Customer Left Stranded At Albany, NY Train Station
To Whom It May Concern:
I am sending you this email regarding my displeasure and anger resulting from
an attempted rental from your company.
I want to first off start with the facts that lead up to this event. On July
20, 2006, I booked a car rental from one of your offices in Albany, New York.
Confirmation # FSMH6B. After booking the vehicle and receiving the confirmation
number I contacted your office by phone to not only confirm verbally but to
discuss that we were arriving by AMTRAK from Boston, Mass. on the Monday
evening, scheduled to arrive at 5:35pm. The reason we used this office was it’s
location nearest to the AMTRAK station and that after a discussion with the
airport office, The Pearl St location was the only one prepared to pick us up.
At that time I spoke with Troy Tarrio (not sure of the spelling) who informed me
of the following instructions.
Since the office is only open to 6pm on the night of our arrival, I was
instructed to call him from the Train and inform him of the arrival time etc. In
the event that the Train was not on Schedule, the office would make arrangements
with the Airport location as they were open later. I was also instructed that if
this was the case, I was to take a cab to the Airport location, get a receipt
for which I would reimburse.
MONDAY JULY 24, 2006
Of course our Train was arriving late, had to be. As instructed I contacted
the office from the Pittsfield Station at 5:19pm, please note that calling from
the train with a cell phone was a challenge due to reception. I asked for Troy,
conveniently it was his day off and I spoke with Todd, who I relayed the
information regarding my confirmation number and the fact that the Train was
indeed arriving late. Again, similar to the above instructions I was assured
that in the event of the Pearl St. location being closed at the time of arrival
that I could contact the airport office and they would then proceed with the
rental. He also asked me to contact him as close to 6pm as possible that if the
train arrival was close enough to closing time that he would make some
arrangement for us. Sounds like great customer service.
THE SHIT HITS THE FAN
To start, I must describe the Albany/Rensselar Amtrak Station. There is
nothing, a coffee shop, a newspaper/magazine kiosk, 3 pay phones, the Amtrak
ticket office and a kiosk with a desk, phone, and nicely lit ENTERPRISE
RENT-A-CAR sign behind it ( unattended ).
I attempted to contact a number of times from the train between 5:50pm and
our actual arrival 6:26pm. As I mentioned earlier, communication from the train
was difficult. Once off the train I called and I got the recorded message that
not only was the location closed, any calls should go to the Airport Location.
What a disaster. At the Airport Location Office I spoke to Mia, I explained
the scenario and wanted to know what to do and where is my rental. She told me
she had nothing, nothing at all from the Pearl St location. In fact she had no
cars at all. Here I am, with Family, at the Albany/Rensselaer Amtrak Station, no
idea where I am, and being told that I am without a vehicle and that they are
unable to help me at all. I told her that this was “Bullshit” which seemed to
offend her and said I should not swear at her. I re enforce my displeasure with
the fact that I am standing outside of the train station with a Confirmation
Number from “Enterprise Rent-a-Car” and the use of the word “Shit” should be the
last of her concerns. I again explained the instructions I was told by the Pearl
St. location and that I expect a confirmation agreement to be fulfilled. She put
me on hold for 10 minutes (on our cell phone, who knows what that is going to
cost) after which her office end disconnects. Are you kidding me? I go back into
the Station to again get the airport phone number and call again.
My second call I speak to Chris (manager), whom I asked if Mia had mentioned
anything about my previous call. No, he knew nothing. I had to go through all of
this again and his response was one that still upsets me. Please understand, at
this point I am so upset I am off the ground, I could dunk a basketball from
half court. Chris, states to me that “because I did not book the car through his
office, too bad, tough luck”. I could not believe this. I asked him to repeat it
so that I was not misunderstanding him. I have a Confirmation # with Enterprise,
and again his response is “Too Bad, Tough Luck, you did not book the vehicle
through my office, I have nothing from the Pearl St. Office, I suggest you call
me in the morning and I might have a vehicle for you.”
Here I am, with my family, at a Train Station that has nothing, it is now
almost 7:30pm, I have no idea about Albany and I have just been told by a person
representing the company I have made arrangements to rent a vehicle, “Tough
Luck”.
Are you kidding Me?
After a few minutes of trying to decide what to do, I am left with no
alternative to Taxi Cab to the Airport (this is where all the car rental offices
open past 6:00pm are in Albany are) in an attempt to find a vehicle so that I
may take care of my family. $42.00 cab fare. $42.00 (yes I have the receipt).
At the Airport I am able to arrange a vehicle with a competitor, a much
higher amount than what I had arranged and confirmed with ENTERPRISE-Rent-a-Car.
But at least I received a level of service one expects upon arriving in an
unfamiliar city. Oh, by the way, I did stop at the ENTERPRISE booth at the
Airport, conveniently Chris was gone, as was Mia, a trainee was working, who I
expressed my displeasure with.
Upon arriving home this past weekend, I have searched the internet in
attempts to find an email address of someone in your company who might actually
care about “The Customer (the source of income for your business) and the level
of Service that is needed to satisfy that customer to generate return
opportunities”. I found a very interesting piece of information on your website,
Employee Magazine, “What makes a Customer Happy” which I have read and much to
my amazement states nothing about “Tough Luck”. I read about “Our Values, Our
Company”, “Customer Service” which states Customer service is our way of life At
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, customer service is our way of life. From our distinctive
professional dress, to directly linking our career advancement opportunities to
the actual service we provide, we never waiver from this philosophy. Customers
seek out — and stay with — Enterprise because we truly believe in and deliver
courteous, personalized service every day. Our goal is exceed every customer’s
expectations.
So I ask you, put yourself in my shoes, YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER, with your
family, standing at a train station with a confirmation for a vehicle in your
hand, I am the car rental business. Would you want to deal with this company?
Instead of a confirmed car rental agreement for a vehicle for 3 days, total
charges $168.79, I have had to pay a $42.00 Cab Fare, plus a car rental charge
of $381.99.
I ask you again, WHY SHOULD I EVER DEAL WITH ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR again?
Should you require any further information or clarification, feel free to
contact me 204-889-7772
“Tough Luck”
Jeffrey A. Krause
Just a note. Customer Service is Meeting the Customers Needs and Expectation.
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