I always register our car rentals with Autoslash to see if they can find me a cheaper rate. Previously I’d receive notices a few weeks or even days before our trip informing us of the ability to save money by rebooking with a different company. With car rental prices through the roof, I’ve found that my corporate rate from my day job beat even the best price that Autoslash could find. That’s until our last two trips when Autoslash came through at the last minute. When Sharon was on a solo trip, I got the email and was able to rebook her car while she was on the plane.
On our last trip, I got an email while I was on Southwest’s Wi-Fi, informing me of a rate of $100 less than I booked. I went to confirm the price with Dollar but couldn’t complete the reservation. The same price was available with their sister company Thrifty and I was able to finish that booking. However, I didn’t follow my own advice and don’t have a frequent renter account with Thrifty’s Blue Chip program. I tried to register from the plane but had no luck. I did manage to pre-register my rental information by using Thrifty’s “TimeSaver” form, where you put in your credit card and drivers license, saving time at the counter. Better than nothing, right?
As we got off the Dollar/Thrifty rental car shuttle from Dallas Love Airport, we were greeted by a line of at least 10 people inside the lobby. We had plenty of time until our plans that evening and even if we waited an hour, it was worth the $100 I saved.
Apparently, not everyone in line felt the same.
A couple in front of us was not happy that they needed to stand in line. Let me correct that statement. The man of the couple was resigned to the fact that he needed to stand in line. His wife/significant other was not happy that they needed to wait for a car. At first, she waited outside for him to return but eventually walked into the lobby and let him know it was so hot out. She needed to come inside because “all of her chocolate was going to melt!” (It’s Dallas in June and 100-degree temps are no surprise to anyone, except her.)
The man standing in line tried to calm her down but that wasn’t enough. She walked up to the counter, skipping the line, and waited for someone to acknowledge her presence. When an agent came out from behind the counter, she let everyone in the lobby know that with (and I quote) “other companies” their names were on a board, and all they needed to do was walk to the car and drive out. Why was it taking so long with this company?
In my mind, I knew the answer was because they usually rent with Hertz or Avis and have status that lets them pick a car and leave. But with this rental, for some reason, they chose to rent with Dollar or Thrifty (probably because the rate was $100 cheaper), and these companies don’t do things like that.
In this lobby, everyone is treated with the same level of service. The two agents will try to sell everyone the toll pass, CDW coverage and the full tank of gas, even if it means the line will only move once every 5-10 minutes.
If she was wearing tap shoes, you could have kept time as she waited impatiently, as her companion slowly worked his way to the front of the line. When it was finally their turn, she informed the agent that this form of treatment was unacceptable and they would never be using Thrifty Car Rental again.
In my mind, I couldn’t help but think, “What did you expect from a company named Thrifty?” Really, do you go to the Thrifty Wine Store to buy a bottle of Krug or Silver Oak? Are they selling Cartier shirts at the Thrifty Clothing Store? If you want concierge treatment, stick with Hertz, where you have Presidents Circle status. Maybe I’ll see you there, but I chose to save money this time, which means I waited in line like everyone else and didn’t make a scene. Which, if you didn’t notice, didn’t get you to the front of the line any faster. FWIW, I hope her chocolate didn’t melt because there’s nothing worse than ruined chocolate.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
Thrifty Blue Chip members can go right to the lot, find their name on the board and grab the car. Been doing this for years.