I am going to add the agent’s information because I don’t want anyone else to go through this same headache. The agency is Capricorn Travel located in Houston, TX…The agent’s name is Zakiya. Avoid the travel agency if you can.
Which ones of you have faced mental stress, anger, and emotional stress while dealing with stupid freaking desi travel agents?
I love Pakistan and would love to go back, but it is a pain in the when it’s time to purchase tickets from desi agents. Customer service skills are nil. They don’t like to listen to the entire sentence and like to open their pie hole before you even complete your sentence. Sometimes they don’t even like to speak. I’ll share one of the many phone conversations here, that I had today:
Called the agency, some chick answered.
Me: Can I speak to please?
Other side: The automated machine starts speaking while waiting
About a minute later, some dude picks up the phone:
Dude: Hello?
Me: I was holding for Ms.
Other side: The automated machine starts talking again
A couple of minutes later, finally that woman picks up the phone:
Her: Hello?
Me: I was holding for Ms.
Her: Haan bol rahi hoon bhai
Me: After Salam, this is Sohail, we spoke on Friday, confirmed the airline tickets and paid for them. You said you will overnight them on Monday…
Her: Interrupts me, aik minute aik minute
***Phone is not on hold, people are talking in the background. She’s asking someone “ho gayi na?”
Comes back on the phone
**Her: Haan bolein
Me: As I was saying, you said you’ll mail the tickets on Monday and we’ll have by Tuesday morning, nothing is here yet.
Her: aik minute aik minute and goes back to talking to someone
Her: haan Sohail sahab, kahan jaana tha aap ney? Islamabad?
Me: No, Lahore 
Her: Oh haan, woh meney send nahi keen, time nahi mila.
Me: Well okay, I didn’t know, that’s why I am calling to find out
Her: I will mail them today
Me: So I should expect them tomorrow?
Her: Yes.
Me: Ok thanks slammed my phone
I may be expecting too much out of a desi business, but come ON! For God sake, listen to the other person, don’t interrupt, it’s rude to put the phone aside and start talking to someone else. It’s not polite when someone asks for someone and you put them on hold without moving your mouth and saying “Hold on” or “I’ll connect you” or SOMETHING!!!
This is the sole reason why I refuse to go to Pakistan. Sure I can take non-desi airlines and purchase the tickets from non-desis but there aren’t many that offer those services and those who do, the tickets are usually more expensive.
Anyone else had pleasant experience with any desi agents that you’d like to share?
, on the other hand people say that Indians, Sri Lankans and even Bengalis are very professional and helpfull when dealing with clients in the Travel agencies.
