The Wrong Way To Book A Vacation

A seemingly simple trip is not so simple when one wants to book it online, so it seems.

“All I want to do is book the hotel in a neighboring city from the flight destination, or book a hotel in two cities during one vacation” wrote Jessica Bryant to Priceline.com on its Facebook pages after an “infuriating” lack of customer service.

The response from the Online Travel Agency (OTA) was to the point. “Priceline, however, does not have a pre-sales department and we cannot guide people on their travel purchases. I am sorry I cannot offer you the travel planning assistance you are seeking, but our online help tools are a great resource.”

The full conversation between Bryant and Priceline is below:

Jessica Bryant Is there actually a way to reach someone for help at Priceline BEFORE you pay money for a trip? I’ve been trying with live chat and phone. Luis at live chat was horrible and refused to answer my question, he just kept telling me go to the site and look and then ended the chat. Your phone assistance is literally impossible to get a person on, it just directs you back to the website. I want to book a vacation but your lack of customer service is infuriating.

Like · Reply · 2 · November 3 at 5:05pm

Jessica Bryant This is pretty much the only customer service i’ve received Like · Reply · November 3 at 5:12pm

Jessica Bryant Robert: Hi, my name is Robert. How may I help you?
JESSICA BRYANT: Can you connect me by phone to a live person please
JESSICA BRYANT: the customer service phone number doesn’t connect to anyone. it’s just automated for eternity
Robert: I understand that this must be very important for you. Please call us at (800-774-2354), you will need your 11 digit Trip number. After entering in your trip number, your call will be sent directly to a phone agent. The phone agent will have a full transcript of our chat conversation.
JESSICA BRYANT: I don’t have a trip number
JESSICA BRYANT: i haven’t booked because i have a question about booking and i can’t get answers
Robert: It sounds like you haven’t booked your reservation yet. Our self-service Help Center is designed to assist you with any questions you may have prior to booking your reservation. By visiting the Help Center you can choose from a list of topics or use the search feature. The direct link for the help center is http://www.priceline.com/help/#/. You can also access the Help Center at any time throughout the booking process by selecting “HELP” in the top right-hand corner of your screen and selecting “Self Service”.
JESSICA BRYANT: STOP giving me the same spam as everyone else
JESSICA BRYANT: i’ve TRIED to use the self service. I need to talk to an actual person
JESSICA BRYANT: but there is no way to get a person through the phone number
Robert: I cannot see what specific purchase options may be shown to you during the booking process. It’s best that you use the information immediately available to you on the website and in the Help Center.
JESSICA BRYANT: I understand this is why i’m trying to get a person over the phone
JESSICA BRYANT: do you have people that answer the phone before booking?
Robert: ppc3
Robert: The best resource to use is the Help Center. Please chat again if you have any questions once you have placed a request. Thank you for chatting with us today.
Robert has disconnected.

Like · Reply · November 3 at 5:12pm

Jessica Bryant Cesar: Hi, my name is Cesar. How may I help you?
JESSICA BRYANT: I need to speak with a supervisor or an agent by phone please. Can you tell me how to do this? I have not yet booked a trip but I have questions before i do.
Cesar: I understand that this must be very important for you; however, we are unable to resolve this matter while we chat. Please call us at (800-774-2354), you will need your 11 digit Trip number. After entering in your trip number, your call will be sent directly to a phone agent. The phone agent will have a full transcript of our chat conversation.
JESSICA BRYANT: I don’t have a trip number. I have not booked a trip yet. I just need to know how to get in touch with someone for a few questions on the trip I want to book.
Cesar: It sounds like you haven’t booked your reservation yet. Our self-service Help Center is designed to assist you with any questions you may have prior to booking your reservation. By visiting the Help Center you can choose from a list of topics or use the search feature. The direct link for the help center is http://www.priceline.com/help/#/. You can also access the Help Center at any time throughout the booking process by selecting “HELP” in the top right-hand corner of your screen and selecting “Self Service”.
JESSICA BRYANT: Please tell me how to talk to someone by phone or have someone call me.
JESSICA BRYANT: The self help doesn’t answer my question. Please i just need to speak with an agent who can help me.
Cesar: I cannot see what specific purchase options may be shown to you during the booking process. It’s best that you use the information immediately available to you on the website and in the Help Center.
JESSICA BRYANT: I know you can’t. You’re the 4th chat i’ve had but i can’t seem to get an answer
JESSICA BRYANT: I just need to know if there is a way to book a hotel in a neighboring city from my flight and still use the vacation package options.
JESSICA BRYANT: hello? Are you still there?
JESSICA BRYANT: Or to book a hotel in multiple cities for the same vacation package.
JESSICA BRYANT: Are you still there?
Cesar: The best resource to use is the Help Center. Please chat again if you have any questions once you have placed a request. Thank you for chatting with us today.
Cesar has disconnected.

Jessica Bryant Dinah: Hi, my name is Dinah. How may I help you?
JESSICA BRYANT: Hi, can you please send a message for an agent or supervisor to call me? Please?
Dinah: I would really like the chance to see if I can help you with your issue. Let’s have a conversation to see what can be done. Would that be ok with you?
JESSICA BRYANT: I’ve been trying this chat stuff for an hour and I can’t get anything but a cut and pasted response that says “use the help options on the website” but I have tried and it is not helping.
Dinah: I understand that you need an assistance in booking a reservation.
JESSICA BRYANT: I do not have a trip booked yet because I’m trying to iron out some technicalities before i pay for the trip. All I want to do is book the hotel in a neighboring city from the flight destination, or book a hotel in 2 cities during 1 vacation.
Dinah: I wish I was able to assist you with your request; however, I cannot see what specific purchase options may be shown to you during the booking process. It’s best for you to look for the available offers online. Please review the details of your request before you submit it online.
JESSICA BRYANT: I know you can’t see it. It doesn’t show the offers I want on the website which is why i’m trying to contact an agent but I can’t get anyone to answer my question.
Dinah: We appreciate your business, Jessica! I understand that you want booking help; however, we do not have sales department. We do our best to accommodate your requests and bookings as we truly value you as our customer and we greatly appreciate you using our service.
JESSICA BRYANT: I just want to fly into Charlotte NC and get a hotel in Greensboro NC instead of in Charlotte.
Dinah: I apologize I’m unable to assist you with your request. You have to submit your request online. Please chat again if you have any questions once you have placed a request. Thank you for chatting with us today.
JESSICA BRYANT: Can you have someone call me? please
Dinah: I’m sorry but we can only assist customers with confirmed reservation.
JESSICA BRYANT: I can’t make a reservation if I don’t know how to make the reservation the way i need it to be…
Dinah: You may call us at (800-774-2354) but phone agents are only able to assist customers with confirmed reservation. I’m very sorry we could not assist you further. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today.
Dinah has disconnected.

Jessica Bryant This is infuriating. Thanks for the absolute non existent customer service, Priceline.

Priceline.com Hi Jessica. Thanks for the feedback. If I understand your comments correctly, you are seeking some guidance about a booking you desire to make. Priceline, however, does not have a pre-sales department and we cannot guide people on their travel purchases. I am sorry I cannot offer you the travel planning assistance you are seeking, but our online help tools are a great resource. Thanks. ^CG