The email I sent to the customer service sums up my review:
To whom it may concern:
This is Kayla Armstrong and I am writing to express my absolute disappointment and outrage at the handling of my rental experience and customer service with your company. I rented a compact SUV in late August and the employee, Javon, at the shop did a "walk through" of the vehicle when I was in the restroom. He showed me on my forms that there were no cracks in the windshield. When I got out to the vehicle, I noticed a star shaped crack on the upper driver's side windshield so I called Javon to have him take a look at it. He noted there was indeed a crack and marked it on both our copies of the "walk around" damage sheet. While on my trip, the crack started to grow across the windshield. Upon returning the vehicle, I informed the person working that day (don't know her name) of what happened. She informed me at as long as the "damage sheet" had the crack marked as being there before I rented it, I would not be charged. I even went a step further to verify with your customer service line of the situation and that person confirmed that as long as the "damage sheet" showed that the windshield had a crack in it before I rented it, I would not be charged.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago on Thursday October 10, I receive an email with a bill for "Emergency Roadside Assistance/Vehicle Damage" for $209 BUT NO ACUTAL INVOICE OF WHAT THE CHARGE WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR. I immediately called the customer service line provided and was informed that no notes about the previous damage were noted on my account. I was instructed to email a copy of the "damage sheet" document to avisdocuments@avisbudget.com with my case number. I then immediately called the store I rented the vehicle from and spoke with Javon to figure out why no notes were placed on my account. He stated that he put the damage from the crack on the person who rented the vehicle before me's account and noted they should be the one charged, not me. He agreed to send the "damage sheet" to the avis email and CCed me on the email as well, which he did IMMEDIATELY.
Monday October 21 my account was charged the $209, causing my bank account to go into the negative and I received an overdraft fee of -$35. Again I call the customer service line and the man puts me on hold and magically within the time he put me on hold until he came back on the line, I receive a refund email. He also informs me that the charge wasn't even supposed to go through until Wednesday October 23 AND he can't explain why it went through 2 days early. He tells me it is going to take up to 72 hours to receive a refund. Not ONCE did this customer service agent express an apology for this mistake and he tells me there is nothing else he can do for me so I request he transfer me to a supervisor so I can figure out how your company is going to refund my overdraft fee, so he places me on hold. I had now been on the phone for over 30 mins and the hold music goes silent and then the line disconnects. So I immediately call back and have been on hold for the entire time it's taken me to write this email, which is now currently 20 mins.
This extreme mishandling of my case by your poor customer service team has caused an extreme about of undue stress, inconvenience, and financial burden all for a damage THAT I DID NOT CAUSE. I am a nursing student so my funds are very tight and I am already under an extreme amount of stress as it is so the gross negligence in your company's handling of my case is unacceptable. I will absolutely NEVER be using your business again and will be sure to review your business on every review platform available to make sure the public is aware that if you rent from Avis/Budget that you will be charged for damage you don't cause and be hung up on when you want to speak with management.
Kayla Armstrong
Ps: I'm still on hold at 32 minutes read more
