Of Books and Deliveries...

Since last week, excited about our next trip (which is still in September 2010 hahahahaha), my sister and I have been going around Manila's bookstores for a particular travel guide book. We did find one at National bookstore at Shang but it was already removed from its plastic, it didn't look new, it was creased and just plain ugly (note that these travel books are worth more than PhP1,000) and it was the only copy. So I decided to have it ordered from this popular travel guide company's website.

On Tuesday, 17 November, availing of their buy 3-pay 2 only promo, I ordered 2 city guide books and one phrase book. (Actually, there was some problem [double order] when I went online but the staff at the online consumer shop sales was a big help and was able to cancel the second one -- thanks, Amanda!) The next day, I received the confirmation email saying that the books have been shipped (Yey!). Expected delivery date is Friday, 20 November 2009 (double Yey!). So I waited and waited (keeping tabs on the tracking services). Finally, by 20 November, the package arrived in Paranaque (sort facility). But I was still keeping my fingers crosssed that they'd deliver it that day. When I got home, I asked people at home if a package was delivered. None they said. When I tracked the package, it was still "Int'l shipment release - location Paranaque PH." So I called their local partner's number and inquired the status (because I was expecting it to be delivered on 20 November) and said that it was still in Paranaque and might be delivered on Monday. Arghhhhh.

Next day Saturday, out of curiosity, I tracked again the package and it showed that it was "At local xx facility - Pasig PH." I was thinking, it might get delivered today after all. Great! I checked their website and yes, they do deliver on Saturdays. So I called the company and inquired if it will be delivered today (kulit!). The call agent said that it was still for release and cannot assure me that it will be delivered today but had already put a red tag on the delivery. By this time, I was still hoping that I will get the package anytime, or else, Monday it is.

After lunch, I tracked the package and the entries were 21 November 10:33AM "On xxxx vehicle for delivery - location PASIG PH" and 21 November 10:35AM "Delivery exception - Pasig PH - Held, unable to collect payment" and 12:20PM "At local xx facility - Paranaque PH" Wait a minute! Something's not right. Before I called, I asked people at home if a package was delivered or if a delivery person came, again they said none. So I called the company and inquired. I asked why was the package returned to Paranaque, and why was the tracking message showing "Held, unable to collect payment" when no one from the company came to deliver? The call agent put me on hold and when she came back she said "Sorry po, Ma'm. Wala pong delivery truck na available kanina. Pag ganun po, binabalik sa Paranaque office." ARGHHHHH! Walang delivery truck pero merong truck na ginamit pagbalik sa Paranaque? ARGHHHHH!

Oh well. So much for additional courier delivery of US$20. Ughhhh!

So, no chance of getting the package on Sunday (they're closed on Sundays). We all have to rest.

Monday. When I got home, expecting that the package was waiting for me, I was welcomed by "Ate, meron pa daw babayaran, kaya hindi iniwan yung package." The additional was PhP1,665 for duties and taxes. This made me upset again. HOW COME I TALKED TO THEM ON THE PHONE TWICE ON SATURDAY AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO PAY THIS AMOUNT. HOW COME????????

Of course, I had to make another phone call. This time, the call agent was apologetic. I said this is unacceptable. The call agents even confirmed my contact numbers last Saturday and they didn't even bother to call to inform me that I had to pay this amount????

Waahhhhhh!

Ending: It was delivered the next day. US$20 + PhP1,665 + cost of the books. Took them 7 days (still better than ordinary mail which will take 3-4 weeks).

Anyway, I love the books. It was all worth it. Bad experience lang. But I will give them another chance...Let's see (sana nakalimutan na nila pangalan ko bwahahahahahahahaha)

(If you are able to figure out the companies involved, or would like to know who they are, let me know)

Whoa!!! Buzzzzzzz....

...that's the sound people made inside the cinema right after Jacob did his thing.

Literally, a loud :O

I love Jake na!

Congratulations, Manny!!!

Photograph: Gabriel Buoys/AFP/Getty Images

Aja Aja FIGHTING!

From 2327: CEBUPACIFIC would like to inform you that your booking is on hold. Please settle payment through our Call Center at +6327020888 or by visiting the ticket office near you. Thank you!
10 November 2009
8:59 AM

Remember the recent Piso Fare promo from Cebu Pacific? Just before typhoon Pepeng was to hit Metro Manila?

30 October (email around 3:30pm): Cebu Pacific Air announces their Piso Fare promo, booking starts now until 2 November (or until the 100,000 promo seats are sold out) for travel from 15 June 2009 to 30 September 2010.

Planned with friends. Until one friend decided to book something tomorrow. Nothing booked.

31 October (around 3:30am): I booked a round trip travel for 2 for 2010. But the system could not authenticate my credit card (I tried thrice and kept getting an error message). After another try, the message showed that I should change my method of payment. Choices were Credit Card (does not work), Bancnet/Megalink (okay but...), BDO (not convenient for me), Metrobank (perfect!). The website led me to another page saying that blah blah blah is your confirmation number, that I can pay over-the-counter at any Metrobank branch or by phone or online (as long as I have an account). It also asked me to tick a box with my mobile number (ticked) for communication purposes. It also mentioned that the booking will be put on hold but I have to pay before 11:59PM today or else the booking will be canceled. Fine. Will just pay later. So happy!

31 October (6:00am): Brown out. No power. No internet.

All along I was waiting for Cebu Pacific to send me the Reference number which I will use to pay the bill. They asked for my mobile phone, right? None came.

31 October (6:00pm) (Still no power. No internet): I call Cebu Pacific's Call Center

Me: I booked a flight for MNL-___-MNL for 2010 (details given), but I have not received any reference number that I assumed will be sent via my cell phone. (I told him my story that their system would not accept my credit card which I have used to pay CP in the past). Your system asked me to choose another payment method and I opted to pay via Metrobank.
(in between he'd ask for my name, if I made the reservation and if I'm the traveller)

CP Call Center Agent: Ma'm, pag promo fare po, hindi applicable ang payment via Metrobank. Dapat po ang pinili nyo yung Bancnet/Megalink.

Me: Whaaaaaaat? (nagtaas na ang boses ko). E di sana, pag ganyang promo, hindi nyo sinasama yan sa choices, o kaya e merong nakalagay na dapat gamitin ang Bancnet/Megalink...Kahit meron na akong confirmation number?

CP Call Center Agent: Confirmation number lang po iyon, hindi pa po bayad. Pag bayad na po tsaka lang po siya magiging final. (Me: oo nga naman)

Me: So anong gagawin ko?

CP Call Center Agent: Kailangan nyo po uling mag-book ng panibago.

Sa loob loob ko, hindi mo ba alam kung gaano kahirap magbook sa inyo? At kung gaano kabilis maubos pag ganyang may promo? Pero hindi ko na sinabi sa kanya.

Me: Ok (sabay bagsak ng telepono). Naririnig ko pa siyang nagsasalita, pero dahil sa inis ko, naibaba ko agad tuloy.

Dahil nga brown out, we went to our Tita's house to spend the night and at the same time, to use their computer and internet and book again the same flight.

Lo and behold, when I typed in our preferred schedule, it showed "No promo seats available." I was thinking, maybe for these dates only. How about other dates. Same. How about to another country. Same. Only then did I realise, ubos na ang alloted promo seats :(

Lungkot kame.

On Monday during lunch, all my friends were happy because they were able to book flight for BKK, HKG, etc. Ako, wala ako maishare. *sulk*

Tanggap ko na. Tanggap na namen. Next time na lang.

Tapos I got the text :) Please see above for the text message from Cebu Pacific.

They did not cancel my booking (good thing I did not cancel the booking). The Call Center Agent asked me if I still want to use the booking. Sabi ko yes, as long as the amount will be the same as when I booked it. He said he will check. After putting me on hold for more than 10 minutes, he came back and said "Yes." He asked for my credit card number. I was put again on hold so he could have my card authenticated. Yun nga ayaw. So he said my other option was to pay at the nearest CP ticketing office. Nearest was Robinson's Galleria. So after having lunch, I went to Galleria to pay for the ticket. If you pay at the ticketing office, you'll be asked to pay for the airport tax, which I did.

I walked back to the office with the piece of paper (e-ticket) and a smile on my face. Wheeeeee!!!

Be Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem

Kita na ngang traffic e. Arghhhh!