites like this is you will only read the problems people have with companies as people are very reluctant to say how much of a good experience they have had with certain companies. I am speaking for all companies here too not just ours. If you look on most forums you will find many people that have issues with with a lot of big companies. At On the Beach we take advantage of reading forums to help our customers out and change our ways to make a better user experience.
Many thanks
OTB would you like to comment on this thread. I see you have missed it. I know you will say you can't comment on individual bookings, but by the sounds of it, the way you booked the tickets for the client is not good business practice. Would you like to clarify who's credit card was it, and why was it used for a flight booking with BA.
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=142234
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=142234
it seems they only respond to certain replys!!! i have just experienced a week of hell with on the beaches after they booked wrong flight dates.but NO IT WAS ME WHO BOOKED THE WRONG DATES,i will now give a little bit of advice about this company i was charged £44 for 22kg of luggage.With the airline this would of cost £25.98 when i phoned and complained they said they would take this of and i could take hand luggage free but would not be able to but hold luggage on at a later as the booking is booked through them i reluctantly paid the extra monies x7 i later found this to be a(BLATANT LIE) this was by 1 of there managers who i can name if allowed so this cost us an extra £126.A week later when contacted them about wrong dates was sent in a full circle from department to department and every1 just blamed me all they cared about was extra monies in the mean time the flights were going up my wife was having an astma attack,but who cares?? in the mean time i had to amend my flights directly with the air company who were very helpful but still cost me £280 and half my party are having to come home 3 days early.Book directly with the airline save yourself monies.What was it the RYANAIR boss called them ****** and he wont let them use is airline.Learn from my mistake deal with the airline directly.
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