Avis, continued.

Want to start an Avis franchise operation in your neighborhood? Here is all you need to know:

https://qa.avis.com/car-rental/html/employment/boss.html

But shhhhh... it is not a franchise! You will be an Independent Operator! And here is how it works, in a nutshell:

"Independent Operators are paid a percentage of every dollar of time-and-mileage rental revenue. You also can earn income on optional rental charges like child seats and coverages."

Now, doesn't that explain a whole lot? Wow, on their official website, in plain view, is listed their unfettered motivation to add unasked-for services, con customers into insurance policies, jack up the rates with flimsy excuses (like re-booking a reservation when the customer called to add a loyalty account number to an existing reservation), and charging through the roof for late returns.

This just might explain every complaint posted on the forum below:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/avis.html

Avis car rental nightmare

Avis is one of the many prevalent options for renting automobiles in the US (and abroad, according to their phone system's recorded screeching). I ran afoul of their corporate greed recently, and thought I'd vent my frustration a bit.

It all started with a one-way mini-van rental to go from the Boston area to Virginia. I picked up the car the evening before, loaded it up early the next day, bundled the family in, and hit the road. Several hours later, we pushed our tired selves into Virginia, having navigated through and around a horrendous crash on the highway that shut down all lanes of traffic.

The rental was due to be returned at Dulles airport by 6:00 PM. I got there at 10:30 PM. Yes, I was late, and knew it. I stood in line, patiently waited for my turn, and handed in the rental agreement. The woman casually prints up the bill, hands it to me, asks me to check everything, and heads out the door.

To my horror, they have added close to $250 in extra charges. I call the woman back to the counter and ask why there are extra charges. After feigning shock and appearing to read the bill, she says I was several hours late. So I ask her for the keys back: if they are charging me for an extra day, I would like to have the car and bring it back the next day.

"Sir, we closed the contract. You will need a new contract to get the keys back."

Never mind the lack of brains behind this statement. The Avis staff was plain rude.

A couple of days later, back at home, I called up Avis, confirmed that I was late with the car, explained the traffic accident, and asked if there was anything they could do for me. The lady on the phone was kind enough to put in a request for a partial refund, with the promise that I would have an e-mail response within 3 working days.

Seven days go by, there is no response from Avis, and it is time to waste more time on the phone.

The guy at the other end says that a manager has been assigned to my case, but he has just returned from vacation and is catching up on his work. He then gives me a lecture on the fine print and how I knew the charge was going to be made.

A month goes by. Still no response from Avis. Another late-night phone call.

The woman says the request was declined, two weeks earlier. The reason: "We are not responsible for traffic."

I pointed out that there was no e-mail as I was promised. I am told that there is no note saying that a response was promised. I ask for the supervisor, who turns out to be one of the worst customer service staff I have ever seen. She apologized that I did not get a response, but the rest of the conversation was very combative and stubborn. I was apparently 6 hours late. I tell her it was 4.5 hours, not 6. I am told that simply turning up implies I want to return the car. I counter that I would have liked to be asked if I would like to keep the car another day, seeing that I was going to pay for it anyway. A basic courtesy before they close the contract. She says their staff did not break any rules.

At one point, this person's brain goes into over-drive when she realizes how clever she is: the hourly charge, over 4.5 hours, is actually way more than the charge for an extra day! "Sir, if you want, I could charge you by the hour instead, but..."

I cut her short as I knew where this was going. I told her this is another scam that must be dealt with separately.

I tell her there is a term for taking money and not providing the related service. She says there is nothing she can do. I say that this could be the last time I ever rent from Avis. She thanks me and hangs up.

Now that I think about it, they also charged me $8 for using their toll transponder. This was on top of the actual tolls. I was not even told about the transponder in the car when I picked up the vehicle, let alone that there would be a fee for its use.

I look forward to renting from Enterprise again. They have been much nicer to me so far, and even pick me up when I need a rental.

As for Avis, they are not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, they do have a fairly long list of complaints filed against them, and are rated B+ on a scale going from A+ to F:

http://www.bbb.org/tulsa/business-reviews/auto-renting-and-leasing/avis-rent-a-car-in-tulsa-ok-38004414

Nearly one-half of the complaints are about billing/collection! Perhaps B+ is being too generous.

Here are yet more anecdotes of their greed:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/avis.html

Buyer beware!

Journalism: fail

The quality of journalism is undoubtedly at an all-time low. We live in the Twitter age, when so-called journalists and editors are more interested in slapping a few words together and moving on to the next scandal. In fact, I often wonder if these news establishments even have editors! The once-renowned news outlets are now nothing more than tabloids. The news media in the US is glaringly culpable in this respect, with headlines ending in question marks, some even erroneous just to generate outrage leading to mouse clicks. Case in point, from today's version of www.cnn.com: "People are tattooing their WHAT?!". This is a video link, no less.

As a kid growing up in India, I used to look up to The Hindu as an example of exemplary journalism. The articles were actually news reports, except for the Editorials that focused on opinions. Tuesdays were a point of anticipation for their Know Your English section, which would humorously and lightly elaborate on a specific point of potential confusion in the use of the language.

Now, The Hindu is no different than the rest: trigger-happy tweet-mongers with no shame to even adjust their hasty submissions after they go live (and after a reader actually takes the trouble to point out the gaffes). Here is the latest from The Hindu's mad offerings:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/tejpal-fails-to-make-it-to-mothers-funeral/article6025932.ece?homepage=true

The "article" is reproduced below to showcase the glorious jumble of text to which the author has proudly ascribed his name in public:

Quote:

Tejpal fails to make it to mother's funeral

PRAKASH KAMAT

Tarun Tejpal, who was granted interim bail by Supreme Court in view of the death of his mother, could not reach for the final rites held at St. Inez crematorium here on Monday. The rites were held at 5.45 pm. Monty Tejpal, younger brother of Tarun Tejpal lit the pyre in the presence of close family members, relatives and friends.

Tejpal’s father Inderjit, journalist Anirudh Bahel, among others were present.

Ms. Shakuntala Tejpal (89), who was suffering from cancer, died on Sunday evening at Moira house of Tejpal in north Goa.

Family was clearly sad that Tejpal, who, a family source said, was very close to his mother.

Unquote.

English teachers could perhaps use the above example in their question papers, asking students to first identify, then fix the numerous errors.