Currency Conversion
Apr 10, 2007 | 5:00 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: Qantas Gold; BA Silver; Virgin Australia Platinum; Virgin Atlantic Gold
Posts: 351
Until late in 2005, there was no conversion. Avis always billed in the currency of the location of contract origin. (one way rental from US to Canada is billed in US. dollars).
At that time, FXNOW! was introduced. It read the currency of the credit card used for the security hold. If it was different than the country of contract origin, it promped the agent to ask "
Bill in Euro? Y/N:
Current Exchange rate is 1.34324324222"
*rate made up, dont waste your time msg me about it.
At that point, the agent will ask "do you want to be billed in Euro or US Dollars? If you say "u.s. dollars", they hit no. Euro, they hit yes.
sometimes the agents skip this step and just hit "dollars." honestly, its not spec, as if the customer truly wanted it billed in the other currency, they CANNOT CHANGE IT, at least at the location level.
At that time, FXNOW! was introduced. It read the currency of the credit card used for the security hold. If it was different than the country of contract origin, it promped the agent to ask "
Bill in Euro? Y/N:
Current Exchange rate is 1.34324324222"
*rate made up, dont waste your time msg me about it.
At that point, the agent will ask "do you want to be billed in Euro or US Dollars? If you say "u.s. dollars", they hit no. Euro, they hit yes.
sometimes the agents skip this step and just hit "dollars." honestly, its not spec, as if the customer truly wanted it billed in the other currency, they CANNOT CHANGE IT, at least at the location level.
Another bugbear for me is that they will not record my preference to be billed in local currency in my Preferred profile.
Apr 10, 2007 | 5:20 am
#17
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,031
the FXNOW training is for US locations only. Foriegn locations have different policies, as 100% of them are franchises, except for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Puerto Rico (and perhaps US Virgin Islands). Those locations are owned by ABG (avis budget Group, the spinoff of Cendant.).
Apr 10, 2007 | 5:28 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: Qantas Gold; BA Silver; Virgin Australia Platinum; Virgin Atlantic Gold
Posts: 351
the FXNOW training is for US locations only. Foriegn locations have different policies, as 100% of them are franchises, except for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Puerto Rico (and perhaps US Virgin Islands). Those locations are owned by ABG (avis budget Group, the spinoff of Cendant.).
Apr 10, 2007 | 6:07 am
#19
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,031
From preferred rental agreement....
C. If you use a credit or charge card that is issued by a financial institution outside of the United States and your charges are billed to us in a currency other than U.S. Dollars, the full amount of your charge will be converted to the card accounts billing currency unless you submit a written request in advance to have the currency conversion performed by your card issuer. The conversion will be based on a conversion rate published by Reuters and will incorporate a processing charge no higher than 3% applied to all amounts relating to the transaction. This charge will replace the currency conversion processing charge applied by your card issuer. You understand that your card issuer has a currency conversion process; that you have chosen not to use your card issuers currency conversion process; and that you will have no recourse against your card issuer with respect to any matter related to the currency conversion or disclosure thereof.
Apr 10, 2007 | 6:13 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: Qantas Gold; BA Silver; Virgin Australia Platinum; Virgin Atlantic Gold
Posts: 351
Apr 10, 2007 | 6:28 am
#21
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,031
Within a Country Toll Free Number International Number
United States
Rates and Reservations 1-800-331-1212 1-800-331-1084
Customer Service 1-800-352-7900
Avis.com Assistance 1-800-230-4898
Canada
Rates and Reservations 1-800-331-1212 1-800-331-1084
Customer Service 1-800-352-7900
Avis.com Assistance 1-800-272-5871
TTY/TDD (Hearing impaired) 1-800-331-2323 NONE
Oct 19, 2010 | 12:52 pm
#22
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, DL, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Radisson, GHA
Posts: 7,583
Sorry to dig up this old thread but the topic is one that really annoyed me. I have been doing a lot of Avis renting in the US lately, and as a Candian preferred member always got charged in CAD at some poor rate.
Last week in IAD I took it up with an agent but after a long time typing away at his computer he finally told me that there was nothing he could do.
So I called Avis and eventually ended in their US billing department, where I spoke to a friendly lady who confirmed that she added my credit card number to the "exception list" - from now on, if I use this card to rent from Avis in the US, I'll be billed in USD. The lady mentioned that she had no influence over automatic conversions in other countries, and that I'd need to address those each time I rent.
Last week in IAD I took it up with an agent but after a long time typing away at his computer he finally told me that there was nothing he could do.
So I called Avis and eventually ended in their US billing department, where I spoke to a friendly lady who confirmed that she added my credit card number to the "exception list" - from now on, if I use this card to rent from Avis in the US, I'll be billed in USD. The lady mentioned that she had no influence over automatic conversions in other countries, and that I'd need to address those each time I rent.