Dear blog readers, I feel your pain! After today, I may think twice about filing another Expedia BPG claim anytime soon! Here's my experience from one I just attempted:
After nearly 2 hours on hold, split over 3 phone calls (or maybe it was 4), I'm happy to report that I'm finally getting my $50 coupon, thanks to an attentive and helpful agent. Well, actually that has yet to be seen (I'm still holding). But he SAYS he's going to do the drop! I pray I don't get disconnected from him! He's the best agent I've dealt with so far this morning - one who sounds as though he may deliver positive results.
My first hour (yes, 1 hour!), I maintained my patience - DISCONNECTED. Time to start all over. After reaching another agent who took my info, I'm once again put on hold. Okay, waiting a bit is the normal procedure, so I keep my calm. After awhile and wondering if I was still connected, I call back using my cellphone (while still holding on my landline just in case). Now I'm on hold waiting for 2 separate agents at the same time! I decide I'll deal with the first agent who answers. Uh-oh, my phone battery is dying ... hurry! (With wait times like this and given my luck, the lower rate will probably "mysteriously" disappear!)
Nice! - no longer "On Hold"- the guy says "Hello, David? ..." and informs me that the coupon was "dropped" into my account! Great, no waiting for days on end for a coupon that NEVER shows - only to repeat this whole *** process again! Geesh ... what an experience!!
I know this posting is entirely of no value to anyone, but my guess is that I'm not alone in feeling this frustration from time to time! Is it all worth it? Depending on my experience, my answer will always vary!
11 comments:
Welcome to the club of happiness with Expedia.
Actually, I have done a ton of BRGs with Expedia, and overall the hassles are well worth, given the huge amount of money saved over time. I just did 3 BPGs tonight between dinner and putting the kids to bed (using 3 different Expedia accts. and CCs) with very limited wait time overall. While it can be frustrating at times you can minimize the "chore" by following some rules:
1. Give it a maximum of 10 minutes on initial hold before you hang up and try again later to score the BPG. A long hold shows that they are extremely busy at that moment, which then also means that their follow up call to their support desk finallizing the BPG will take longer. I find the wait time most of the time very minimal, sometimes not even a minute on hold before the CS rep comes on. Those are the times when you want to deal with it. Generally speaking, since they are located in the Phillipines, your best time to call them is during THEIR daytime, when they are fully staffed, which is really our night time (Manila is 12 hrs. ahead of cities in the Easter Time Zone in the US.) When it is 10 PM here, it is 10 AM over there, a perfect time to call, usually.
2. When you get a rep to agree to your match and explain that they are sending a refund to your CC and also that they are dropping a $50 coupon into your account, don't "count your chickens" yet, make sure that you see the coupon in the account immediately. If it does not show up within a few minutes, it probably won't. Call back immediately, pretend that this is your first call about this, and go through the entire thing again. As mentioned before, if you call during times when they pick up right away you can go through this a little faster. I also found that using a "fresh, new" account (even when using a well worn credit card) basically guarantees the drop of the $50 coupon instantly, so it might be worth starting new identities every once in a while (or, if you do lots of BRGs for one long vacation, start several new accounts to use.)
3. Use a speakerphone. Start the initial call, explain the match, whenever they put you on music hold turn on the speakerphone (lowest settings due to their dreadful music hold selection) and then go about your business. When they come back with questions or the info that they are still holding for their support desk answer, then back to music hold and speakerphone. I find that if I don't let hold times take over my full attention but let them become mere background noise, it does a lot for my sanity.
Overall, IMHO the BPG program is the deal of the century, and hope it does not go away or change anytime soon.
UPDATE:
I just wanted to report that I after writing the previous post I proceeded to initiated a BPG claim with Expedia based on the Sam's Town and Gambling Hall post from today. From start to finish the entire call took less than 20 minutes, and the match went through without a hitch, the coupon was promptly dropped into my account.
As I said before, given that there is a 12 hr. time difference it is best to call during THEIR daytime hours. 10 PM, 11 PM, Midnight EST are perfect times to call them and get mathes done faster.
Thanks for the wonderful tips!
And yes, I too agree that nobody should have to wait for a coupon drop. It should be instantaneous. As you say, call right back to ask about the coupon if you do not see it in your account! You're advice is dead on.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I often wonder if telling us it takes "a few days" is done on purpose - in hopes that we aren't fully aware (ignorant) of what we're entitled to(meaning the $50 coupon). Fat chance of that happening!
Bottom line: Persistence is key!
I have done 3-4 BRGs over the last few months and I have always been told that mine will be dropped in 7-10 days - realistically, they are dropped in 2-3 days. I didn't realize that they are still dropped instantaneously for most people.
Not always do they drop the coupon right away. But the agent has the ability to do so, and often will. In my experience, coupons not dropped right away never show up in my account (and I've had to wait 10+ days before). That's when I made the decision to call back each time and bug them about it until I get it. (Expedia agents usually try their best to keep their customers happy, I find.) It may take more than 1 call-back, but I always EVENTUALLY get an agent to do the drop. Sure, a person can wait a few days, but it's hard to have patience!
Once the reservation is canceled, the coupon will be deactivated. This is the latest update that the agent informed me. He said T&C on the website has been updated.
My question is: What if you used the coupons before canceling the reservation? Would they detuct $50 from the refund?
I didn't see any mention of this change in the T&Cs. Am I just not seeing it?
I'm curious to know why you would ask an Expedia agent if a coupon would be taken away if you cancel the reservation? Why bring to the attention of Expedia that this was a practice that was going on? While I don't necessary condone doing it (at least very often), I also do not condone making Expedia aware of this practice. This is just begging them to change their BPG! It's like saying: "Hey, Expedia - I found a room rate on your site for $1. Can I book this and have it honored?" There are just some things that best be kept quiet.
Would they deduct $50 from the refund? I have no idea. I don't work for Expedia. However, I've learned that they can pretty much do whatever they see fit to do. Nothing would surprise me.
I did not ask anything. No extra word other than asking about the price match. The agent told me at the end of conversation, starting "We want you to aware that...". I asked I didn't see that statement in T&C. He said it's been updated. I can't find that in T&C either!
If anybody else is also informed by the agent these days, please share.
I know you don't work for expedia. Was asking to see if any other blog readers would the same and might have an answer to my question.
Thanks again for sharing the opportunities in this blog.
I guess we should all be a bit nervous that Expedia is well aware of what's going on here with these coupons. It's just one more reason to be extra careful about how we deal with the reservations once we book them. We all need to be careful, myself included.
Thanks for clarifying.
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