Taj Hotels — Inner circle program - event dated 6.4.2017 - unethical behavior

Address:	Mumbai City, Maharashtra, 400001
Website:	www.tajhotels.com

My recent sad experience as a taj inner circle member

I had renewed my taj inner circle membership [[protected]] on 30th may 2017 by remitting rs. 11164/- [eleven thousand one hundred and sixty-four rupees]. Normally my life is confined to ernakulam, which is my hometown. Usually, i am not in the habit o[censored]sing the privilege vouchers which come with taj epicure card and the kit. Since i had to go to calicut recently i had requested the taj innercircle team to permit me to use the complimentary night stay voucher earmarked for taj marine drive hotel ernakulam, for my upcoming stay at calicut. I had sent an email and along with had sent the original certificate by post to innercircle mumbai for necessary correction.

The reply came with a lot of salutary blessings and other well-wishing personal enquiries! The bottom line of the message was that they cannot permit my request since taj calicut, where i wanted to stay was not in the list participating hotels. But when i searched their site i found that it is very much a participating hotel and i emailed them the link lest they missed that information.
[https://tajinnercircle.tajhotels.com/reward-programmes/tajinnercircle/ticworld/...⇄

Then another reply came informing that they are sorry since as per existing rules of the company complimentary night can only be permitted at the city of residence [may be so that nobody will use it!] and not at other properties. Since i remember having seen a change of rule in 2016 regarding this aspect, i searched their site again and found that the rule indeed had changed allowing the stay in other hotels also!

I emailed them the necessary information again thinking that they might have missed it. Then a reply came from them apologising for my inconveniences and assuring their best services always. They tried to contact me many times during the day in my registered mobile and all the time my phone was switched off! But there was no mention of any solution for my problem!

Then it was i who contacted them over the phone on 06.04.2017 to mumbai. I was kept on hold due to the large volume of telephone calls, at least for 10 minutes before somebody came online. He admitted that the rule now stands changed. But my coupon was printed earlier and hence cannot be amended! I suggested to him to consult any of his superiors and solve the issue. To this, he kept me on hold for 15 minutes to consult his superior. Then he informed me that he was consulting with his superior in the hope of finding out a solution to my problem. But in spite of their best efforts actually, there are no solutions to my problem. But he wanted me to talk with his supervisor directly. For this, he kept me on hold for another 10 minutes to get connected to his supervisor as she was talking to somebody else. At end of this 10 minutes, his supervisor (A lady) came over the phone and congratulated me for my patience and tenacity. She really appreciated that and assured me all the help and assistance from her side. But regarding this issue, she cannot do anything as her system won’t permit any amendment as my coupon was printed earlier. Then i told her that my original coupon is now with taj, since i had sent it for amendment and that she can amend it manually also in her official capacity and return it back. Then she enquired to which address i had sent the coupon and kept me on hold for another 20 minutes. At the end, she informed me that somehow the original coupon shall be mailed back but she cannot do anything in this matter. She had also consulted her superior who also agreed with her views. At this point, i thanked her for all the niceties and assurances of future help and disconnected the phone.

Then i made a personal decision not to renew my taj inner circle membership in the month of may 2017 when it becomes due for renewal! Thanks to you all!

Bye,

Babu jose