For A Few Dollars More, Part 6
I work for a car rental company as a specialist. Basically, when a customer demands a supervisor, I take the call.
Before transferring me to the customer, the agent who received the call explains to me the situation: the customer wants to make a one-day reservation for both pickup and dropoff at the airport.
When booking a reservation, you have two options: pay at the counter or pay in advance. If you pay in advance, you get a better rate. The customer is requesting a supervisor because she wants to pay at the counter but get the prepaid rate.
Customer: “They told me that if I pay in advance the rate will be $38 and if I pay at the counter it’ll be $41, but I never pay in advance. Can you do something about it?”
Me: “I do apologize for the inconvenience, ma’am, but it’s not possible to give you the prepay rate if you don’t pay in advance.”
Customer: “Don’t you have a discount or a coupon?”
Me: “No, ma’am, I don’t have any coupons available and I don’t see any specials right now.”
Customer: “What’s the base rate you have?”
Me: “$23.99.”
Customer: “Why is that? I’m on your website and it shows $22.”
Me: “It is possible that the website has its own special right now. I know it’s weird, but even though we’re the same company, sometimes the website has better rates than my department.”
Customer: “What about that wholesale food company? I have a membership. Don’t you guys offer a discount for that?”
Oh, God… she’s a member of [Company]. I’ve had some really bad experiences with them.
Me: “Yes, we do have a partnership with them.”
Customer: “How can I apply the discount? I don’t see any options on the website.”
Me: “I’d strongly recommend you go to their website.”
Customer: “Why would I need to do that? Why can’t I do it on your website?”
Guessing that I won’t get rid of her anytime soon, I figure I might as well just make her a reservation and move on, even though I am technically not meant to bypass the partnership stage like this.
Me: “That’s okay. I’ll add the discount myself. Can you please provide me your membership number?”
She provides me her membership number.
Me: “Very well. With unlimited miles, taxes and fees included, and your discount, it will be $38.”
Customer: “Pay at the counter?”
Me: “Pay at the counter.”
I’ll admit, that feels wholesome. I ask her for basic information like her email and phone number, we even laugh at one point, and then…
Customer: “And this is for a Ford Fusion car, right?”
God d*** it.
Me: “No, ma’am, this is for an intermediate-size vehicle like a Corolla or Chevy Cruze.”
Customer: “What? No, I told the agent that I wanted a full-size car like a Ford Fusion.”
I check to see the rate for a full-size car, and much to my dismay…
Me: “A full-size vehicle would be $42.”
Customer: “Don’t you have, like, an upgrade coupon?”
I check, but I can’t find an upgrade coupon – not that it would help; if I attached that type of coupon, she would get a standard-size vehicle anyway, not a full-size.
Me: “I’m truly sorry, ma’am, but this is the best rate I can offer. Should I proceed with the reservation?”
Customer: “Pffft… No. So you’re willing to lose a customer just for three dollars?”
Me: “I can’t go any lower, sorry.”
Customer: “Guess I’ll have to go with another company; I won’t rent from you guys anymore.”
Me: “So be it. I am sorry to hear that.”
Customer: “Wait… did you just say, ‘So be it.’?”
Me: “Yes, ma’am.”
Customer: “Tcht, such great customer service you have.”
I can hear her talking to someone in the background:
Customer: “Can you believe this? He just told me, ‘So be it.'”
Click.
Nearly ten minutes trying to assist her just for her to tell me, “Are you willing to lose a customer just for three dollars?” Don’t like the rate? Feel free to shop around. Such a novel concept.
Related:
For A Few Dollars More, Part 5
For A Few Dollars More, Part 4
For A Few Dollars More, Part 3
For A Few Dollars More, Part 2
For A Few Dollars More