Bytargentina--how are they today? 9/09

[Miami Bob]

My third rental in 6 months--most places would be happy to have my business. I am black listed over a discussion about $35? Who are these people and what kind of thought process is involved? I have enough experience with portenos that I appreciate their positives and am numb to some of the local cultural differences which seem irrartionale. If the apartment is open, I have regularly received free late checkout from many other agencies or 1/2 for the same 6pm check-out. When everything is full up, this may not be available--I pay the extra day or gamble on a check-in on my last day. I am an adult. I have never had a strong negative reaction for a discussion about late check-out policies when I have recently rented before. They also black list my friend who I referred to them and refused him his second rental in 6 months?

[Damocles]

I had similar problems with customer service using ByT. Calls and emails weren't returned promptly, if at all.

[Miami Bob]

Years ago, I was a Byt regular until I just had too many problems with "argentine style customer service" I stopped eating their balony excuses for rude disinterest in customer service. If you don't need them--there are no problems--then, they are great. Most landlords provide what they are supposed to do, so you don't really need them.

I started to use them again recently based upon a few guys saying that they have their act together and Jackson leaving the business.

1. First time: my flite is late I call ahead and let them know.

No agent is there and it is 11pm. I am in the street, I call the after hours number and get the opearations manager who wakes up the porteo. I am in--no problem. Great apart, great manager, portero runs the apartment and is wonderful. I was so happy that I stopped by the office to thank the operations manager, Alejandro.

2. Second rental from the same owner with the same manager. Call from Miami, after no one responds to 2 emails. Talk to the Recoleta rental manager--Sandra Ponelli--I need a late check-out 6pm. She says ok. The bill comes by email with an entire extra days rent. I call BA again and offer her 1/2 days' rent for 6pm check-out. This is maybe three weeks before my trip and their website shows very few rental days and Byt is the exclusive agent.

She gets very hot and tells me to read the website. I ask her to consider my offer. She puts me on hold for 5 minutes and then tells me that the apartment is rented to someone else and hangs up the phone.

I called back and spoke to Alejandro the manager who helped me. He apologizes and rents me a great apartment at a lower than web site price with no charge for late check-out. VERY COOL No Problems! Everything goes smoothly.

Dealing with the same owner and porteo. Well run apartment.

3. My third and last experience---I email 3 times for my trip in a few weeks. All of the apartments I requested are wide open. No response. I call twice and leave messages--no call backs and no emails. On the next call. I am told that Byt choses not to deal with me--"There have been too many complaints about me and my friends"

WHAT WHAT Call Alejandro the operations manager on his cell phone and he pretends that he is not Alejandro--I know his accent because he lived in the USA for a while and has a regional accent in english.

NEXT I call a friend from AP who I had referred to AP. He told me that he had been black listed exactly as I was?

What kind of shit is this? Superior customer service?

[Tokyo Traveler]

Expect good customer service if you have to contact them on a weekday. On weekends the office is closed. That can make a difference if something goes wrong, especially with your arrival.

[Snowbird]

I have used them several times. I have had 8 good experiences and 2 really bad ones. The 2 apartments I rented that were bad really sucked. Nothing like the photos they posted on the web and I got back barely 1/2 my money. I will not rent from them again since they continue to post the apartments that really suck and have not updated their pics. As to having them change the deposit money out in the past I gave them a note that I wanted back the same money that I gave them. Showed them I had the serial numbers. This came from my first experience when one of my returned bills was fake. They hemmed and hawed about it so that is when I started my policy of noting the serial numbers. I did not blame them for the fake bill but I did blame the landlord.

Also, be careful what you bring to Argentia and where you store it. Who knows who has the key. One guy on this board talked about giving his girlfirend of the evening the key and was latter robbed. I thought it was obvious his girls was in on it and he went out of his way to defend her.

[Miami Bob]

The owner and porter at the building were very, very good so my exp was near perfect in the apartment.

My plane was late--many hours--arrived midnite. The byt agent dissappeared. My call to the after-hours number got immediate and near perfect results. I woke-up the operations manager who speaks perfect english. He arranged for the porter to check me in and from there everything went near perfect. The actual agents who do the work are argentine young people who speak some english and are ok, but my story tells it all: Good service by Argentine standards--there was a happy ending without too much hassle, but not the type of service that I would have received with Bad or Jackson or Reynolds--who would check on the flite and make some sort of arrangements ahead of time.

If I can work with the management, rather than the young agents, I would use Byt again. I'd rather work with Jackson, Bad or Reynolds all other things being equal. Which not always be the case in terms of price and availability.

[Travlnman]

I had always used ByT in the past because they seemed to respond quickly, were always on time at the apartment and the prices seemed reasonable. There had been a number of problems regarding internet access. They were eventually resolved but it was difficult. However the last time I used them I had a problem. When I gave ByT my deposit it was put in an envelope, sealed, and signed with my name and the amount. The ByT representative and the landlord witnessed it. When I checked out, the envelope was opened and one of the $100 bills (which were all new and in good condition) was exchanged for a damaged one. There was nothing I could do as I had an international flight to catch. Fortunately the bill was accepted in the US as genuine but it concerned me that the landlord would do that.

Since I was returning to BsAs one month later, and was going to rent the same apartment from the same landlord, I felt it wise to cancel and rent elsewhere. If the landlord was going to do that knowing I am returning in a month, what was she going to do at the time of my next checkout?

I told ByT what had happened. The landlord even admitted opening the envelope to see how much was inside. Yet she did not have to look inside as she was present when the money was counted, the envelope sealed, and the amount written on the outside of the envelope.

ByT took the side of the landlord. They maintained that as long as the $100 bill that was exchanged was not counterfeit then there was no problem. I maintained that the landlord should have never opened the envelope unless there was damage in the apartment (which there was not) and the landlord should have never exchanged the money. I lost all trust in the landlord.

Perhaps this is a warning to write the serial numbers of the bills that you give as the deposit and have all parties sign.

[Miami Bob]

We talked about my concerns as would never be possible with byt or habbitat.

I've rented from him before and did not have any problems that were related to anything under his control--was an imperfect, but positive experience.

I have a feeling that I will be reporting superb customer service--watch out jackson the badman is in town. He evn helped me a little bit on the price.

Exxon do not expect him to cut his price by 20% to have the supreme honor of your business, but he will not be insulted to offer a small discount if he has open apartments. You don't have this at any of the argetnine agencies

[Sportsman]

Who at Bytarg speaks good english and specializes in Recoleta? I'll call after the first email.

All the BYT agents I met in person spoke pretty good English. Even on the phone I did not have any problem communicating with any of their agents in English. That includes US landline to BsAs landline, and cell phone to cell phone both in BsAs. Mariano was one of the agents I spoke with on the phone the time I rented an apartment in Recoleta, but that was a few years ago.

[Mbronzini]

I have used Buenos Aire Habitat the last 4 trips and found their units to be very nice and well maintained. The price per week varies with the size and location of the unit and there is a big discount for a monthly rental. They have a well designed website with photos that are reasonably accurate. There are no hidden costs. I have been very pleased with their service. I have always been in BsAs during low season so I do not know what the rates are now but they will be posted on the website.

[Miami Bob]

First I need a crib. Who at Bytarg speaks good english and specializes in Recoleta? I'll call after the first email.

I sent Bad a mail at his website and see if he works out. I am not budgeted for US$650 per week and need good internet and a landline phone.

To me, Jackson is worth the premium because there is no stress: always everything works; anything broken is instantly fixed--he'll pay the plumber extra to come first and work at night or on the weekend. The customer service that Jackson provides is as near perfect as anything can be in Argentina. After flying for ever, I don't want trouble and stress during a check-in at an apartment with problems.

Bob

[Sportsman]

Hi Bob,

I have used BYT twice within last six months, most recently was two weeks ago. Both times were for the same apartment. I also have another reservation through them for Nov. 09. I always got e-mail replies to my reservation requests within one working day, same with reservation confirmations. They sent me reservation reminder e-mail within a few days of my arrival day also requesting my flight info. I responded promptly also requesting the rental agent who will meet me at the apartment's name and cell phone number. But they never responded to that request both times. May be they don't know who that would be ahead of time.

The rental agents met me at the apartment at the appointed time. I did not have any problem during my stays so I can't vouch for their service when problem arises. I know the apartment I was renting so I didn't need any info from them.

Hope this help.

Sportsman

PS: Will you be joining the gang to have Thanksgiving dinner with us again this year?

[Miami Bob]

Hi gang,

Jackson is full for my next trip and I am re-checking the websites. Bad is reliable, but pricey, Reynolds does not have my favorites left for my travel dates.

Years ago, I was very happy dealing with Bytargentina--great prices and good service by argentine standards---then when they moved--confussion and had a few bad experiences.

Now, years later--they appear to have attractive apartments at more than fair pricing. HAVE THESE PEOPLE GOTTEN THEMSELVES REORGANIZED?

ARE THEY CURRENTLY PROVIDING SERVICE CLOSE TO THE LEVEL OF REYNOLDS IE they respond to emails and will verify availability within a few days. They will tell the truth about working internet and telephone?

Please report experiences within the last two years only. If Bad would cut me a decent deal with an internet phone and a telephone line in the apart, I wouldn't ask about byt. I'll drop him a line, I'd rather deal with Bad than show up at a nightmare without phone working and internet turned off to save money. When the saving is us$150 per week, I'm asking around.

Bob