The old, ""bait and switch"" routine is alive and well at the Penske Truck Rental on Spring Forest Road where their manager trainee, Matt Newtown is an arrogant, cocky SOB. When I said,
""I ordered a box truck - a ten foot box truck - this truck is 16 feet and it is much too big for my things.'
He walked away from his station, rolled his eyes, went into the back, and said, something like (I couldn't entirely hear him) ""This bitch...is giving me such a hard time.""
Well, sure. I ordered a ten-foot box truck two weeks prior to my arrival date, and you turned around a gave me too big of a truck.
I may be only one person, but if you guys keep doing this to other people, you're going to be highly disappointed. In the end, reputation is everything, and if word gets around how you play the ""bait and switch"" game, it's not nice and people won't buy your product.
I can't do a helluva a lot, but if enough people read this post, maybe you'll understand that people want to believe, they want to trust, and they give the 'benefit of doubt.'
Don't blow it.
But you did: this is the second time you switched an order on me - I had to eat the costs because I had to leave Raleigh to head back to New Jersey. Three times ""you're out"" and I'll never, ever do business with you again.
Terry Battaglia
Update 8/18/2011:
I received a few calls with regard to this initial complaint. I was offered money, I was offered a free truck rental the next time I rent.
I refused both.
I told the customer service manager what I wanted:
1. When a customer calls ordering a truck, give them the truck they ordered, don't bait and switch.
2. Re-train your manager in training to hold his tongue, not remove himself and go in the back room when a customer lodges a viable complaint, OR remove him entirely from this position and put someone in who is good at fielding complaints.
And finally, I closed with this:
""Budget, U-Haul, Enterprise, and the rest, love this kind of stuff, and right now they're laughing at you.""
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