• What's ticked?
• Accolades
• Contact us

c o l u m n s

• Cheap Charlie
• ChrisCrossings
• Err Travel
• Leocha
• Travel Notes
• Archives

Cybertyrrany!
Cheap Charlie · December 15, 1999

Just today I came face to face with computer tyranny at the car rental counter. It's something that's coming into play more and more in the travel industry and it is something that should be fixed sooner than later.

Let me explain. I rented a car from Hertz, letting them know that I would be arriving on a US Airways flight at 11 am. It quoted me a rate of $22 a day (about $24 after taxes etc.). I was delighted.

My plane landed at the airport at approximately 1:30 p.m. (it wasn't late, but US Airways had given me the option of flying on a nonstop rather than changing planes, so I took it). I went to the Hertz rental counter and handed the attendant my credit card and driver's license.

She asked me what rate had been quoted to me over the phone. I said, "$22 plus taxes that should end up about $24." She punched at her computer a bit more and then told me that the rate had changed.

Needless to say, I was not pleased. The conversation went something like this: I asked "Was my original rate was in the computer"

She answered, "Yes."

I then asked, "How this could happen?" She said, "Your original rate was a weekend rate."

I answered, "Yes. Today is Sunday. I am picking the car up on Sunday. I am returning the car back to you on Sunday in only about five hours. Sunday is a weekend day the last time I checked. Plus, I know from many years of renting with Hertz, that the weekend rates are only valid if cars are returned by noon on Monday -- this car will be back this evening. What's the problem?"

She said, "The computer is telling me that the weekend rates ended at noon today. You have to pay $39 for a normal rate now."

She went on, "I have no manager on duty, so I can't get anyone to override the computer or to authorize a discount."

I then asked, "Does this mean that if my flight that was scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. had been delayed until 12:05 p.m. I would have been out of luck. Why doesn't anyone from Hertz tell us?"

Of course she didn't have an answer. I eventually convinced her to call someone who might be able to make a job-threatening decision such as honoring a quoted rate. She then connected me with someone in reservations. That person then passed me to a supervisor, who then told me that even she couldn't override the computer.

However, she would authorize a $17 discount or credit that would bring my rate back down to the original rate of $22 plus tax.

As I write this, it's been four hours since I returned the car. Since Hertz computer can't comprehend the changes, I still have to wait for my final billing until Monday, when humans with computer control power arrive back to work. I can only hope that Hertz manages to put customer service common sense above computer nonsense.

Fortunately, most supervisors at airport locations know the ropes well enough to maintain agreed upon price quotes, and I am sure there are systems for them to override the computer.

But when a major company leaves front-line personnel (even personnel three levels further up on the supervisory ladder) with no ability to deal with legitimate customer problems requiring tweaking of a mindless computer, the whole mantra of "Customers First" becomes a sham.

Whenever travelers feel they are in the right or have been quoted rates that the computers don't recognize, they must ask to speak with a supervisor. Once humans get into the picture, flexibility and, normally, common sense enters as well.

Don't let yourself be threatened by this burgeoning and mindless computer tyranny. If customers don't complain, computer abuse will only escalate.

Charlie Leocha is the Boston-based author of Travel Rights: Know the Rules of the Road and the Air Before You Go. Cheap Charlie appears every Monday on this site. E-mail him at charlie@ticked.com or access his Web site.