I have been an Avis Preferred member since 2010. I have never rented a car from a locally owned, independent Avis facility. Honestly, I didn't realize there were franchises, until this experience. I didn't want my girlfriend to put the miles on her car for an upcoming trip so I rented a car from this location for her, but in her name of course. I have ALWAYS paid "immediately", online, instead of at the end of the rental. But, after this experience, I will tell you, it will be extremely hard to go back to Avis... but it certainly will NOT be hard to NEVER rent from this independent Avis location again!
The entire experience was terrible from start to finish. The store front closes at 6:00 PM. DO NOT be even one minute late! We were there at 6:02 PM and could see the inside of the store driving up through the parking lot. There was no one there at 6:00 PM. The next morning, when we asked the manager, Mike, why no one was there, when they knew that they had another rental due, he said "If no one is standing in this lobby before 6:00 PM, we are gone"! Literally! "if you are not here at exactly the time you have on your contract then you are considered a "no show"! Thank GOD the airport locations (which we later found out are corporate owned) do not operate this way, there would be a TON of pissed off travelers not getting rentals (missed flights, delayed flights, etc.).
We then had no other choice but to change the rental pick up to the next morning, with absolutely no price change whatsoever since we are now renting for one day less. And, Mike said, "sorry, there is nothing I can do for you"! But, what's even worse, is that we called customer support to try and get a little help and the support desk is in Mexico. The person speaking to my girlfriend told her that there was nothing she could do either. She asked to be transferred to a manager, someone with authority to help. She said "there is no one, they will tell you the same as me"! We did get transferred, but she was right, this so called manager, was not only help-less, but very rude to my girlfriend until I got on the phone. Then he tried to be rude to me as well. What the heck is going on AVIS???
Finally we decided to just let it go and I would call Avis customer service the next day and try and get someone to help. They would not even talk to me without her being on the phone with me. I get security and all, but sheesh! Anyway... speed forward to the return of the car, to the same location we picked it up. We brought it back a day early, well... dropped it off the night before it was due. Thank god for the drop box! Oh wait.. nope, the drop box was locked! Even had a sign saying do not drop off the car nor put the key in the drop box! What???? Why have it?! Sooo... my girlfriend had to re-arrange her schedule so she could come back and drop the key off the next day. Mike was working the front desk again. When she asked about the drop box he said "it's never locked"... I must be a weakling or came the only time it was ever locked! She asked about the sign on the box stating you can't drop a vehicle or the keys off after business hours... he said, "that's on every box, we just have to do that"! She asked why and he said, "it's policy"! What? You adhere to policy for a sign, BUT, you do NOT have to be in the store until the designated closing time, if no one is standing in the lobby?! Wowsa!
You know, if the manager had been the least bit sympathetic or even slightly helpful, I think the experience would have been a bit more tolerable, but his attitude toward us and the situation just makes you wonder why a person like that is even in the service industry to begin with?! The moral of the story is, don't be late, you can't change your contract locally, don't try and get assistance from the store... oh crap, never mind! Rent your car somewhere else! read more