Car Hire companies really suck donkeys.
Nov. 6th, 2002 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azekeilBecause of the bike incident I had to get a hire car to get me to my hotel in Winchester and the IBM office in Hursley for Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday.
So, I arrange with my project manager to allow me to do that and put it on expenses. Fine and good. I go through the Logica travel centre who organise it for me, with delivery for Sunday evening and collection on Tuesday evening. I authorise the additional expense for out of hours and delivery/collection.
First of all the car gets delivered Saturday morning. Not a problem I think, they would rather deliver it early than charge for out of hours and have to come in just to deliver it. Later on I feel ill and realise cancelling the business trip is not really an option as the car has already been delivered. This annoys me somewhat, but luckily I feel reasonably OK and drive down on the Sunday.
I figure actually it's quite fun to drive around the new car over the weekend and make use of it being there. The second thing that annoys me is that the travel desk informed me it would be a 1.8 4 door car, when what I get is a 1.2 city car (Fiat Punto). Not entirely suitable for long distance but never mind. I can't find a comfortable driving position being a well-built bloke and the car has been designed for women getting in easily around town - the steering wheel is far too far away and there is no leg room or thigh support.
Finally I get back on Tuesday night. Instead of waiting for them to collect the car before I head off to see![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kissycat1000 I ring them. Except I can only find a number for reservations, who give me the Bristol Airport branch. They know nothing about it except that they think it will be collected tomorrow morning. Fat fucking lot of good that is when I won't be there, after I expressly asked for collection at that time! So I express my displeasure and told them it was their problem to sort out. I checked and agreed with chocojon that I could leave the keys with him. chocojon said he thought he was going to be in most of the morning. I told him while still on the phone to the car hire place not to hang around, it was their problem not chocojon's.
Left on the embarrasment that is the scooter (that thing does 117mph - must have confused the hell out of the other motorists on the M5!) and got up tokissycat1000's.
Today I received a phone call at 3pm from someone from the car hire place; they were outside the house and couldn't get anyone to answer the door. No fucking surprise, as I told them he was only most likely to be in in the morning. I expressed my displeasure again in a more explicit way and the guy acted defensively and claimed he only knew what was on the rental agreement slip. He sympathised with my anger after I took the time to explain their incompetence to them.
What I am slightly concerned about is he said there was a note indicating the keys were under the wheely bin but he said they weren't there. I've got a feeling I'm responsible for the car until it's returned, so I'm not too happy with this situation. They said they could see the car and it was fine but obviously they couldn't get it back without the keys.
I've just spoken tochocojon now and he says the car is still out there. Apparently eze must have been the one to leave the note, possibly on instruction as chocojon did say eze took a phone call from them earlier in the day.
Ah well, not my fucking problem, incompetent bastards.
So, I arrange with my project manager to allow me to do that and put it on expenses. Fine and good. I go through the Logica travel centre who organise it for me, with delivery for Sunday evening and collection on Tuesday evening. I authorise the additional expense for out of hours and delivery/collection.
First of all the car gets delivered Saturday morning. Not a problem I think, they would rather deliver it early than charge for out of hours and have to come in just to deliver it. Later on I feel ill and realise cancelling the business trip is not really an option as the car has already been delivered. This annoys me somewhat, but luckily I feel reasonably OK and drive down on the Sunday.
I figure actually it's quite fun to drive around the new car over the weekend and make use of it being there. The second thing that annoys me is that the travel desk informed me it would be a 1.8 4 door car, when what I get is a 1.2 city car (Fiat Punto). Not entirely suitable for long distance but never mind. I can't find a comfortable driving position being a well-built bloke and the car has been designed for women getting in easily around town - the steering wheel is far too far away and there is no leg room or thigh support.
Finally I get back on Tuesday night. Instead of waiting for them to collect the car before I head off to see
kissycat1000 I ring them. Except I can only find a number for reservations, who give me the Bristol Airport branch. They know nothing about it except that they think it will be collected tomorrow morning. Fat fucking lot of good that is when I won't be there, after I expressly asked for collection at that time! So I express my displeasure and told them it was their problem to sort out. I checked and agreed with chocojon that I could leave the keys with him. chocojon said he thought he was going to be in most of the morning. I told him while still on the phone to the car hire place not to hang around, it was their problem not chocojon's.Left on the embarrasment that is the scooter (that thing does 117mph - must have confused the hell out of the other motorists on the M5!) and got up to
kissycat1000's.Today I received a phone call at 3pm from someone from the car hire place; they were outside the house and couldn't get anyone to answer the door. No fucking surprise, as I told them he was only most likely to be in in the morning. I expressed my displeasure again in a more explicit way and the guy acted defensively and claimed he only knew what was on the rental agreement slip. He sympathised with my anger after I took the time to explain their incompetence to them.
What I am slightly concerned about is he said there was a note indicating the keys were under the wheely bin but he said they weren't there. I've got a feeling I'm responsible for the car until it's returned, so I'm not too happy with this situation. They said they could see the car and it was fine but obviously they couldn't get it back without the keys.
I've just spoken to
chocojon now and he says the car is still out there. Apparently eze must have been the one to leave the note, possibly on instruction as chocojon did say eze took a phone call from them earlier in the day.Ah well, not my fucking problem, incompetent bastards.
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no subject
Date: 2002-11-06 08:56 am (UTC)There is that saying "If you want something done, do it yourself", which is obviously not applicable in a lot of cases, which is unfortunate becuz a lot of screw-ups wouldn't happen otherwise.
Want me to call them and kick some butt for you? I'm quite good at that, so it seems... ;)
Re:
Date: 2002-11-06 09:01 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-11-06 09:05 am (UTC)But it does feel good slamming heads together when you know it's all their fault *snigger*.
I must still be on a power trip from everything I achieved yesterday :)
Re:
Date: 2002-11-06 09:07 am (UTC)Now, if only I can convince work I have actually done something today and wasn't driving around when they called me :S
Re:
Date: 2002-11-06 09:12 am (UTC)Lotsaluck... :P
no subject
Date: 2002-11-06 09:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-11-06 11:35 am (UTC)EzE here
Date: 2002-11-07 06:14 am (UTC)Thing is... if you ran a company renting out cars - wouldn't you want spare keys??? I'd rather pursue a customer for keys than a car. Eejits.
Re: EzE here
Date: 2002-11-07 06:26 am (UTC)