17/07/2024
It has been a very stressful week here because of Booking.com and a glitch in their system, followed by highly inefficient customer service.
Several guests have been affected as our Studio was repeatedly overbooked. We tried our best to resolve the situation but it's an ongoing matter so had to send the following to booking.com.
"OFFICIAL COMPLAINT
This is to officially complain about the way your customer services and technical department have let my guests down over the last seven days, causing massive amounts of stress to both guests and myself.
It all started last Saturday when I realised that somehow your system had accepted two overlapping bookings for the same unit: 4844757667 and 4404409694. I called customer service, who stepped in and tried to organise alternative accommodation for the second guest. Eventually, the guest himself told me that your customer representative blamed me for what happened.
After this incident, I went to double-check all my bookings for the next few weeks and found out that The Studio had been double-booked twice. On Monday, 15th July, I was on the phone with your customer service for 48 min to resolve the matter. My query had to be escalated twice as your base-level advisors did no know what was happening. Eventually, I managed to speak to someone who explained to me that months ago, I had registered for the auto-fill option for cancelled reservations, and this is why my units were overbooked (why on Earth are you offering a service that doesn't see there is already a booking in place I have no idea). However, I asked the gentleman to deactivate that option on all my units, and he said he did. Then, his colleague cancelled and contacted the two guests affected by the double booking.
Two hours later, the same guest rebooked the same unit for the exact dates. So I called your customer service AGAIN, and contacted the guest myself. That booking got cancelled again. (res 4833490057 and 4851293226)
Three hours later, a new guest booked the same unit for the same date, which was AGAIN - 4924242761. I immediately sent him a message via your system to inform him of a mistake, then called your customer service to report the matter. Nothing happened, so on Tuesday, I sent another message to the guest and your customer service about that reservation. Still, nothing happened. On Tuesday evening, I tried calling the guest, but there was no reply. I sent him a text and sent another message to your customer service. Again, zero replies or actions.
One hour ago, the guest showed up at my property, claiming he had never received any messages or texts and blaming me for not having the accommodation for him.
All this is frankly unacceptable. It jeopardises a reputation built over 5 years of hard work and dedication.
I can only imagine how stressful it has been for those guests we couldn't accommodate, but it has not been easy for us either.
I would kindly request that an official apology be sent to the affected guests and decent compensation be given. "
