Slog after Slog, you begin to become numb to many travel things (like LAX and the absolute shit terminal Air Canada flies out of) as well as starting get really annoyed with trivial things that should just be better.
I use Budget Rental Car so this observation only applies to them.
I'm in the Fastbreak program in an attempt to speed things up. Make the reservation online, get on the bus, grab a car, yer outta there. By and large, except for the inconsistent ways you get those keys, it generally works. When you return your car, a nice person with the magic box walks up, scans the bar code, looks at the gas gauge, prints, tears off a receipt and you are gone. You also will get an emailed copy of your receipt if you are in the plan, they have your email address, etc.
Today at San Francisco airport, I delivered my car back and had to wait for another person. So, I had my BlackBerry out, checking the emails. For grins, I stand there and watch my BB as this guy checks the car in.
Before the print out is even started, the electronic receipt is on my BB. You know where this is going.
I ask: "Can I just not get a paper receipt? Just ask me before you waste the paper?"
Answer: "Oh no sir! We have to print it or the system won't work correctly. But if you don't want it, I'll throw it away, we recycle."
Sigh. Waste of paper, waste of a precious few seconds (which add up) in processing, extra machines, process, etc. And making sure that all the employees are told exactly the wrong thing. The process was done when that email showed up; the Cendent kids got my money. Cendent, to the best of my knowledge still owns Budget.
Opportunity number one: Yo! Cendent. Wake up and save some paper.
Opportunity number two: Attention Worldmate: Add a feature that allows me to forward this (and other) receipts to you, parse it, and make me an expense report I can turn in. See opportunity number three and team up with these guys (Doc-Snap) to do all of this. (Features of the World: Unite)
Opportunity number three: Doc-Snap, ScanR and all you other take pictures of the receipts companies, see above as there are opportunities here.
[Note 1: The "we recycle" snark above, I added. I'm only pointing this out because the corporate cops at Cendent can look at my rental, figure out who checked me in and spoke with me. I don't want an innocent person going to a Cendent re-education camp on account of me.]
[Note 2: There is likely to be an onslaught of "we do this" emails flying into my inbox. Super, send em, let's talk. The larger point here we are just note getting it done when it comes to business getting 120% out of technology. We can do better.]
It would seem best for these receipt scanning companies to work towards distribution with retailers and banks. So, that when I make purchases with my debit card(which I use more then cash), digital copies of my receipts are sent to my bank to view, compile, expense and facilitate my income tax filing.
The receipt companies I am familiar with now seem to ask consumers to change their behavior.
Though maybe there is a company doing this now?
Posted by: Ryan Spahn | November 19, 2008 at 08:30
Rick, I am an Avis guy, and they have a similar process.
Now dont get me started on the ineffectiveness of its system:
1) When you hop onto the bus and head to the lots, there are times when the bus drivers get OUT of their seats and help you with luggage. Nice gesture, but I think most people would rather head to the lots 5 seconds earlier.
2) For preferred members (i.e one who has membership, made an account, has status, whatever), the bus driver takes their names (while sitting, waiting at any pick up point) and enters it into a system. This is more wasted time, especially when people need to repeat their names 5 times ! A more efficient system would include 2-3 POSs at the back of the bus so people can do this manually (name, reservation #, status # etc.) WHILE the bus is taking me to the lots. (Oh wait ! Airlines already do this at the terminal !)
3) There MUST be a better way to do pick ups and drop offs, especially with the crazy amounts of traffic in LAX and the constant threat of getting into bus crashes every 5 seconds.
4) Agreed on the receipt. I can easily print one out myself.
5) Half the time, I give my name like the rest of the drones, and still my car isnt ready, isnt there, is incorrect when I get to the lot ! I end up having to line up, so whats the point of that ??? (Mind you, Ive rented from these guys weekly for the last 4 months. Youd figure theyd remember me and my profile. This is something that hotels are really good at, car rental companies ? Not so much...)
Oh, and yes, Terminal 2 sucks ! You should consider doing the LAX/JFK premium service. They have a really spacious business class and you can do the short commuter from NYC to Toronto afterwards.
Posted by: Harrison Lung | November 19, 2008 at 11:23
When I do have to travel, I employ every trick in the book to make it as painless as possible. For trips requiring multiple changes of clothing I have learned to ship my clothes in advance and pack suits that are interchangeable. I also prefer to stay in hotels with comfy beds to minimize jet lag and guarantee a good night’s rest.Google maps are another travel tool which help me arrive at my destination completely prepared to find my way through a maze of unfamiliar streets. Some HB team members laugh at how organized I am when I travel (I always use detailed travel planners) considering the fact my office often looks like a bomb was recently detonated on the floor leaving magazines spread everywhere.One component of travel which continues to elude me is user friendly rental car services. At one time or another I have tried all of the major companies from Hertz and Avis to smaller no-name companies. In the old days, I used to enjoy Budget. But that was then and today’s world is no longer the same.
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Wilson
house for sale by owner
Posted by: martinaedward | November 28, 2008 at 12:26
This bugs me too. Btw RIck, Cendent = Cendant.
Posted by: Aaron deMello | December 02, 2008 at 13:39