Why this blog?

Dear Reader,

If you are planning to come to South Africa and renting a car, you should read this blog!

This blog was created to expose the kind of policy AVIS rental car is running in South Africa, and to warn future clients that they should be careful on giving credit card details to AVIS. You’ll also see from the exchange of emails and phone calls, between me and their customer ‘care’ dept, that they don’t really ‘care’.

If you think is worth sharing with your friends, please do.

For me, AVIS? Never again!

How it started

From: Kalinca Copello

Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:49:31 +0200

To:

Subject: URGENT Complaint about AVIS Umhlanga

To

AVIS Customer care

Dear Sirs,

I had recently used your service through my insurance company, OUTSURANCE (Police number: OT15781128). Through my insurance I have access to a ‘courtesy car’ while my car is being fixed, and on the 25th of February AVIS brought me a Toyota Corolla (AVIS contract: 153244431). This car was above the group I was eligible for according to my insurance. While explaining the contract, AVIS representative told me that in case a had a major accident, I would have to pay the excess for the insurance on the Corolla and a 450 RAND admin fee on top of that. In case a minor accident occurred to the car, this same representative told me, quote: “you would only have to pay for fixing the damage caused.”

On March 2nd, I received a call from AVIS saying I would have to go to Umhlanga (28 km. away from Durban) in order to exchange the Toyota Corolla for another car. This car was in the category covered by my insurance. The fact that I had to be in Umhlanga before 17h00 on a busy workday did not seem to be a problem to AVIS.

Once I arrived they informed me that the Corolla had some ‘minor’ scratches on the lower left corner of the front bumper. I am sure I did not cause any damage to the car. As it my responsibility, however, I was liable for payment. I was told they would inform me later as to the cost. The petrol deposit of R750.00 for the Corolla, according to them, was reimbursed to my credit card.

When I exchanged cars (AVIS contract: 153245072) I paid R750 cash deposit for the petrol in the second car. Furthermore, I explicitly told AVIS Umhlanga that once they informed me about the amount to be paid for fixing the Toyota Corolla, I would come to an AVIS shop and pay for it. This was a requirement of mine as I did not want, by any means, to use the credit card; the bill is paid in England and I have no means to transfer the money there.

On Thursday, 4th of March, my car was ready to be collected. An AVIS representative came to collect the rented car in the same location in which I was collecting my car. Once all was checked (and again I returned the car with a full tank) the representative told me that he didn’t have my deposit with him and I would receive it later. I asked for a receipt, and he told me that ‘his word was my receipt’.

On Friday afternoon, 7th of March, I received a call from AVIS. They informed me that they had to fix the minor scratch and that they would charge me R820.00 to do so - plus R450.00 admin fee. The total was R1 270.00. I was in the middle of a meeting and I told them that the admin fee was not supposed to be charged, as I had been told so previously. The fee also appeared excessive for a service that would not even take a half a day. I asked to speak with the Supervisor, Michele, who was not available. AVIS representative sent me a text of Michele’s cellphone number, but unfortunately I didn’t get through her although calling three times later that day.

Yesterday, Monday 8th of March, I called Michele to discuss the admin fee that they wanted to add to my bill. After a short conversation, during which I was simply informed that it was part of the contract (funnily enough, the same contract which they left me no copy of). I was also told that I should write to customer service. On the same phone call, I asked Michelle about my R750.00 deposit, and she said it was ready for me to collect in Umhlanga. I told her that she should rather keep the deposit and I would go to an AVIS shop to pay for the difference of the ‘scratch fix’. This was not before contesting this absurdity with AVIS customer service – when she informed me that they already charged my credit card last Friday.

I obviously do not have to remind you that charging a client’s credit card without his/her authorization is illegal as well as charging a client without presenting a bill.

I want this debit cancelled from my credit card immediately and demand that a bill of the damage is presented. In addition, the admin fee should be withdrawn.

If I do not hear back from AVIS in two days, I will pursue further legal action.

Sincerely,

Kalinca Copello

Visiting Researcher at the School of Development Studies, The University of KwaZulu-Natal

Mobile: +27 (0) 0763917538

Work phone: 031 260-2336

Kalinca.copello@gmail.com

Doctoral Candidate at SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research

University of Sussex

K.copello@sussex.ac.uk

The standard reply

On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 9:16 AM, Vincent Vassen wrote:

Good day

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Please forgive the delayed response; we are however looking into this matter urgently.

I will keep you informed and give feedback as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Vincent Vassen

Customer Care Consultant

AVIS Rent A Car, South Africa

Registered Financial Services Provider

Tel: 011 923 3617

Fax: 086 568 6195

E-mail: vincent.vassen@avis.co.za At AVIS People will always be More Important than Cars

I tried to explain, again

From: Kalinca Copello [mailto:kalinca.copello@gmail.com]

Sent: 15 March 2010 04:32 PM

To: Vincent Vassen

Subject: Re: URGENT Complaint about AVIS Umhlanga

Dear Mr Vassen,

Before receiving your email, I got in contact with my insurance to report the same problem – obviously was their choice to use AVIS service, so I though they should be aware of the problems I had.

OUTsurance immediately contacted the liaison person, between them and AVIS – Vanessa. Vanessa called me and after I explained the same story – all over again - she ‘apologized’ and asked me to go to an AVIS shop in Durban Central and pay for the ‘scratch fix’ bill. After that, they would cancel my credit card charge in that same shop. I found, particularly, absurd that I have to first pay the bill, so AVIS can proceed with the cancelation of a charge that they shouldn’t have done in the first place.

The only reason I used my credit card for the first deposit, was because I was informed by Umlhanga that if I paid in cash, it would take up to 3 weeks to receive my deposit back. ‘By using a credit card, the cancelation of the deposit is instantaneous’. I think this is probably a very deceitful policy to get hold of people’s credit card, no? I believe that was exactly the case.

Anyway, after another long conversation with Vanessa on the phone, I told her I would go on Friday that AVIS shop, and pay my bill – not saying that I changed my mind and decided to agree with AVIS, I was just getting tired of these long phone calls which will take me anywhere. I know exactly what I will have to do to ‘get back’ to AVIS.

Vanessa told me that once I paid the bill, the shop would cancel the credit card right away, and I would leave with a receipt of the cancelation. Vanessa also told me that she would ask Umlhanga to leave my 750 Rand deposit at the same shop (OBS: Vanessa was surprised to hear that Umlhanga never offered to make a deposit into my account, they simple, at first, told me to go to Umlhanga to pick up my check).

On Friday around 3pm, I went to the AVIS shop in Durban central, on my rare free time. When I got there, for my surprise, the employees there had no idea what I was talking about, what was I supposed to pay, or even who to contact. I have to say though, that opposite to the treatment I received from Umlhanga, the people there were quite helpful and started to call everyone – from Umlhanga, to customer services and Vanessa.

They finally saw an envelope that Umlhanga dropped there without any explanation. The envelope contained my deposit of 750 Rands. After another hour wasted there, they told me that they could not cancel my credit card. Since it is an international credit card, it could only be done by the headquarters (should I say, another misinformation, or just another deceitful one…). Vanessa also repeated the same thing on the phone to them. Apparently, she didn’t know about the procedure.

While they were talking to Umlhanga, I was told that the amount deducted from my credit card was not 1.270 Rands as I was informed before, but they forgot to tell me about the VAT, so the total amount was 1.448.99 Rands. Should I ask: is this another AVIS policy? Mispronouncing things and numbers?

But there is more…

The system at AVIS Durban Central was not working, so I could not pay my bill and leave with a receipt. Conclusion, I wasn’t able to pay anything, and the bill on my credit card, was obviously, not cancelled.

Right now this case went beyond the excessive and fraudulent charge on my credit card. AVIS has been disrespectful and it seems that is leaving the matter to become worse than already is.

‘Looking forward to hearing back from customer service’

Sincerely,

Kalinca Copello

And even insinuated that I lied!!!

And they obviously did not apologize!

See the email exchange between them:

On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 10:04 AM, Vincent Vassen wrote:

Dear Mrs. Copello

Please see below feedback from station.

According to the feedback below it seems that the matter was been resolved and they even tried to call you to confirm this.

Kind regards

Vincent Vassen

Customer Care Consultant

AVIS Rent A Car, South Africa

Registered Financial Services Provider

Tel: 011 923 3617

Fax: 086 568 6195

E-mail: vincent.vassen@avis.co.za

At AVIS People will always be More Important than Cars



From: Avis RAC Umhlanga [mailto:avisumhlanga@mweb.co.za]

Sent: 18 March 2010 11:00 AM

To: Vincent Vassen

Subject: Re: URGENT Complaint about AVIS Umhlanga

MORNING VINCENT,

AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. SHE HAS PAID DURBAN DOWNTOWN FOR THE ACCIDENT DAMAGE IN CASH AND THEY HAVE REVERSED THE AUTHO AMOUNT.

BASICALLY PAX WANTED THE ADMIN FEE REVERSED WHICH WE CANNOT DO SHE WAS ANNOYED THAT THE ACCIDENT AMOUNT WENT THRU ON HER CREDIT CARD BUT WE KEPT THE CAR ON OPEN MOVEMENT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN WE HAD TO CLOSE THE RA.

I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO HER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HELPED HER WHEN I COULD. SENT A DRIVER THRU TO DOWNTOWN TO DROP OFF HER CASH DEPOSIT.

WE JUST TRIED TO CONTACT HER AGAIN BUT SHE DID NOT PICK UP THE CALL.

SO HOPEFULLY THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED ACCIDENT PAID FOR, AUTHO REVERESED BUT I CANNOT REVERSE ADMIN FEE.

MICHELL

AVIS UMHLANGA

To: Avis Umhlanga

Cc: Precious Mngomezulu

Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 8:43 AM

Subject: FW: URGENT Complaint about AVIS Umhlanga

Hi

Can you please contact this client directly as she is not accepting the feedback as provide by your station?

Please let us know of the outcome as I need to close off this case.

Kind regards

Vincent Vassen

Customer Care Consultant

AVIS Rent A Car, South Africa

Registered Financial Services Provider

Tel: 011 923 3617

Fax: 086 568 6195

E-mail: vincent.vassen@avis.co.za

At AVIS People will always be More Important than Cars

and I though this was the last email to AVIS

On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 9:21 PM, Kalinca Copello wrote:

Dear Mr Vassen,

I would like to first address your email dated 12th of March – which due to busy work schedule I wasn’t able to reply.

1st, regarding: “She then wanted the Manager's number sms to query about admin fee. The manager's number was sms to her and she did not contact the manager Friday,Sat or Sun.”

I received a call from AVIS Umlhanga on Friday around 2pm, when I was in the middle of a meeting. My meeting finished around 4:15 and I immediately tried to contact Michell. The 3 calls I made to her phone I received either ‘busy’ or ‘unavailable number’. I did not try to call on Saturday and Sunday, simply because during the day I was travelling between rural areas and settlements, and I had no time to waste with anything that wasn’t work, including AVIS.

2nd: “Monday morning we charged her card. After charging her card she called and spoke to Michelle the manager to reverse charges on her card as she opted to pay cash.”

On Monday, when I called Michell, differently from what she reported to you, she informed me that my credit card was charged on Friday – not Monday. I wonder who to is she ‘adjusting’ the information’. And, as you obviously should know, I had no means to find out that my credit card was charged on Monday, because it’s an international card. I can see that they tried to suggest that the only reason I called on Monday was because I was already charged. I ‘wonder’ what they were trying to achieve…

Now regarding the comments from Umlhanga in your last email dated 20th of March:

3rd : “I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO HER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HELPED HER WHEN I COULD. SENT A DRIVER THRU TO DOWNTOWN TO DROP OFF HER CASH DEPOSIT.”

Umlhanga did not do me a favor by dropping the money downtown. They should have given me the check when I returned the car, or have offered to make a deposit into my account. Dropping off in Durban was the minimum after telling me: ‘yes, you can pick up your check in Umlhanga…”

4th : “WE JUST TRIED TO CONTACT HER AGAIN BUT SHE DID NOT PICK UP THE CALL”

Since I asked Umlhnaga to send me a fax of the bill – which they should have done before charging me, according to the law – I have never received any call from them. Are they again trying to suggest I’m avoiding them?

5th and last: “AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. SHE HAS PAID DURBAN DOWNTOWN FOR THE ACCIDENT DAMAGE IN CASH AND THEY HAVE REVERSED THE AUTHO AMOUNT.”

No, Mr Vassen, the issue was not resolved. After my second visit to AVIS Durban Central, I asked them to inform AVIS HQ that I want a written document (email or fax) saying that the amount in my credit card was reversed and including the cancelation number. So far, I have not received anything.

It’s clear to me now that Customer Service is not really interested in hearing my complaints or even apologizing.

I will no longer waste my time sending more emails or making phone calls. I’m sure the readers of my new blog will agree with me and help me share this experience with future clients. This exchange of emails will give them a very good idea of the kind of service AVIS is providing.

Have a good day, Sir.

Kalinca

And of course it wasn't resolved!

Mr Vassen obviously ignored my last email, and never bothered to check if the amount was reversed in my credit card.

Than, on the 8th of April I received a call from travel jigsaw saying that my credit card was 'denied’ and therefore they couldn’t put through my reservation. I immediately called my partner in England and we found out that AVIS never reversed the amount, and I had an outstanding bill to pay (which I didn’t know because I rarely use this credit card).
Again, I had to call AVIS customer care, and luckily I got Mr Vassen in the line. He obviously didn’t remember me or my complaint, but asked me to send an email with my payment receipt (which is even more ridiculous because he was already informed by the branch of the payment).
Again, another email and copy of the receipt attached:


From: Kalinca Copello [mailto:kalinca.copello@gmail.com]
Sent: 08 April 2010 08:36 PM
To: Vincent Vassen
Cc: Careline Web
Subject: Re: URGENT Complaint about AVIS Umhlanga
On Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 8:11 PM, Kalinca Copello wrote:

Dear Mr Vassen,

As requested, please find attached picture of the receipt of payment made in march, which was not reversed in my credit card.As I mentioned to you, my credit card was block, and I demand this issue to be solved by tomorrow (09/05).


AVIS has been causing me nothing but trouble.


Sincerely,

Kalinca