I've never written a review of any business, but a truly rude customer service experience compelled me to write this. The short version is: Avoid this Budget branch. They don't deserve your business.
Here is the why: On the second day of my rental this past holiday season, I needed to change my reservation. To extend it for a day. Seemed like a simple problem: could we extend or not? We just had to call and find out.
Problem was, we couldn't get in touch with them. At all.
We tried calling the office but over and over again the phone would just would ring once, then redirect to Budget International Call Center. A cycle began: the reception desk there kept saying that I had to contact the Miami Beach Branch directly to change anything, and gave me the same number I was calling (told me to call when it's not busy). We tried nearly every hour on the hour all Saturday and Sunday. One ring, then the call center. After about seven times, we asked for an alternate number --- or to have them get in touch with the Miami Branch for us. They said they had ""NO WAY to get in touch with this branch besides that number."" They couldn't help all. We felt we had no choice but to return the car when we were contracted, even though it was hugely inconvenient.
When we returned our car I explained what happened and asked ""What should we have done? Why couldn't we get in touch?""
To my shock, the woman behind the counter cut me off abruptly and said that they were ""extremely busy"" and it was ""uncommon"" that they couldn't answer the phone. No apology. She didn't even ask what the problem was. Immediately treated me like I was an inconvenience. Just wanted me to pay and go. She had no interest in fixing anything. Just gave me a ""whatever"" attitude and asked to see the next customer.
Upset, I asked to speak with her manager --- who had been standing next to her two minutes previously and gone into the back room while this was going on. She rolled back her chair. Paused. Then told me he ""was out."" I couldn't believe it! He had been standing right there a second ago, and was definitely NOT out. I could hear him in the office. She was straight up lying.
I asked for his card, told her I'd be writing to BUDGET directly about this, and she dismissively gave it to me with an attitude of ""that-ain't-gonna-help-you"". Turns out the manager, Alex, is also OWNER of the branch. The guy who owned the place is the guy who walked out, tolerating the customer service I was getting. That's the kind of business this is. This thing starts at the top and goes on down.
I should have known there could have been trouble when the two people in front of me when I was picking up my car both had issues. One even walked out and said, ""This is the worst customer service I've ever seen. How do you run your business like this?""
I didn't heed the warning, but hopefully you will.
~a former Budget customer
Pros: they rent cars
Cons: bad customer service; rude employees; don't answer the phone
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