I have been requested to write a column about rude people. After my experience this weekend, I am happy to oblige.
I needed a car Saturday afternoon to do laundry. I have no vehicle at present, and I didn't want to take the bus to the laundromat with as much laundry as I had to do. So, I decided to spend a few bucks and rent a car from a local business person rather than a rental giant. I have nothing against the rental giants, but prefer give my business to local merchants if given the choice.
I call this place and say, "How much is a car for a day?"
"We have a '99 Lumina for $25 per day, with 50 miles free."
"OK, I'll be over in about an hour."
After all, I had to ride the bus to get there.
I went through the paperwork for a few minutes, and he handed me the keys. I walked outside and saw this dented, scratched up car fitting the purple Lumina description. I opened the door, hoping the key wouldn't work when I turned it in the ignition, and sat down. I popped the key in and the car started. Crap.
I sat there for a second, thinking, "I really don't want this car. It smells like cigarette smoke, has cigarette ashes on the floor and looks like crap on the outside."
However, given the laundry situation I really had no choice, I had to get going. So, I left, wanting to take a shower just from sitting in this dirty vehicle.
"But Billie, couldn't you have asked them to clean it for you before you left?" Maybe, but I didn't have time. It was after 11 a.m., I had to be to work at 3 p.m. and had four loads of laundry to do first.
I planned to rent it for two days, but was too disgusted to keep it the second day. I returned it before the 11 a.m. deadline with a note of how unsatisfied and offended I was at the condition of the car. I hoped we could make a compromise Monday when I had to come in to pay for the rental.
I have mentioned before that I like to be level-headed about situations. I was being very calm about the situation until all he kept telling me was, "You have to pay the $25."
"But, I'm very unsatisfied with the condition of this vehicle, and I almost cut my hand on the broken dome light."
Didn't matter, I signed a contract that the price was $25.
Yeah, but the car was a piece of crap and I could have gone to a rental giant and had a nearly brand new car for just a few dollars more.
He didn't care.
I was talking to him for over six minutes (it would have been longer, but I had to go to an appointment right then), trying to make him understand that I am an unhappy customer. He didn't care. All he wanted was his $25, plus tax.
This is an age of customer satisfaction. It's really a pain sometimes, but that's how it is. If you don't care about your customers, which he obviously doesn't, and you want to be rude about dealing with the unsatisfied customers, you'll be sorry.
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