In July I handed in my application for the Loyalty Scheme to Campo Grande Airport. A few weeks later I made multiple flights with TAM visiting other cities. Gave my number. Done.

Later, I call to view how many points I have. ‘I’m sorry sir but we don’t have your number in the system’ Great.

Here is my, and my Portuguese speaking friends experience of TAM Telephone Customer Service.

Told my number is registered
I call the TAM Loyalty card number to see what I can do about this. I am given another number to call – ‘Call The President’ – Their complaint line
I call. No option for English speakers, Great! ‘Ola, Voce fala Ingles?’ Of course not. I Hold. And Hold….And Hold…And Ho…hang on, the line is dead. After 30 minutes they hung up! GREAT!
I call again. ‘Ola, Voce fala Ingles?’ Suprise! No. I hold and hold and hold. Now don’t get me wrong. I understand that I am in another country – I am not one of these people who expects them to speak English, but for a multi-national company like TAM, I do expect to have the option when i’m complaining! I speak to a very polite gentleman who tells me I need to email my tickets, the Card, My Passport, and address details to them. Along with the protocall number for my case.
I email them. Great! 7 days later, No response.
I email them again. This time I received a response saying my documents had been received.
Another long period of time, and still no reply. My friend calls them. We are told that they can not help us because the information is sent to a different place and is being dealt with.
This was in August, we left it because I had no plans to travel again any time soon.
In December, I book a flight with TAM. Never got a response! So my friend calls. ‘Yes the problem has been resolved. I can see the points on here. Go onto the internet and register a password.
I go onto the internet to register a password. Put my details in. Nothing. Every time I press enter it clears the form and nothing happens
My friend calls again. ‘Ok click onto ‘Forgot Password, ’ Give us the details this way, this will work.
I do this. It doesn’t work.
My friend calls again. This time they check to make sure my details are correct, and take my CPF number. Everything is correct. This time we keep her on the phone, and finally get somewhere. She tells us to leave the first ’0′ off the Loyalty Card Number. It confirmed I will receive an email in a few minutes.
I haven’t received an email after an hour. I try again. Both using my passport number, then trying again with my CPF.
I still haven’t received an email. We call. Again.
‘ You need to call Multiplus Fidelidade (the owner of TAM Fidelidade (loyalty scheme.)) Great. Why didn’t they tell us this before!
We call Multiplus – ‘The loyalty number you have given me is registered under someone else’s name’ WHAT! My friend says ‘But we have been on the phone many times with ‘The President’ and they tell us that there is no problem, they confirmed our details. ‘I’m sorry but you will need to speak to them, do you have their number?’ **cough**
We call ‘The President.’ ‘We just called Multiplus and they told us the card is not registered under Chris’s name?’ the lady confirms that, in fact, IT IS registered under my name. We get back to the problem. My password. My account. She guides us through again, and tells us that we well receive the email this time.
We don’t receive the email. I, by this time, am very angry, and sadly me and my friend are arguing because we are both upset about it. So i decide to risk disconnected phone line or 30 minute wait and say that dreaded phrase….
‘Voce fala ingles?’ ‘Please wait.’ This time, to be fair, it wasn’t long. I explain the situation ‘In august I sent my details because…(etc) Now i need a password, and the email is NOT sending to me. The lady before said that my card is registered under someone elses name. Why?’ She checks my details and again tells me MY details are there. ‘You need to click on ‘forgot password’ and enter your details.’ I explain that I have tried this MANY times and its not working. ‘You need to call Multiplus…’ You can imagine what I was thinking! ‘No, they told me to call you!!’ ‘Ah, ok, can you spell your email for me please. (i spell it.) I can see the problem. Your email address is wrong.’ Hallelujah, now she can amend it and get this sorted. 2 minute job! ‘I need you to send me your passport and proof of address to this email…’ Great… ‘But why can’t you just change it for me?’ she replies – ‘I’m sorry I can’t you need to send it to this address…’
I send the Email. I have an automatic response ‘Please try your password request again after 72 hours.’
I try again. Still Nothing….
I Email again. Try again. Nothing
And, this is where we are now. Present day. No resolution, ongoing since August, and a flight back to England the end of this month. Admittingly the people we speak to are pleasant, but I am just thrown back and forth like a tennis Ball, given false believes, and false information.