Avis - FAIL
If you've even driven in Dallas you'll understand about the tolls. For visitors it appears they are everywhere - you pay to get on, you pay to get off, and you pay when you're half way there too, just for good measure. It's insane.
Locals bypass much of this madness, but visitors like me don't know how. So, the first thing you find when you drive a rental car out of the airport is a toll booth asking you for a dollar....and of course you dont have any change. It really is frustrating.
So imagine how happy I was last week to discover that Avis have implemented a new system now that includes "tolltag" in all their cars! A little gadget that allows us to drive through the fast lanes and the tolls just get added to the bill. So cool!!
This service was promoted all over the counter at the rental desk and I had a conversation with the rep about it. You don't have to do a thing - the first time you drive through a toll it gets automatically enabled and then you get billed $2.50 a day during the rental. A small price to pay.
So, of course, all week I drove throught the fast lane and smiled each time!!
Until the last day. The day I returned the car. I went through one toll that had a light that went green as you drove through. My light didnt go green. It was red. Hmmmm.
Then I got to a tollbooth with a barrier at the airport. The barrier didnt go up. WTF?
I parked at the avis dropoff and told the attendant that the tolltag wasnt working, and guess what? Go on, guess. Yes, my car didn't have it fitted.
So what happens when Avis gets a ticket in the mail? I don't know, but I'm guessing that they'll stick that and an "administration fee" on my credit card. I doubt that they'll ask permission again (I'm sure their rental agreement covers this somewhere!)
No problem, I'll call Avis this morning and clear it up. This is how it went:
- Called 800 number. very helpful lady said that I'd need to speak to the local DFW office. She gave me the number (972-574-4130).
- Called the DFW number. Chose 4 "customer service". A recording tells me they are transferring me to Worldwide Customer Service. Endless loop to #1.
- Called again. Chose "Extend my rental" - got transferred to a busy signal.
- Called again. Same result.
- Called again. Chose "Make a new reservation" hoping to get to someone who wants my money. They transfer me to worldwide sales people.She was again helpful and said to call local number but NOT choose a number. Just wait.
- Called again. Didn't press a number...and was transferred to a busy signal.
- Called again. There was a choice for "administrative offices". Oooh, real people? I got into another voicemail system, and was asked to choose from a bunch of peoples names, press 1 for Jack, press 2 for Jill, etc. Also, one choice for "airport manager" so I chose that. I got a voicemail message that - get this - asks me to "re-enter the 4 digit extension number that you were trying to reach". Of course, I dont know, I just picked a choice from a menu. "Or press 411 for a directory".
I started to press 411 - and on "4" a recording told me "goodbye" and I was disconnected.
Oh My God.
Avis, you SO FAILED.
Consider this my documentation when I have to go to small claims court to get my money back.
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