“My principal comment is that I was not able to contact Sykes and my frustration was compounded by the supposed methods of contact remaining available yet not functioning.”
The day before we were due to check in I was very nervous as I had organised for 11 friends to travel a long way, 2 from America, to spend a week together and nobody from Sykes was responding no matter how I tried to contact you. Although the rental turned out problem free and we all really enjoyed the stay my inability to contact Sykes persisted throughout. The owner thoughtfully rang to let me know that the builders might be a little noisier the next day: they were not at all and even one of ...
The day before we were due to check in I was very nervous as I had organised for 11 friends to travel a long way, 2 from America, to spend a week together and nobody from Sykes was responding no matter how I tried to contact you. Although the rental turned out problem free and we all really enjoyed the stay my inability to contact Sykes persisted throughout. The owner thoughtfully rang to let me know that the builders might be a little noisier the next day: they were not at all and even one of them spoke to us to apologise for any disturbance they might have caused. But I heard nothing from Sykes although I am now receiving numerous messages asking for my feedback.
I repeatedly tried WhatsApp and received what I now understand to be a series of different, automated replies. The replies, which usually took a day to come in, purported to be from a live person by informing who was messaging me and assured me that I would get a response to my enquiries yet not even one materialised and i now see that not a single message from me has been read. This happened many times (see full copy of WhatsApp attached below)
I sent a question on Sunday 18.08 and received an immediate reply saying you would get back to me as soon as possible. 23 hours later, Monday evening, I was asked to confirm my name and booking which i did 10 minutes later. I then had to wait another day, Tuesday, when I received a message asking, ‘How can I help you?’. I responded to this in 3 minutes. Once again i did not hear anything until the following day, Wednesday, saying that as it had been longer than 24 hours you were no longer able to respond but if i still needed help i should reply ‘Yes’. I did this but did not hear back until the next day, by now Thursday, saying that due to the nature of my query I should log in and send a web message (not working either). I pointed this out and asked another question on WhatsApp that generated the message saying you would get back to me as soon as possible. This time I did not get anything on Friday, the next day, but on Saturday received a message asking if there is ‘anything else’ you can help me with and that if there is I should ‘just respond to this message’. I duly responded within 2 minutes and 6 hours later Natasha asked for my name and booking reference (info already on the chat), ‘so I can help’. One again I provided these and it is now Sunday but I of course have not received a reply. If WhatsApp is not working, as is evidently the case you should not pretend that it does, nor continue to send messages that are not followed up. The message function I was advised to log in and use as an alternative was simply never working at all. I tried to use the ‘active chat’ many times but having provided my details I always received an automated reply to the effect that due to the high level of demand the facility was not available; this makes no sense. We also tried to phone the office on the number suggested but when we were asked to chose an option by pressing a particular number on the keypad our choice was not recognised and we could not progress the call. This happened whichever phone we used. I did eventually find an email address that received a reply. Below is an unexpurgated copy of the WhatsApp. I accept that I was being stubborn in persisting to use the chat but it was frustrating and I retained a small degree of hope that I would get a response.
[04/07/2024, 11:38:38] Justin Preston: Hello. We are staying at Thorney How from tomorrow. Can you tell me please if there is a coffee machine or maybe a cafetière please? We have tried calling, messaging and the live chat but none of these is working.
[04/07/2024, 11:38:41] Sykes Cottages: Hi, thanks for contacting us today about your holiday! We have received your message and will get back to you as soon as we can.
[04/07/2024, 18:51:50] Justin Preston: Is there any chance you could answer please? We have tried to contact you a number of ways but none works.
[05/07/2024, 09:39:56] Sykes Cottages: Hi, you're talking to Lisa, Please can you confirm your booking reference and full name so I can help today?
[05/07/2024, 09:41:02] Justin Preston: Justin Preston 26ZF3-24-EN
[05/07/2024, 09:41:11] Justin Preston: Good morning
[05/07/2024, 10:39:28] Justin Preston: Do you have an answer please?
[05/07/2024, 11:14:32] Justin Preston: I tried the live chat and it is of course not working. It is very disappointing that I cannot contact anybody at Sykes.
It is also worrying given that 11 of us are relying on you for our accommodation tonight and beyond
[07/07/2024, 18:08:29] Justin Preston: Hi is there anybody there who could answer a question please?
[07/07/2024, 18:08:32] Sykes Cottages: Hi, thanks for contacting us today about your holiday! We have received your message and will get back to you as soon as we can.
[08/07/2024, 17:21:46] Sykes Cottages: Hi, you're talking to . Please can you confirm your booking reference and full name so I can help today?
[08/07/2024, 17:31:30] Justin Preston: Hi, you asked this question previously on this chat and I replied. I did not hear back from you
[08/07/2024, 17:31:45] Justin Preston: Justin Preston 26ZF3-24-EN
[09/07/2024, 16:35:52] Sykes Cottages: Thank you, how can I help?
[09/07/2024, 16:38:53] Justin Preston: I have been trying to contact you since Thursday and the immediacy has now passed
[10/07/2024, 17:31:45] Sykes Cottages: Hi. As it's been longer than 24 hours, we're no longer able to respond. If you still need our help, please reply to this message with "yes" and we'll be in touch as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience.
[10/07/2024, 17:38:50] Justin Preston: Yes
[10/07/2024, 17:39:12] Justin Preston: You have not responded so far to any of my questions
[10/07/2024, 19:49:40] Justin Preston: The rubbish was not collected today as it should have been. We intend to put what we accumulate now into the bin but it does mean it will be very full. We wanted to let you know.
[11/07/2024, 10:04:52] Justin Preston:
[11/07/2024, 15:48:53] Sykes Cottages: Hi you're chatting to Rose. As your query is regarding a complaint or review please head to the help centre and send us a web message in your customer portal through the link at the bottom of this message and our Customer Relations Team can investigate further and respond to you here. https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/account/login
[11/07/2024, 16:17:15] Justin Preston: Hi, sorry it was not clear. I do not think my message regards a complaint or review. I had a question to ask
[11/07/2024, 16:17:20] Sykes Cottages: Hi, thanks for contacting us today about your holiday! We have received your message and will get back to you as soon as we can.
[11/07/2024, 16:21:29] Justin Preston: I tried the live chat but yet again that is not working and I cannot get the messaging function to work
[11/07/2024, 16:25:10] Justin Preston:
[11/07/2024, 20:15:29] Justin Preston: I have tried to use WhatsApp for 7 days and despite receiving responses purporting to be from a real person (usually after a delay of 24 hours) I have not had a single one of my questions answered. The live chat similarly has not worked once, the message function on my login does not work and when we tried to phone your automated system was not working. Fortunately we did not have a major issue but I am extremely disappointed with this level of service.
[13/07/2024, 09:17:49] Sykes Cottages: Hi. We're just getting in touch to check that everything has been resolved for you? If there's anything else we can help with, please just respond to this message. Thanks.
[13/07/2024, 09:19:51] Justin Preston: Hi, I have been trying to use WhatsApp to contact you for over a week. You have not responded to a single one of my messages. Is this working now please!
[13/07/2024, 15:14:38] Sykes Cottages: Hi, you're talking to Natasha. Please can you confirm your booking reference and full name so I can help today?
[13/07/2024, 16:13:38] Justin Preston: Justin Preston 26ZF3-24-EN
Now 14th and no response
As I said earlier, we all enjoyed the stay: the house is in a superb location. The bedrooms are very well decorated, the beds very comfortable and generally finished to a high standard. The showers could perhaps be updated but otherwise the sleeping area was very comfortable and generally excellent, exceeding expectations. The kitchen was adequate despite the oven being a little temperamental but retained the feel of being in a youth hostel. A few more luxury appliances, perhaps a coffee machine, would improve the feel. The main observation was that it was a shame that the kitchen could not be integrated into the living area somehow as those doing the cooking were isolated from the rest of the party for long periods. The only other disappointment was that the best part of the garden was not available to us. There was one night when those in the smaller cottage were sitting outside, enjoying a glass of wine In the sun and a great view of the sunset on the hills. I realise that there is little that can be done but the outside space available to us was a little disappointing and not as accessible as we would have like. There were many other things we did like about the property and overall we were very happy with it and enjoyed our time there hugely. If there is anything else you would like to know please ask as I would be very happy to assist if I can.
