Is Quicksilver Dead?
Nov 7, 2004, 11:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DTW, LAX, MBJ
Programs: AA, Delta Kryptonium (DM) Hyatt Diamond IHG Fake Plat (Ambassador), HH Gold
Posts: 832
Is Quicksilver Dead?
I was a Alamo regular for a number of years. The past three years I have been Hertz - work discount is amazing.
Anyway...used Alamo recently for a personal rental. Can't find anything about Quicksilver. Asked at the rental location, response "Oh you can stand under that sign and we'll get to you quicker.
What gives???
Anyway...used Alamo recently for a personal rental. Can't find anything about Quicksilver. Asked at the rental location, response "Oh you can stand under that sign and we'll get to you quicker.
What gives???
Nov 7, 2004, 11:14 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Wenatchee, WA
Programs: Lifetime AA Gold-1MM
Posts: 4,909
My Quicksilver number has been virtually useless on recent rentals. It doesn't seem to speed up the rental process at all, there is no paperwork or car waiting for me, they hav no clue as to my coverage or gas preferences, I'm just in line like everyone else. As a result, I've switched to Hertz and Budget. So long Alamo.
Nov 10, 2004, 10:37 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DTW, LAX, MBJ
Programs: AA, Delta Kryptonium (DM) Hyatt Diamond IHG Fake Plat (Ambassador), HH Gold
Posts: 832
Gave Alamo one more try at DTW. Quicksilver was no help. On the return I had to go inside to complete my car drop off and get reciept.
Farewell Alamo, It was fun for a while
Farewell Alamo, It was fun for a while
Nov 12, 2004, 12:53 am
#4
Join Date: May 2002
Location: DTW
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 1,934
While I do have a QS #, I signed up long ago and then never used it so I have forgotten it. Anyways on a recent trip to FLL (not using QS), it took about 4 minutes for the guy to fill out the paperwork in the airport (at the Alamo counter by baggage claim), he told me to take the shuttle and the car would be there waiting for me.
It was, keys were in it, car was running and AC was on full blast.
Nice.
It was, keys were in it, car was running and AC was on full blast.
Nice.
Dec 15, 2004, 2:25 pm
#5
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Location: MCI
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Dead at MCO
Update as of Dec 15: both seamless Quicksilver and Emerald Aisle are dead in Orlando. Both services now require human contact at the counter in order to get paperwork. Very primitive. Won't do it again. I'd rather ride the Hertz bus over to Semoran Blvd. Less time-risky.
Dec 28, 2004, 2:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
HNL Alamo is No Longer Any Good, IMO
Just rented at HNL yesterday and it was worthless. I've been QS for 4 years and rent at HNL 3-4 times a year since then. It was a dream. In and out in 30 seconds with the car waiting in an assigned spot.
Then, a year ago the QS kiosk was gone. Back in August I stood under the QS sign for 5 minutes while the agent finished with a non-QS customer. They had my res and info but no car waiting and no full-size.
This time, I stood under the sign and was told "If no one is there, don't stand there. You have to stand on the regular line." My res was in the system but I had to give all my information all over again (cc, license, local address, FF#) and get hassled over the insurance liability options and made to feel like an idiot for declining them. They didn't have the class of car I had confirmed until the guy next to me gave up his full-size car which is what I wanted so I got his.
Then, when the bill printed to sign it was $50 higher than the my reservation confirmation (which I had with me) so they manually entered a $50 credit.
I spoke to the manager on duty at HNL and she didn't think this was all a big deal and said we always require this information for QS. Yeah, right.
Maybe Alamo can give lessons at Harvard B-school on how to screw up good customer relationships. Textbook case!
Bye-bye Alamo!
Then, a year ago the QS kiosk was gone. Back in August I stood under the QS sign for 5 minutes while the agent finished with a non-QS customer. They had my res and info but no car waiting and no full-size.
This time, I stood under the sign and was told "If no one is there, don't stand there. You have to stand on the regular line." My res was in the system but I had to give all my information all over again (cc, license, local address, FF#) and get hassled over the insurance liability options and made to feel like an idiot for declining them. They didn't have the class of car I had confirmed until the guy next to me gave up his full-size car which is what I wanted so I got his.
Then, when the bill printed to sign it was $50 higher than the my reservation confirmation (which I had with me) so they manually entered a $50 credit.
I spoke to the manager on duty at HNL and she didn't think this was all a big deal and said we always require this information for QS. Yeah, right.
Maybe Alamo can give lessons at Harvard B-school on how to screw up good customer relationships. Textbook case!
Bye-bye Alamo!
Last edited by inlanikai; Dec 28, 2004 at 2:12 pm
Dec 28, 2004, 2:11 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
dupe. sorry!
Jan 10, 2005, 11:33 am
#8
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Dead at DEN
I guess the moral of the story is that Quicksilver is dead everywhere. You'd think I'd get the freaking clue and stop renting from these people, but they keep turning up stuff like a $26 two-day rental after all taxes at Denver. It's official: I am a sucker.
The Denver location is an absolute zoo. It's a merged National-Alamo location, like most of 'em are these days. The bus is mostly full of Emerald Aisle renters, and the first thing I notice is that EA is empty, so those guys all head inside. I'm a Quicksilver renter, and the guy on the bus doesn't know what the h*ll Quicksilver is. Great. I go inside with the EA renters.
Now the good part is: there are two lines. One for everybody else, and one that says "Quicksilver" on it. There is no EA line because, in theory, the EA people shouldn't be in any line. Quicksilver people do have to wait in the line, because the kiosks are not in Denver. So anyway, I get my rental papers and am told to go outside and "talk to customer service" to get my car. That entailed walking over to a mostly-empty lot where a bunch of people are all yelling at one Alamo guy for their cars. I quickly learn that they are all skiers and have booked SUV's. There is one car sitting there that nobody wants - a Chevy Classic. I quickly make sure it doesn't belong to anybody, I jump in, I drive to the security exit. I have a compact booking, I have no idea what Alamo/National considers a Classic to be. Probably a midsize. I explain the situation, the security guard laughs and lets me go with no problems.
Anyway, I don't understand what Alamo/National is trying to do. Are they intentionally trying to destroy the Alamo brand entirely so that they can retire it and roll out bigger/better National locations? At one time, I regarded National as a close #2 to Hertz in terms of quality. Are they abandoning that altogether in favor of competing with the Paylesses and Enterprises of the world? $8/day (before taxes/fees) seem to indicate that's where they are going.
It just seems that they have bad processes, bad management, and people who can't think their way through problems. That's why I don't understand why they are going so low-end with service and rates. They have the infrastructure, real estate, and the "old" Quicksilver/Emerald Aisle framework in place to go up against Hertz. Give me good service, and I might pay more than $8/day. It just doesn't make any sense.
Yet I keep going back for my whuppin'. Thank you, eight dollars...
BTW, the Chevy Classic is a lot like my 4cyl 1995 Saturn SL1, minus all of the excess horsepower.
The Denver location is an absolute zoo. It's a merged National-Alamo location, like most of 'em are these days. The bus is mostly full of Emerald Aisle renters, and the first thing I notice is that EA is empty, so those guys all head inside. I'm a Quicksilver renter, and the guy on the bus doesn't know what the h*ll Quicksilver is. Great. I go inside with the EA renters.
Now the good part is: there are two lines. One for everybody else, and one that says "Quicksilver" on it. There is no EA line because, in theory, the EA people shouldn't be in any line. Quicksilver people do have to wait in the line, because the kiosks are not in Denver. So anyway, I get my rental papers and am told to go outside and "talk to customer service" to get my car. That entailed walking over to a mostly-empty lot where a bunch of people are all yelling at one Alamo guy for their cars. I quickly learn that they are all skiers and have booked SUV's. There is one car sitting there that nobody wants - a Chevy Classic. I quickly make sure it doesn't belong to anybody, I jump in, I drive to the security exit. I have a compact booking, I have no idea what Alamo/National considers a Classic to be. Probably a midsize. I explain the situation, the security guard laughs and lets me go with no problems.
Anyway, I don't understand what Alamo/National is trying to do. Are they intentionally trying to destroy the Alamo brand entirely so that they can retire it and roll out bigger/better National locations? At one time, I regarded National as a close #2 to Hertz in terms of quality. Are they abandoning that altogether in favor of competing with the Paylesses and Enterprises of the world? $8/day (before taxes/fees) seem to indicate that's where they are going.
It just seems that they have bad processes, bad management, and people who can't think their way through problems. That's why I don't understand why they are going so low-end with service and rates. They have the infrastructure, real estate, and the "old" Quicksilver/Emerald Aisle framework in place to go up against Hertz. Give me good service, and I might pay more than $8/day. It just doesn't make any sense.
Yet I keep going back for my whuppin'. Thank you, eight dollars...
BTW, the Chevy Classic is a lot like my 4cyl 1995 Saturn SL1, minus all of the excess horsepower.
Jan 27, 2005, 1:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Hudson, OH
Programs: UA-MM; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,350
I did a search, and came up with this thread. Very disappointing. One remaining question. Is there any such thing anymore as a "quicksilver card" that one can run through a kiosk on our own, and complete the reservation that way? Or must one now wiat in the normal lines, along with everyone else? Alamo did change SQ #, but paper card only.
I'm tryinbg Alamo in SEA, dispite this nonsense. Booked a 3-day mid-size; thought at first it was $39/day, but it did say "total stay." That indeed was what it was. Guess this is there "$29/day or less" promotion.
But I will not continue with them if they have eliminated QS benefits.
I'm tryinbg Alamo in SEA, dispite this nonsense. Booked a 3-day mid-size; thought at first it was $39/day, but it did say "total stay." That indeed was what it was. Guess this is there "$29/day or less" promotion.
But I will not continue with them if they have eliminated QS benefits.
Jan 27, 2005, 1:58 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by Zip
I did a search, and came up with this thread. Very disappointing. One remaining question. Is there any such thing anymore as a "quicksilver card" that one can run through a kiosk on our own, and complete the reservation that way? Or must one now wiat in the normal lines, along with everyone else? Alamo did change SQ #, but paper card only.
I'm tryinbg Alamo in SEA, dispite this nonsense. Booked a 3-day mid-size; thought at first it was $39/day, but it did say "total stay." That indeed was what it was. Guess this is there "$29/day or less" promotion.
But I will not continue with them if they have eliminated QS benefits.
I'm tryinbg Alamo in SEA, dispite this nonsense. Booked a 3-day mid-size; thought at first it was $39/day, but it did say "total stay." That indeed was what it was. Guess this is there "$29/day or less" promotion.
But I will not continue with them if they have eliminated QS benefits.
Had there been no QS line, I probably would've gone in search of the Emerald Aisle people. I have an EA card as well - I probably would've handed over my Alamo paperwork and said "Please find a way to make this work - I don't care what I drive, I just need something that runs and I need to be driving it five minutes ago."
I don't blame you for taking the $13 rental. Just be prepared for a bit of a headache getting it.