When the Rental Car Place Doesn’t Hold Your Reservation

[JANFU]

The real reason they didn't get their car is that they used a third party reservation. Airlines do this all the time. If they bump passengers for overbooking, they start with the third party web site reservations and work down from there. The rental car company likely did the same. They opted for the full price/no commission reservations over the alternative.

I always book direct, but I go armed with what specials they offer.
Hotels do the same thing.

 

[Chomsky]

I really like that. May have to use it in the future.

Thanks.

The two key points are:

"I really believe you're attempting to do everything you can to help me, but your system isn't allowing you to succeed so I need help to escalate this to regional"

"Will you help me, by giving me the number to your regional manager's office so I can ring him now"?

Basically, you've just checkmated the manager while killing him with kindness, and if there's anyway possible to help you he has to do it, or the whole thing falls apart during the promised phone call - with the prospect of that call being call made with or without his help, and possible serious negative consequence if it's made without his help.

If you're the manager, what are you going to do with this seemingly well behaved and otherwise nice smiling guy standing in front of you, who may inadvertently cause a lot of trouble but doesn't seem to know it? You're going to do whatever you can to get the freaking idiot satified and out of the place as quickly as possible, before he can do any harm! :lamo

 

[JANFU]

Thanks.

The two key points are:

"I really believe you're attempting to do everything you can to help me, but your system isn't allowing you to succeed so I need help to escalate this to regional"

"Will you help me, by giving me the number to your regional manager's office so I can ring him now"?

Basically, you've just checkmated the manager while killing him with kindness, and if there's anyway possible to help you he has to do it, or the whole thing falls apart during the promised phone call - with the prospect of that call being call made with or without his help, and possible serious negative consequence if it's made without his help.

If you're the manager, what are you going to do with this seemingly well behaved and otherwise nice smiling guy standing in front of you, who may inadvertently cause a lot of trouble but doesn't seem to know it? You're going to do whatever you can to get the freaking idiot satified and out of the place as quickly as possible, before he can do any harm! :lamo

Key is polite and reasonable. Lose it with anger, nothing happens.