The first couple of experiences using SpotHero were quite good. I am new to SpotHero (and all parking apps) and over sixty so you guessed it, trouble was in the works. Last week I arrived at my parking garage at 10:00 pm to see that my car had been towed, even though I received a confirmation from SpotHero. Seems that when I put in my license plate number it wasn't saved in the app. Since I got the confirmation, I thought all was set.
The customer service rep was helpful and told me how I might get a refund. He said that there is a warning about the license plate number if I bothered to scroll down and maybe this was my own fault. Now I take responsibility for not looking at the confirmation close enough - if I had scrolled up, it does in fact tell me I am missing my license plate number but I saw the confirmation and thought I was set. My question is - why would SpotHero send a confirmation if the reservation wasn't completed? No license plate = your car will be towed. Good customer service would not let a customer complete the reservation without that vital information.
To make matters 100 times worse, they use Lincoln Towing, which if you are from Chicago you know this company by their terrible reputation. Upon arriving at Lincoln Towing's lot, I found no direction on how to enter the facilities. The clerk motioned me from the scary yard to go to the unmarked door in the front of the building to enter. I opened the door to see a completely dark closet of a room with a bullet proof glass window. The clerk was on the other side of the window and did not acknowledge my presence. Maybe he couldn't see me in the darkness. When I knocked, he gave me "the hand" basically saying he'd get to me when he was good and well finished with what he was doing. Five minutes later, he turns on a stark light and begins processing car. There were forms to sign and no counter to write on, so I used the filthy wall.
After I paid over $200, he handed me a receipt. I had to ask what was next. I was instructed to go back to the lot to get my car. Lincoln Towing checked off "all the above" options for how to scare women late at night.
I will be sure to check that I have a license plate number if I ever make another reservation. I am hesitant to use SpotHero again because of their association with Lincoln Towing. read more