Started to browse online for possible flights and promotions, searching for best deals to save. Was able to visit the sites of Cebu Pacific, PAL and Air Asia. Air Asia during that time has the best deal and is very appealing. With excitement, grabbed the opportunity of booking a flight. Did it using their "Air Asia App". Now here's the story:
☛ Thursday: June 4, 2015
Entered all the details required and now ready for the final step of booking which is to enter our card details and pay for the flight. Followed the steps as instructed on the page, and the app just -- froze after submitting the details. It sits on "confirming your payment" page.
☛ Friday: June 5, 2015
Went online again to manage the booking made last night and see if I already received the flight confirmation on my email and-- I can't manage the booking-- the payment is still sitting on "waiting confirmation". I got worried, so I login to my bank account and see if the payment was debited. And-- YES, the payment was debited.
My husband and I paid our bank a visit to double check any successful bank transactions for the last 24 hours (the only transaction where the card has been used is just the online booking), and the bank confirmed that we had a successful transaction with the same time and booking amount. Our bank (East West Bank) was very kind enough to print our bank statement and let us use their landline to call Air Asia Philippines.
We waited 20 minutes on the queue just to speak with a live representative who did not even empathize for a fact that we waited on the line and having this issue with their company. I've worked in the BPO Industry for 6 years as an agent and as a Trainer, one thing that you need to have as front-liner customer support is the capability to empathize with your customer at all means. Basic. And sadly, we did not receive it on this call.
The representative said "ma'am decline ung payment nyo, kausapin nyo muna ung banko nyo tapos tawag nalang uli kayo" My blood went up to my head why?
1. No willingness to help!!!I took a deep breath and made the agent aware that I'm currently in the bank and actually using their landline. I have my bank statement to prove that it's not a declined transaction and you debited my account.
2. We waited for 20 minutes just for her to say that we just need to callback
3. The way she said it is more of a command and not a request.
She then ask me to email her the bank statement by going to their website, complete the e-form with the bank statement attached (another way out--remember where at the bank as of that moment). Then I need to call them back to follow-up if the form was already received. And for now, she will just give me a case number. To tell you, she is testing my patience. I don't know if I raised my voice inside the bank when I replied to the agent because the Bank Manager look at me then smiled (where in his office--Aha!), I immediately apologized to the helpful Manager.
I then informed the agent to just stay on the line and don't hung up. (Funny thing is, I even asked her if they have an automated system that will disconnect the call when a certain period of time was reached, good thing she said that they don't have that auto feature. My postpaid provided has this feature when you call their customer service hotline, that upon reaching an hour their system will automatically disconnect your call). Determined to complete their e-form and to send her the bank statement. My options during that time is to hung up and do the form later on then call back (which is expensive) or let the agent wait on the line and look for option as to how the bank statement will be sent to my email address. I chose the second option. Gathered my confidence and approached the Manager to request if he can send the bank statement to my email address (he's my only option), the manager who is very busy with his tasks , stop his work and gladly sent me my bank statement (which is actually twice because the first one has a big file size that the e-form can't accept, so the Manager has to reduce the file size first and re-send to my email). I have to complete the e-form and access my email using my phone and my mobile internet is not also cooperating--maybe because I'm inside the bank. I have to go in and out to complete the form and then talk to the agent (spell stress).
Finally, e-form done, bank statement sent. What's next?
The agent only advised me that she will look into it because it is really showing as a declined transaction, acknowledging the fact that she already received the document. She provided a resolution time frame of 24-48 hours. Asked her, will someone from AirAsia give us a call regarding this? She just said, "it's much better po if kayo ang tatawag sa amin for any follow-up". She also suggested to use their chat service.
I rest my case, been on the phone for 1.5 hours already (including the 20 min wait time) and I'm exhausted. Saved the Case Number and all and call ended. To sum up that call, I don't know...-- for me it's a wasted call, no exact resolution provided, the agent is not that helpful and excited to let go of me. The overall experience is horrible.
Because I'm exhausted and really frustrated, my husband who is so lovable asked me out for a dinner. Still, my day ended well ❤❤❤
P.S
To date (June 14), our case is still pending. No one ever called us for an update. I'm doing my follow-up using their Chat support and FB community page. However, the response we are always receiving is, "we are still working on it, please check again". By the way our "supposed" flight is on July 11, 2015 which is just like 3 weeks from now and we can't plan for our trip that much because we are stuck on this concern.
Part 2 of this experience will be published anytime soon or once case is closed. Really hoping that this case/complaint will be finally resolved and turn the experience around. This is our first time to book a flight with Air Asia, and so far the experience is not good.
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