Customer service in the travel space is often a challenge, and a provider I rarely use showed how poor it can be at times. I expect this is especially the case for those without elite status. I didn’t have high expectations as a (very) infrequent guest, but more than 2 weeks to get a simple response seems too long to me. I experienced Accor hotels poor communication. I’ve talked about my issues with Marriott customer service pre- and post- the lovely Bonvoy changes.
Some weeks ago I attempted wanted to transfer some points from my Accor account, and transfer to a partner, Aeroplan. This would serve 2 purposes, to empty my orphaned Accor point balance, and keep my Aeroplan account active. I had some Accor points from a stay that a local colleague booked for me a few years ago. They have just been sitting in my account since then Whenever possible, I book on my own, and try to stick to my preferred chains.
As for Aeroplan, I have a points balance that I want to keep active. I hoped to fly in Swiss First, but that didn’t work out…I thought an easy way to manage this is a transfer from Accor. Reading that this can take up to 6 weeks, I initiated this process in excess of that. Unfortunately, given the time required to sort this out, ultimately, I was unable to complete this transfer in time. Instead, I reset my Aeroplan account via an AMEX points transfer.
Reaching out to Accor
My first attempt at direct contact was via Twitter. It didn’t get very far, and certainly not very fast. The first instance me experiencing Accor hotels poor communication. For whatever reason, I couldn’t find the page for transferring points to Aeroplan on the Accor website.
Finally 2 weeks after my first twitter DM, I got a response. Not any solution, but at least a response. Then several days after that, some resolution via email.
At least this contact was personalized, and while it didn’t solve the issue I was working on, at least they helped. I struggled to even navigate the website. No plans for a stay with Accor any time soon. If I don’t do anything with my Aeroplan account in the next year, maybe I’ll try again to transfer those orphaned Accor points to Aeroplan.
Final Thoughts
While this particular case is about Accor, it likely applies to other companies as well. Accor seems particularly poor with rapid response. My advice: plan ahead, and give yourself plenty of time to work things out. I guess I have been spoiled by quick and easy resolution to many issues much of the time. Granted I have top tier status with Hyatt, but even if my concierge isn’t available, I can usually get help from the social media team quickly.
What about you? Have you experienced particularly poor response times while seeking help from a travel provider?
