|
Review content:
We just returned from a road trip to St. Louis. We returned our rental car early to the MCI location (Kansas City airport) of Budget and forgot our contract at home. They couldn't find a copy of the contract that showed that we had pointed out scratches on the hood of the car. I stayed while Rob went back to get the contract. When I handed them to them, they accused us of lying. They said they had no proof that Rob didn't write the S and circle on the hood on the contract. That's not the way their guys do it and they would sign it and take the yellow copy. \r
\r
\r
This is how it happened on Thursday night. We were late picking the car up. The counter agent was helpful but one thing did make me suspicious. He said the car was pre-checked and there was no damage. We checked the car anyway, in the parking lot around midnight. We found scratches on the hood. We saw the counter agent in the parking lot and told him. He said to tell the guy at the exit booth. I got in our car and Rob drove the rental ahead of me. I saw him hand the guy at the booth the papers. The guy wrote on them and handed them back. We drove away.\r
\r
\r
We didn't look at it after that, just stuck it in a bag and went on. Maybe we should have but that guy in the booth should know his job better than we would. When we returned the car, the lady at the counter went out to check it and said there were scratches on the hood. I said, I know, we pointed that out when we checked the car out. She went and look for a copy of the contract and couldn't find it. I sent Rob back home to get our copy. While waiting I said they either did a sloppy job on the pre-checks or they are intentially trying to snare naive customers. Because, if we could see those scratches at midnight, walking around the car, they should have been able to see them in the daylight. The lady tonight clearly saw them. So how were they missed in the pre-check? How was there ""no damage?"" So then when I have the papers, the manager comes out and says that maybe Rob wrote in the damage. I said we wouldn't know how they mark it. He said the circled S was common sense, but then he said it's not how they do it. He said the guy standing next to him was in the booth that night and he would do the paperwork right. Of couse, the guy next to him wasn't going to admit to doing a sloppy job, so he went along with it. I was--still am--livid! I wanted to speak to someone higher than the manager. He gave me his card, which I pointed out wasn't higher than him. He said if I called that number, I'd get it. But when I intended to call, he said it would just ring there. I said I'd find the number. I tried on the internet on my phone but I got a mobile site with limited information. So I called the reservations number on the coupon I had. They gave me the customer service number but Customer Service isn't opened until Monday at 7:30am. It was Sunday, about 10:30. \r
\r
\r
Finally, after I called back again and at least got a sympathetic reservations agent, they said I could leave but the counter agent said the car wouldn't be ""returned"" and we'd be charged for extra days. I said no. I also said I absolutely would NOT sign any accident report for an accident that didn't happen. The manager said he's close out my contract now but he couldn't give me a receipt with out an accident report. I said I wanted it in writing because I didn't trust him. \r
\r
\r
I told them I'd be calling Customer Service tomorrow and I'd never rent Budget again and I'd tell everyone I could not to rent Budget. They have some serious customer service issues and, in my opinion, are actively scamming customers and maybe getting away with it with customers who give in to their lies.\r
\r
Pros: Nice car.
Cons: Sloppy precheck, sloppy checkout booth, bad customer service
|