Comments on: Innovation and Customer Service http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/ Connecting the dots ... Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:10:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-33 Anonymous Tue, 26 Jul 2005 23:12:10 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-33 I think it's something peculiar with car rental agencies that they attract (or create?) bad service opportunities. My good experience with Hertz was solely the result of a failed experience with Budget. Hertz was staffed with nice, pleasant people who took time to explain things when Budget decided to not honour my reservation (given, I didn't see one line in the Terms and Conditions, so it's my fault for the goof, but I shouldn't be punished for this.... http://foo.ca/wp/2005/07/26/budget-post-the-third I'm trying to spread the word, though, so any suggestions, help, or linkage would be appreciated. Thanks. I think it’s something peculiar with car rental agencies that they attract (or create?) bad service opportunities. My good experience with Hertz was solely the result of a failed experience with Budget. Hertz was staffed with nice, pleasant people who took time to explain things when Budget decided to not honour my reservation (given, I didn’t see one line in the Terms and Conditions, so it’s my fault for the goof, but I shouldn’t be punished for this….

http://foo.ca/wp/2005/07/26/budget-post-the-third

I’m trying to spread the word, though, so any suggestions, help, or linkage would be appreciated.

Thanks.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-32 Anonymous Sun, 24 Jul 2005 20:14:40 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-32 You're right, Vinnie. My bad experience could have been specific to that night, that crew, and not typical of Avis, and I did not mean to write an Avis-bashing piece. What came to my mind reading your post was how easily we take certain things for granted - like the Hertz environment was the only one I experienced for years, so I simply thought this was "THE car rental experience" as such, and was in for a shock to live through the difference:-) You’re right, Vinnie. My bad experience could have been specific to that night, that crew, and not typical of Avis, and I did not mean to write an Avis-bashing piece.

What came to my mind reading your post was how easily we take certain things for granted – like the Hertz environment was the only one I experienced for years, so I simply thought this was “THE car rental experience” as such, and was in for a shock to live through the difference:-)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-31 Anonymous Sun, 24 Jul 2005 19:45:03 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2005/07/24/innovation-and-customer-service/#comment-31 Zoli, thanks. Sounds like a nightmare -that Avis experience. My intention, of course, was not to beat up on Avis or the others. Avis, in fact, has pushed Hertz to innovate. In the marketing world Avis's slogan "We try harder" has long being associated with how a number 2 in a market should behave. Also, Enterprise innovated the concept of locations away from airports which prompted Hertz to introduce Local Edition. Hertz is usually - not always - premium priced, so there is a cost for their innovations. Also, they are not fail proof. Last year in Rome, I had to wait an hour to get a car, even though I am one of their Number 1 (frequent renter) members. But overall, I like to write about companies like Hertz, Jetblue and others which make our customer, employee and other experiences richer through technology...I hope to profile 2-3 such companies each month...if you have suggestions on such companies, love to hear about them Zoli, thanks. Sounds like a nightmare -that Avis experience. My intention, of course, was not to beat up on Avis or the others. Avis, in fact, has pushed Hertz to innovate. In the marketing world Avis’s slogan “We try harder” has long being associated with how a number 2 in a market should behave. Also, Enterprise innovated the concept of locations away from airports which prompted Hertz to introduce Local Edition.

Hertz is usually – not always – premium priced, so there is a cost for their innovations. Also, they are not fail proof. Last year in Rome, I had to wait an hour to get a car, even though I am one of their Number 1 (frequent renter) members.

But overall, I like to write about companies like Hertz, Jetblue and others which make our customer, employee and other experiences richer through technology…I hope to profile 2-3 such companies each month…if you have suggestions on such companies, love to hear about them

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