NoWindowSeat
Jul 25, 03, 6:27 am
Sorry if this is slightly off-topic, nothing to do with their loyalty program...
I rented a car from Thrifty at Aruba earlier this month. Here's few points I wanted to make for people thinking of doing the same mistake I did:
1. When booking the car I asked for 2 different times that "is my reservation guarenteed for tomorrow?" This was due to the fact that the clerk said something about problems with certain car classes... She said "it's 100% guarenteed for tomorrow morning at 09.30 at your hotel"
2. We went to pick it up from their desk at our hotel (Aruba Grand) at 09:50 She said that "Sorry, Sir, there's no car for you today..." The day before, their website had also showed that the car I booked directly from their desk 10min later was available for the next day.
3. I politely asked, how is this possible as it was 100% guarenteed yesterday? She said that somebody didn't return their car in time. Then I pulled out my copy of the agreement made the day before and asked her if that's my really any of my headaches to solve? From the customer they charge hefty charges for returning the car late but what about this way around....
4. She didn't offer any solution whatsoever, this was the point She really started to piss me off.
5. I said that She needs to arrange us any car a.s.a.p. and that this was totally unexceptable level of service.
6. After talking with her friend over her mobile for 10min (she was working alone at our hotel Thrifty desk...) she called to someone and said that there will be a car in 30mins at the hotel...I agreed that it's OK, it still is a holiday destination and I thought if this is all, I'm OK with it...
7. We waited for 1.5 hours after which a car that was the worst condition rental car I've ever seen was delivered to the hotel (in Aruba you don't much from a car but this Mitsubishi was horrible, tires, suspensions, everything, you could hardly see out as the windows were so dirty already...)
8. The clerk asked me to come to their desk and said that She needs a another credit card, or cash, as She hadn't got any confirmation for my Diners which She accepted the day before. The card was completely OK but She had messed with the bank. They had a DC sticker on the wall so I sticked to my rights and said that it's your problem to solve during the week I rented the car for. I offered that She could call to my local DC office and check the card but she refused so I said the her that off we go, see you in a week. (I might have let go if not being the other hassle, after all, I had agreement signed and stamped with DC number on the receipt).
9. 3rd day of the rental period the battery died and it obviously didn't start. There were no lights left on etc. it just died...I went to complain at their desk that if they could have some1 repaired it. Another clerk was on duty and she said that they couldn't do anything as before the afternoon...huhh..it was 10am. I said to her that don't expect me to return for your company any day soon and walked a way. Finally they got it fixed with almost half a day gone but no refund...what did I expect?
10. Week was over and I went to return the keys and the original clerk was on duty. She said again that I need to pay in cash or with another credit card as She forget?! to get it confirmed (by the bank). I again asked her to call my local DC office but she refused and kept saying that I need to give her another card or cash...I was soooo pissed with her that I simply denied that I had any other card, or cash, which was a lie, but I really didn't care at that point. She had before this signed the return receipt so I simply asked what She wanted be to do and as She just looked with empty eyes, I walked away. She also realized she couldn't get me to come forward...
The DC billing went fine so Thrifty got their money, which wasn't a question at any point but I must say that it takes quite a time to get me going back to Thrifty...maybe it's my attitude but as a regular car renter I must say that this was unbelievable case, not so much to do with the main Company itself, more 2 unqualified agents messing up and loosing a customer for good...
cheers
I rented a car from Thrifty at Aruba earlier this month. Here's few points I wanted to make for people thinking of doing the same mistake I did:
1. When booking the car I asked for 2 different times that "is my reservation guarenteed for tomorrow?" This was due to the fact that the clerk said something about problems with certain car classes... She said "it's 100% guarenteed for tomorrow morning at 09.30 at your hotel"
2. We went to pick it up from their desk at our hotel (Aruba Grand) at 09:50 She said that "Sorry, Sir, there's no car for you today..." The day before, their website had also showed that the car I booked directly from their desk 10min later was available for the next day.
3. I politely asked, how is this possible as it was 100% guarenteed yesterday? She said that somebody didn't return their car in time. Then I pulled out my copy of the agreement made the day before and asked her if that's my really any of my headaches to solve? From the customer they charge hefty charges for returning the car late but what about this way around....
4. She didn't offer any solution whatsoever, this was the point She really started to piss me off.
5. I said that She needs to arrange us any car a.s.a.p. and that this was totally unexceptable level of service.
6. After talking with her friend over her mobile for 10min (she was working alone at our hotel Thrifty desk...) she called to someone and said that there will be a car in 30mins at the hotel...I agreed that it's OK, it still is a holiday destination and I thought if this is all, I'm OK with it...
7. We waited for 1.5 hours after which a car that was the worst condition rental car I've ever seen was delivered to the hotel (in Aruba you don't much from a car but this Mitsubishi was horrible, tires, suspensions, everything, you could hardly see out as the windows were so dirty already...)
8. The clerk asked me to come to their desk and said that She needs a another credit card, or cash, as She hadn't got any confirmation for my Diners which She accepted the day before. The card was completely OK but She had messed with the bank. They had a DC sticker on the wall so I sticked to my rights and said that it's your problem to solve during the week I rented the car for. I offered that She could call to my local DC office and check the card but she refused so I said the her that off we go, see you in a week. (I might have let go if not being the other hassle, after all, I had agreement signed and stamped with DC number on the receipt).
9. 3rd day of the rental period the battery died and it obviously didn't start. There were no lights left on etc. it just died...I went to complain at their desk that if they could have some1 repaired it. Another clerk was on duty and she said that they couldn't do anything as before the afternoon...huhh..it was 10am. I said to her that don't expect me to return for your company any day soon and walked a way. Finally they got it fixed with almost half a day gone but no refund...what did I expect?
10. Week was over and I went to return the keys and the original clerk was on duty. She said again that I need to pay in cash or with another credit card as She forget?! to get it confirmed (by the bank). I again asked her to call my local DC office but she refused and kept saying that I need to give her another card or cash...I was soooo pissed with her that I simply denied that I had any other card, or cash, which was a lie, but I really didn't care at that point. She had before this signed the return receipt so I simply asked what She wanted be to do and as She just looked with empty eyes, I walked away. She also realized she couldn't get me to come forward...
The DC billing went fine so Thrifty got their money, which wasn't a question at any point but I must say that it takes quite a time to get me going back to Thrifty...maybe it's my attitude but as a regular car renter I must say that this was unbelievable case, not so much to do with the main Company itself, more 2 unqualified agents messing up and loosing a customer for good...
cheers