Category: annoyances

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annoyances

UPS Keeps It’s Image

We love UPS, don’t we? Last week I ordered something for my wife and the package got shipped by UPS. Guess what? UPS excels again. After I have missed the delivery for two times because I was working at the same time UPS delivers packages (sorry, my fault), I have called UPS to either arrange the pickup or ask them to deliver the package at a more convenient time.

That’s when the fun starts. In case you live in the UPS local center you should know that annoying female voice that reads all the voice prompts. I needed the customer service rep, but she insisted on choosing either to track a package or order shipments. Once you concede – she will read you the status of the package. Hm… let’s see… I know what the status is, that’s exactly why I am calling! Let’s try to ask for customer service again. “I can connect you, but this is the latest information on your package that we have“. Right, why else would I want to talk to the operator – to find out if UPS is hiding the status of the package. Black helicopters, anyone?

The operator was slow enough not to realize what exactly am I asking of him. Once he told me the UPS will call me to notify of the time I will be able to pick up the package I asked where would I be picking it up – at home or at local UPS? I asked this question no less than six times, only to be told that (these are actual responses to my question, I omitted repetitions only):

  • The UPS will call me
  • I will receive the call from UPS within an hour
  • I could be anywhere to receive the call
  • UPS drivers leave early in the morning before anyone else is up
  • all UPS drivers drive UPS trucks
  • UPS drivers come back to local station around 6 PM
  • the UPS will call me to arrange pickup

This guys is a genius, I think he’s a next UPS’s CEO. Too bad no one cares about UPS’s customer service for individuals.

Categories
annoyances travel

Advantage Rent-A-Car Customer Service Story Wrap-Up

Following up on the story I started here and here and since I haven’t heard from Advantage Rent-A-Car for two weeks, I decided to give them a call before disputing this through a charge back. After just 15 minutes on hold I got to talk to yet another rep that immediately told me that my contract didn’t exist. Thanks, I know that much already, all I need to find out now is under which contract you charged my card. Fortunately, she was able to locate the contract the money were charged to and things started rolling again. I was given a “manager’s personal fax number” (that was wrong, of course) and instructed to fax all the documents again to that number. The regular “we will call you back in 24 to 48 hours” cued in. After I figured the fax number was wrong it only took me another 22 minutes of hold time to reach them back and find out what the right number is. No big deal, right? In addition to the documents I have decided to document the whole story (the copy is below).

To much of my surprise someone from Advantage Rent-A-Car actually called me next day. Imagine that! I was told that they have recalculated my rates and the final amount would be something around 20 dollars less than the amount on the receipt I have. However, the representative declined the responsibility for overcharging my account. Overall I had a feeling she thinks she’s doing me a favor.

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Categories
annoyances travel

Advantage Rent-A-Car Customer Service: How To Sink Company Fast

There’s no doubt about various companies struggling in times of financial crisis. There is also little argument about lowered consumer spending. So if you want to keep doing business you have to provide an outstanding customer service to keep clients and to attract new ones – and that has to be just a part of overall picture.

Enter Advantage Rent-A-Car, where I booked my vacation’s car rental through Expedia. Upon  arriving at Orlando International Airport I was trying to figure out where’s their desk, since itinerary didn’t show anything about them. Finally I figured it’s out of terminal location (my bad, didn’t read the fine print) and nice electronic voice on the courtesy phone told me that there are Advantage Rent-A-Car shuttle buses every 10 minutes departing every 10 minutes from one of four locations at the terminal.

There were a few people in that location already, but they were quickly picked up by two other car rental shuttles. Then those shuttles came again. Then again. The Advantage Rent-A-Car representative told another waiting couple over the phone that they have four buses out there. As we found out later – he didn’t lie, we saw other three buses peacefully standing on their designated parking spots when we finally were picked up – 30 minutes later! Well, spending 30 minutes under Florida sun isn’t all that bad experience – but I rather do it on the beach, than all dressed up at the airport.

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