Okay, this is frustrating. Hotel loyalty, and you get the best rooms. Airline loyalty, and you get free upgrades and frequent flyer miles. But car rental loyalty? Here’s what 7+ years of renting SOLELY from AVIS at least 45 weeks per year has gotten me.
Take a look at the pics below. This is the car they gave me in Kalamazoo. Mud-rally dirty on the outside, and trash on the inside. And not only that, but I was to feel “appreciative”, because this was a FREE UPGRADE. It’s harder to see with the clouds, but this car is covered in mud.
Anyway, I take the car (the Kalamazoo AVIS is deadly slow, and they won’t even do the Preferred program, so it’s 15 minutes to get your car – and there were people waiting behind me). I’ll get it washed myself and take it back to them.
But tonight, I had to stop by the AVIS in Grand Rapids, because they found my TomTom GPS. In June. June 10th, to be exact. I called today when I realized it was not in my bag, and they said they indeed did have it. They’ve had it for six weeks, My phone number is on the GPS. My phone number is in my AVIS profile. They called me when they found someone’s iPod – six times – to make sure it wasn’t mine. But when I needed them to actually do something for me, they do squat.
Last straw. I actually send a message to AVIS First customer service. It’s ignored. What does one of their best customers have to do to get a response from a company they use? Well, I guess this is a first start. The second is to start renting from Hertz.
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[…] What customer loyalty gets you (or why AVIS sucks) […]
Typical Avis. Another warning, don’t try to use the weekend “Rewards” they send you, rate is higher than if you just reserved on line. Also, today made a rsvp with them online, called to add my Avis First number, they told me that would raise my rate $6.00. I rent for 4 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Will jump ship as soon as my corporate lets me!!!!
San Juan Avis Sucks – Gas Scam
If you rent a car from Avis in San Juan pleasebe advised of the gas scam that they have going.If you return the car with less than a full tankyou pay a refueling fee. What they don’t tellis that even if it’s a cup or two short you’llpay $16-18. Since, there’s not a pump in the yard it’s impossible to avoid this scam. Details at
http:\SwensonStudio.comAvis_Sucks.htm
Pass the link along.
You hit it on the head with the total lack of value of being an Avis First member; what will it take for them to understand that customer service is important? I’m 1K United, Platinum SPG, Gold Marriott and Hyatt, so yes, I travel a lot. I am (soon to be was) Avis First. My recent BWI experience included a wait of over 20 minutes, then they delivered me a Hyundai Elantra with a significantly stained driver’s seat and NO REMOTE CONTROL. I complained via Avis website; no reply. Cancelled my Detroit reservation and went with Hertz. Responded to the routine email asking to provide feedback on the rental; I did. Still no reply. Sent another email to customer service, telling me they have referred this to management at BWI and that it’s a third party that collects routine survey responses (thus the delay – BS!). So, I’ve cancelled San Diego and reserved with Hertz. I’m sensing a pattern developing. And, as one who routinely talks to others on the shuttle bus, I’ll be relaying my Avis story as much as I can…….