Smart Travel & Incentives Wasted my time with a bogus presentation in exchange for "free" airline tickets for which they required a $100 'deposit'. Lake Mary, Florida
I was contacted 3 times to attend a 'travel' presentation in exchange for free airline tickets. Being familiar with legitimate 'headhunter' techniques to fill presentations, I was willing to invest my time, if the resulting reward was worth it. In this case, it was not legitimate. In past presentations, I was given my reward immediately upon the conclusion of the presentation, in the form of actual tickets or 'passes'. This time I was handed an "Activation Form", which required that I mail a $100 "refundable" deposit with the form to receive my tickets.
I have paid heed to warnings to not part with my cash up front to get anything 'too good to believe', so I did not mail the $100 or the form. I am only out for the time I wasted at the 'hard sell' presentation. But my time, and gasoline, is valuable to me, and I'm annoyed that a company using a practice that is employed, in good faith, by other travel venues has exploited me and countless others in this era when the middle class is searching for ways to save money. I feel compassion for anyone who 'fell' for the high-pressure on site to buy into a time-share or travel package, but any loss at all deserves to be labeled a 'ripoff'.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Smart Travel
Lake Mary,Florida,
United States of America
Not Free Travel
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 07, 2012
Dear Mr. & Mrs.
I was able to find your file using the information you provided in your complaint. I am sorry you were unhappy with the offer you were given for the cruise voucher. I do want to remind you that our travel vouchers do not state anywhere on them that they are for free travel; in fact, they clearly state that fees are due, and also how and why customers would incur surcharges.
We charge a $99.00 per person reservation fee; port fees, and taxes are from the cruise lines and can range from $89.00 per person up to $249.00 per person; taxes can be anywhere from $39.00 per person up to $149.00 per person. I see your fees were right in the middle of those figures, which is about average. I also see that you selected to depart out of a cruise port that was listed on the terms and conditions as not being included and would incur a surcharge. That surcharge was $150.00 per person. In addition, you selected a date in April which is mid- season for cruising, and again that was stated on the voucher that it would incur a surcharge. That surcharge was $250.00 per person.
Our travel vouchers represent a sizeable savings when they follow the guidelines set forth in the terms and conditions. We find that most customers do not like to be limited or told when to travel, so we do allow you to travel outside of those guidelines and pay for the additional things you request.
The reason that we do require an original signature to cancel out a file is because we have in the past accepted them over the phone and had the customer come back and state they never said to cancel it. With a written notice of cancellation that cannot happen. Refunds do take four weeks to process. We have many types of travel vouchers and we get daily request for refunds of deposits before and after travel.
You certainly do not have to cancel your vouchers. You are welcome to submit new dates for low season so that you do not have to pay any additional surcharges to travel. We want all of our customers to be able to utilize their vouchers and enjoy a vacation. I hope this information is beneficial to you in making a decision.
Kara Gallagher
General Manager
Smart Travel
Lake Mary,Florida,
United States of America
Misinformation
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, March 07, 2012
Dear Chris,
The comments that you have posted here are grossly incorrect and damaging to my companies name as this will never be removed. You have posted this complaint using assumptions and not any factual information. Smart Travel & Incentives does not solicit to consumers in any way. Our marketing is business to business only. We produce and fulfill travel vouchers to be used as promotional incentives for hundreds of companies across the US. From timeshare companies to car dealerships and everything in between. Our terms and conditions are very clear on the voucher about what you get and what we charge. If you feel mislead then you would need to contact the company that solicited you as it was NOT Smart Travel & Incentives. I would ask that you be more careful in the future with a companies reputation.
Kara Gallagher
General Manager