Jan 16, 2010 07:59 PM
11228 Views
I became Club Mahindra member last year and let me, tell you, this is coming from a person who had a red season membership, STAY AWAY.The re d season concept is you can book a holiday even 48 hours in advance, but the catch is, you can book but would you get a booking?Well, we tried booking a holiday SIX months in advance and we didn't get the booking.We tried to book in RCI resorts, giving them a choice of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, in September 2009 for a holiday in June 2010, we were advised to try booking a holiday in South Africa and America by them.So there you have it and as for our experience with the sales staff of CM, READ HOW WE WERE FOOLED ONCE WE REACHED CM SALES OFFICE
Once we reached there, we found many other couples there.We were greeted by a Mr.Jatin who gave us a form to fill through which he could make out if we were ideal to be a Club Mahindra Member or as, I REALISE NOW, WHETHER WE WERE THE FOOLS.From the form, he could make out that we were travellers, taking almost two holidays per year.
He told us about the various resorts and the facilities, saying that the resorts were 5* or 7.But the amount was huge, keeping in mind the fact, that we have already been to almost the whole of India and we had no idea about the sort of services they provide.My husband said that instead of making a direct down payment, we should have something for trial, but they had nothing of that sort.Now, in the form, we had mentioned that we planned to visit CORBETT NATIONAL PARK in the month of JUNE and Kerala in the month of DECEMBER.KINDLY NOTE THE MONTHS.
Now, Jatin brought in a so-called senior for the kill, a Mr.Rajiv.Now, Mr.Rajiv, he said, "o.k., keeping in mind your requirements, I am giving you an offer.You pay us .Rs.35000/, for becoming member of the RED SEASON/ STUDIOand we'll give you a 4 days, 5 nights holiday which you can avail for visiting Corbett in June and we'll give 7days' holiday with RCI, national or international, which you can use to visit Kerala in DECEMBER.You just have to book the holidays 48hrs prior to you visit.Plus we give you six air tickets.You can go for your holidays and if you like the experience, you can continue with the membership or discontinue it thereafter.
We liked this, as it would give us feel of Mahindra Holidays and it seemed to be worth it.Now, because, we had planned to go for these holidays with a friend of ours, we persuaded him to take up the membership, too.His name is SUBHASH MANGWANI, a resident of AGRA. So SWEETNESS PERSONIFIED, YOU COULD GET DIABETES, both Jatin and RAJIV landed up AT 12 midnight to collect the cash for my membership and a day later, the cheque for Subhash which I filled up from my a/c.
Now, while they came to collect the money, when my husband gave them 35000/-, Rajiv said, saccharine dripping, Sir, actually the charges are 50, 000/-but because we made you the offer at 35000/-, we'll give you the refund within 3 months of RS.15000.My husband was zapped.And then, very sweetly they explained, we'll put referrals in your name and for that you will be refunded the amount.For a moment, my husband was confused but then they asked him to trust them and as they had the backing of Brand Club Mahindra, my husband kept his fears and distrust aside, and paid them in full.Same, I did while giving the cheque for SUBHASH.Here, as we were 7 people in all from both the families, they increased one more free ticket.
NOW THE TRUE STORY OF THE FARCE AND SCAM CALLED CLUB MAHINDRA HOLIDAYS STARTS!
So, now our money is gone, we are all excited about our upcoming Corbett Visit.And then, I received CM membership kit with all the offers and membership details.
I almost fell off my bed, when I read that the holiday offers were not a part of the membership that we had taken but special offers WHICH WE COULD NOT AVAIL IN THE MONTH OF JUNE AND DECEMBER.I immediately called my husband and informed him of the same.He called up Rajiv who very coolly said, sir, hum kara kar de denge.Jo promise kiya hai, woh fulfil karenge.My husband told me kara kar de dega.
Now, when we asked him to book us up, according to red season package, you can book your holidays even 48 hrs in advance.Now, we know booking and getting a reservations are as far of as heaven and hell.Anyways, so we told him, how many times, we called him and he did not pick up the phone, you will have to check our phone records.
One day, Icalled him continuously for 2 hours with no response and then a switched off phone.Khair, Saturday sunday, bhool jaiye, weekday mein, instead of booking us two rooms, he booked us into a 1B/R apartment which he said, our two families could share without xtra charge, for two days instead of four, at Corbett Hideway, We took it and when we reached there we were told we would have to pay for the extra members and that we would not be given xtra beds in those charges.We landed up at cottage 33. and we found a dirty, untidy and a torn sofa-cum-bed with no a/c+ a b/r.
We tried to carry that sofa into the room and it came apart.So much for 5.
We now called Rajiv as it had been more than 3 months, and not a penny had come back from that promised 15, 000/-and frankly, now I was worried.And we were told refferals have been mentioned, check on the site.Forget about other referrals, even Subhash's name was not there.Could they explain, how they got ana Agra resident to become member at Pacific Mall, with the form filled up in my hand writing?!?
Now, we were running after them and they refuse to pick up phone and every time we have to talk to them, we have to come to the Mall.
