just assume you know everything

But I don't know everything!
The bit I don't know is when the transfer coach is coming to pick me up.

And, I have to juggle my arrangements on the last day of MY holiday to get that little bit of information.
And, incidentally, that's the only time I have contact with the rep during the entire holiday - so it's certainly not ME who berates the rep for poor service.

Why should the rep ask me to visit when they'll be at the property anyway and can (as someone has already suggested) put the information under the door?
At what point does personal acountability come into things?
Should TOs insist customers wear a badge saying 'if this person is found, please return to xxx'?

You still haven't convinced me (and maybe not Claire or Kath either) of the 'value-add here.

The Med hotel's rep at the hotel we live in posts the departure times on the notice board AND puts a note under the doors of departing guests. She doubles up on the info to save being repeatedly questioned by guests who haven't bothered to look at the boards. I personally wouldn't want to interrupt a day hanging around to see a rep. for this info. Having said that, if it is company policy there is not much anyone can do about it is there? Jenny x

I am certainly not convinced either. I still think this system is out date and certainly not commonplace.

Peakta, you say you have travelled with Kosmar and Goldensun who used the same policy.

The first time I went to Greece was 1992. I have been to Greece every year since then, to different resorts and with different companies including Kosmar and Goldensun. All the operators put the information on a notice board.

I have experienced the same in Spain, the only different experience was in Malta where the information was put under my door.

All I am saying is that the T/O is using this method to ensure that the customer has all the information required so that there are no problems down the line.
I am sure we could name operator after operator and none would do this method or some would use this method, the rights and wrongs are down to personal view.
I see this as being a very good way to ensure that there are no hitches on transfer day, you see it as an inconvenience.
As I said earlier, I was a rep and believe me you can put notes everywhere, even under peoples doors, and they still dont get it right. They still manage to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that is certainly not the fault of the OP, all Olympic are doing is trying to make sure the situation which can so easily happen , doesn't.

Sorry to go and hijack this thread with comments about obtaining departure details.

I would just like to make the point that, other than the practice of giving out departure details face-to-face (which in fairness is just a tiny gripe - and I'd proably have left it at my original comment if Peakta hadn't tried (and failed) to convince everybody what a fab piece of customer service this was ), we've always been more than satisfied with Olympic.
Their website is good, we've always received tickets in plenty of time, got exactly what we've paid for (i.e. the description of properties has been accurate) and their prices are competitive.

We'd definitely book our next holiday to Goa or Greece with them should a good deal come up.

I would still book with them too. I have no problem with the service they provide, apart from getting departure details.

It would be very interesting to see what would happen if 'one' didn't attend the meeting with the rep - I dont think the rep would go without leaving some sort of message, do you ?

No one will convince me this is 'value add' as I dont believe it is.

Kath x

I would still book with Olympic. All other elements of the holiday were excellent.

I find their website and brochure very helpful and honest. By that I mean their descriptions of the accommodation and location.

I think you still find tour operators stretching the truth about location, walking distance and quality of the accommodation.

My recent holiday was a cheap deal, and the brochure clearly described the accommodation as being fairly old and very basic. That suits us for a trip to Greece, as we are never in the apartment.

I was also impressed by their description of the location, which meant that guests had to walk from the main road to the accommodation as the 'track' is not suitable for coaches. They explained that luggage would be brought in by van but that customers should note this can add significant time to what is already a very long transfer to Elounda.

The transfer time was the reason we booked a car to collect at the Airport. Despite this information I still heard people complaining to the rep!.

Claire

Up until October last year I hadn't been abroad for about 23 years, I haven't had a problem with reading the instructions on the display boards, I agree with most of you that it doesn't seem to be good practice that you have to meet the rep to get your pick up details, if it was good why don't all tour operators do it?

My original post stated holiday itself was fine. No complaints about the resort which we know well, or the accommodation which we have stayed before with the same TO.

The 3 times in 14 days we had contact with the rep were arrival at resort, obtaining specific times regarding departure day and departure day and at the airport. Each one became an irritation because of the performance of the rep.

Because af the very narrow streets in this particular village, often less than the width of a car. Your coach drops you at a large car park on the edge of the village, this means the rep needs to be there to show you to your accommodation If as we were, you are stood there for an hour with no rep present and no word as to what is happening it not the best start to your holiday.

As for the departure day information i am the first to acknowledge it is in my interests to make sure i get the info regarding coach times. If that is pushed under the door on a note fine. If i have to go to the rep at the office to personally be given the info fine. Where it become an annoyance is when you comply with the request to pick up that info at an appointed time and place are then stood hanging around because the person who made that request does not show up, or leave that info with somebody else in the office to give to you.

Departure day itself was fine until the problem with the delay arose, then the evasion half truths and outright lies started. To full facts were easy enough for me to get hold of at the time. I cannot believe the reps did not have access to the same information. If their employers did not tell them the full facts they put them in a very poor position, and is very poor customer service. Particularly when you go from a flight that should get you back to Manchester at 7:30pm Wednesday turns into one that will get you there at 4am Thursday. Some people on that flight had a long onward journey home from Manchester, friends or relatives picking them or even back into work Thursday. It is just a lack of courtesy and consideration towards customers, many who have paid a fair chunk of money to the reps employers.

As i said in my original post the is not an industry pop at reps many who are excellent just an observation of the ones we just encountered this year

we have travelled with Olympic on a few occasions and never had any problems.
We would defiantly use them again.
I think they are one of the better holiday company's.

hi all,this site is worrying me a bit,using olympic for the 1st time friday this week of to corfu from manchester and getting a bit worried after following all this!!!!
laingy

There is no problem with them in general Laingy, but they have a policy of not posting your departure times on a board. Instead, you have to visit them, usually in the evening before your last day.

I would have no hesitation in travelling with them again, but I dont like this system that they have.

Kath x

kath,nothing to do with the reps but just to put my mind at ease,are olympic connected in anyway with xl?friday looming and feeling a bit worried,have heard xl charter some flights for olympic.
cheers laingy

Olympic relied quite heavily on XL for flights but are not connected with them. I think you should contact Olympic to check who you are flying with

Yes please check as rdv says.

kath,we flying eaf flight no; i believe european airlines,is that any help.
laingy

Not sure Laingy but I think it's European Aviation air charter from searching.

Why not post in the Flights forum - Dazbo shopuld be able to answer your query for you.

Kath x

I have just returned from a revised holiday in Lindos, Rhodes.
Unfortunately, due to the XL problem I had to change my flight day, accommodation and airport! lol
Olympic Holidays exclusively used XL for Scottish flights.
Anyway, we had already booked and paid our deposits with Olympic for June 2009 to return to Lindos and see our old friends.
We note that Olympic have arranged other airlines and now using Jet2 for example from Newcastle, but there is still no flights or holidays advertised online from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
We keep getting fobbed off whenever we contact them as to whether they have arranged alternative flight details from Scotland for next year.
Does anyone have any information that suggests we wait and see, or should we bite the bullet and try and book another holiday through Thomas Cook/Direct Greece?
Thanks

Okay, an update.
Still no info from Olympic regarding flights from Scotland in 2009 to replace their lost XL flights.
I paid the deposit for three individual holidays for June 2009 before XL went bust, but am getting no reply to my emails to Olympic requesting an update.
They did tell me about a month ago they were still trying to get replacement flights and "would let me know if they were successful".
Rather than eventually maybe losing out on our holiday to Lindos, I have had to book and pay 3 deposits for backup holidays with Thomas Cook/Direct Greece.
My question now is ... when can I reasonably insist that Olympic Holidays refund the deposits I have paid and cancel our holiday bookings?
Thanks
Danny