Alcatraz Media Reviews

This company is failing. Management has gradually run the company into the ground due to poor leadership and bad business tactics. Layoffs occur often because they can't pay their employees during the low season. Those who are able to keep their jobs maintain stagnant positions. There is NO room for advancement in the company, nor are any raises given. There is no motivation to help this company succeed.

Pay is low. You are scheduled at a desk for 8 hours, and someone else is at that same desk immediately from when you leave. So if you clock out to eat lunch (required as you can't have food at your desk) then you will be working less than 40 hours a week. Really high turnover rate. They hire the reservations agents in groups of 10-15, and generally people last a year or less. Most people quit or are fired before the year is up. Then unless you are really well liked, you will probably be a part of a layoff round, and then they will hire another group in. At least this is what happened during my time there, around the recession. Despite growing sales, they used it as an excuse to let people go. Then hire another round of folks at a lower hourly rate. Management is the worst. Expect to be micromanaged and belittled. The actual job is awful. It's a call center, which I have no issue with talking to customers all day. However due to company practices, you will be dealing with angry customers nearly exclusively. Customers typically are on hold for 20 minutes or longer before speaking to anyone. Then heaven help you if they need more information regarding their purchase or if they want to change or get a refund. Because it will not happen, they have strict no refund policies. Get used to being the bearer of bad news. If its a new customer that just needs help with product, you are expecting to act as if you are actually located in the area where the product is (aka make it seem like you are actually based in NY if someone wants the double decker bus tour there). That's how the company markets itself, they have separate websites for each city and try to appear as if they are the tour companies directly, as opposed to a wholesaler, which is what they really are. That way customers are tricked into purchasing with them, and trapped into the strict no refund policies. Which is really sad, because generally if customers had booked directly with the tour companies, their policies are a lot more flexible and they are willing to help you, where as Alcatraz Media will not. If you ask to speak to a manager, you may get one or more likely will be transferred to a voicemail system that no one checks. Lets get to their number one product - tickets to Alcatraz Island. This is by far the worst company to buy this through. All they are doing is marking up the price, and using your credit card information to buy it through the actual Alcatraz site. When you buy this through them you'll be asked to pick 3 times, in case one is unavailable. The reason this is done, is because what's happening is you order your Alcatraz ticket online through Alcatraz Media - then they take your credit card, go to the real Alcatraz site and purchase. Because you are waiting on that delay, the time that you wanted may not be available when they actually go to purchase it. They are essentially delaying it, risking the time you want, locking you into a very strict policy, and charging you more for the service.