Mahalo

I've rarely used an AWD # other than my own corporate AWD since I mostly travel for work. I've used a different AWD # less than a hand ful of times previously mostly for vacations but the last time was year ago.

Anyway, I decided to use one of the AWD #'s on this post to save my company about $50 on a 2 day rental. I get on the AVIS shuttle and they don't have me on the Preferred List. I thought this was odd but then realized that I didn't see my reservation in my reservation list on AVIS.com

I wait at the Preferred counter where there is a line and it is late. I called the AVIS Preferred # while I wait on line and ask about my reservation. I am told that my Wizard # is not on the reservation and she asks if I want to add it. I say "sure". She tells me that if she does add my Wizard #, the rate goes up considerably. She asks if I still want to add my Wizard # and I tell her no. She tells me she will leave the reservation as is. I then realize that changing my AWD # has negated my Wizard # and my Preferred Status.

I hand over my Drivers license and Credit Card at the counter and I get my car (no upgrade). It took some additional time but I tell myself that I am saving my company some money.

I just returned the car to AVIS and my corporate AWD is on the invoice and my rate is $50 higher than my reservation rate. Basically, my own AWD corporate rate was applied.

Did my credit card on file trigger my corporate AWD #? Why didn't the changed AWD "stick" on this reservation?

ezmonee

in a nutshell,yes. When you have a credit card associated with a specific profile, whenever that card is applied, the AWD code in your profile is used. I dont like it either. my brother was charged his corporate rate without him knowing when he is eligible for the employee rate through me.

Mahalo

Interesting but I just realized that I had used another AWD # for a Manhattan rental and the rate worked. I had used the same credit card on my profile as well. Nonetheless I will try to use another credit card next time and see if it works.

Warrenlm

Some agents can change a reservation to add the wizard number without affecting the rate, and some can't.

Innumerable times I've had my wizard number added without a problem. But, I've encountered some agents who tell me the above story....that adding the wizard number causes the associated AWD to overwrite the rate (and AWD) in the reservation. I don't know why they can't do it, but the website itself has a screen asking you if you want to use the entered AWD instead of the associated AWD.

I've rarely had the rate change upon checkin, but the few times it happened I had to go to the counter with my printed reservation to get a manual adjustment.

ngfan

Used D005927 in Germany. Saved me 40% off the standard rate and included CDW and airport fee. No q's asked. Perfect !

UK Flyer 1

First post here. Can anyone recommend the best voucher to try for a mid size or bigger Florida this Easter. Thanks

ezmonee

Here is the truth of it.

1> If you do not have a wizard number ALREADY in your reservation, swiping the credit card in the profile will bring up your wizard number and AWD code in your profile, overriding the reservation rates and AWD (as I previously indicated). After my last post I got clarification from the Res Center and they stated that the reason the AWD overrides when you dont give the wizard number is to prevent agents from "walking up" reservations and giving them higher rates because the renter "didnt know or forgot that they are eligible for their corporate discount". If it detects that you are an eligible renter and the agent hasnt already identified your Wizard status, the computer recognizes it.

scenario.

Joe smith makes a reservation. Doesnt present his wizard number. Rents a car. Swipes the credit card and the credit card swiped in the reservation matches the profile, so the computer "helps" the customer and agent by making sure their "perferred" rate code and discounts are applied. Sometimes the customer gets a better rate, sometimes the customer gets a worse rate, but the computer assumed that since you took the time to create a profile, that you want to use the profile.

Joe Johnson makes a reservation, but presents his wizard number at the counter. the computer realizes that "the customer knew that he was getting a specific rate and chose to ignore their profile for the sake of that rate for whatever reason" and doesnt override, saying "if the customer presented the Wizard code,t hen the customer and the agent knew of all eligible discounts and chose to stick with the reservation.




2> If your wizard number is NOT in your reservation and you give the agent your wizard number when you walk up before they begin the transaction and before you rent the car, the original reservation AWD and rates will stick.

3> If the agent is crafty enough, anything is possible, however if a particular location is sold out on the rate code/car class that you reserved and you wanted to change the reservation (lets say several days from pickup when the reservation was made months ago), sometimes just adding the wizard number can change the rate. Our system goes down once a month for changes to the system and with each shutdown that problem is becoming more and more rare, but some rate code and city combinations still posess the flaw. If you call the 800 number, they will fix it using their empowerment guidelines.

So if you book a reservation, use a specific awd code, and do not include your wizard number that the time of rental AND you dont want to credit your Wizard you either need to use a different credit card at checkin (you can change it at checkout) or if you do want credit, you need to remember to give them your wizard number when you go to the counter at the beginning of the transaction. For this reason I advocate Storing your Wizard number in your Cell Phone, in case your bad about memorizing it.

newyorknewyork

Going to france on the 9th of feb. Need a car to rent automatic and I am trying to find a discount code any body have one

Warrenlm

Thanks, ezmonee, for the explanation. When you say "swipe" I think you're talking about activity at the rental location. My comments were generally oriented toward record changes being done with telephone agents before the trip, when I ask that a record be set up for preferred service that apparently had not retained my wizard number. I think your para 3 provides the key...that some agents have empowerment capabilities to override the system's attempt to replace the AWD.

ausflygrl

I was just making an Avis reservation and was getting what I thought was a high quote using my regular AWD so I tried another one from this site and got the message below. I've used different AWD #'s before (only occasionally) but have never seen this.

Incompatible AWD

Select an AWD Option
The Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number you have entered is not compatible with your Wizard number. Please indicate how you would like to proceed by selecting one of the following options:
Note: If you choose to replace your AWD number, you will not be able to use your preferred benefits for this rental (and only this rental). Additionally, this reservation will not be displayed in you're My Avis reservation listing.

Use the AWD I entered

Use the AWD associated with my Wizard profile

TrayflowInUK

I got the same error message when I booked a rental a few weeks ago, I ticked the top box and the rental went fine. I rented at a location without preferred benefits so I'm not sure if those would have pulled through or not.

ezmonee

Since you asked. Every rate has multiple tiers. The first tier is for off season rates. Second tier is for ascending and descending season rates. Tier three is for peak season rates, etc etc.

Certain rate codes work fantastic on some tiers, crappy on others. Also, certain rate codes ignore the tiers altogether and give a specific discount to the tier no matter what tier the dates you are requesting are in. Other codes just make the rate the same nationwide within tier structures.


Costco rates, for example, is a nationwide negotiated rate as x% off the current tier rate, but in off peak its x+5%. So if Honolulu is in tier one, the rate will be killer. If you go to Las Vegas during new years, that city may be in tier 3, so its only the x% off and another code might do better.

Also, certain rate goes dont do jack at specific cities.

Example. Hawaii and alaska do not get XM radio. (or sirius for that matter). A fact that pissed me off on my last trip there. So XM radio execs have their own Discount code for Avis rent a car for when they do business around the country. The rate code is fantastic for their needs, but in the state of hawaii, since they do not have any business there, the rate code is crap.

When a company sets up a rate code, one of the things they do is provide a list of "most likely" use cities to the Avis Bean Counters. Based on that information, they provide them stronger rate cuts in cities that they specifically do business in. A good example is the above florida tourism board code. It sucks outside of florida. But in florida, good rates can be had.

So its a good idea to try multiple codes at any location at any date, even crappy ones.

ezmonee

Any agent at the res center can input the wizard number prior to your arrival. however if your reservation is a "prepaid" package such as priceline or hotwire or a package from a travel agency that has vouchers (or even united miles vouchers), a wizard number cannot be added to the profile. Doing so would negate the prepaid aspect of the reservation and put the full price onto your card even though you already paid. As such the system specifically prevents this. They can put the wizard number in the reservation, but it wont trigger a preferred service preprint.

If you booked a reservation and forgot to put your wizard number into it, you can call in advance and have them put it in, but depending on how it gets put it, it could clobber your reservation information and change your rate under the same processes as explained above. to couple with my previous post, lets tie this in with rates.


You have a reservation, made well in advance, under a tier 1 rate code *lowest price* . a few weeks from rental, you realize that you didnt put in the wizard number, or your flight number changes, and you call the reservation center to correct it.

Simply correcting it will pull up a screen saying "a price change will occurr. Please verify that this is what the customer wants."

ezmonee

The easy way to do it is to rate shop without your wizard number, and with your wizard number, on the login screen for avis.com.

Once you find the rate code you want to do, modify your wizard profile for the one rental. book the reservation with the awd you want, get a confirm number. Then modify your wizard number back. Once that reservation is booked, you can change the AWD as many times as you want and the wizard number will stay firmly planted in the reservation.

its only telling you its incompatible because you are "not using your wizard profile defaults" to make the rental or the rate code is a leisure code *not corporate code*. plus dont forget that even if you dont use the preprint wizard perferred service, your still a perferred member and can go directly to the perferred counter instead of waiting in line.. sometimes that alone is worth it.

ausflygrl

Lots of helpful info once again! ^