I have made or tried to make reservations for a car rental on the new Avis website and gotten the above message when I used an AWD code other than the one on my profile. I found a good rate over the holidays so I used that special AWD code, made the reservation, got that message and thought nothing more of it. I figured no automatic upgrade, I'm coming in very late they won't have compact cars so they'll have to upgrade me, no big deal. When I went to pick up the car they did not show me as AVIS Preferred at all in the computer. It didn't even register with me until the agent asked for my CC to swipe it. At that time I told her I was Preferred Select so she wanted to see my AVIS card. She swiped it and my corp rate overrode the great promotional rate. So my $20/ day car went to the $43/day corp rate. I told her this was a personal rental and the rate I had reserved was lower, therefore the one I wanted.
Has anyone else had this experience? My situation ended up fine because I checked the contract before I left the desk and noticed the rate had gone up and got it fixed then and there.
My concern is if you can only get Preferred benefits on a rental reserved with the AWD# on your profile (which I rarely use anymore)what's the use of having Preferred status? It's not worth it to stand in a line (which can be long in some locations)with no preferred benefits and waste time to get that lower rate. I'll just use Hertz or Alamo where I won't have this problem. With them,if the code is different from the one on the profile it doesn't matter.
Anyone else have a similar experience?
DGWhite, I'm curious was it just your business rentals you had this problem with? I have no AWD# in my profile as discussed above and I had a personal rental in MSY last weekend with D002807 and had no problems. I have another coming up in a week. Did they actually swipe your AVIS card at any time? I know when they did that for my rental in December the rate on the profile overrode the rate on the reservation.
Avis Preferred App (20022) 2::
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLAvis Preferred offers you the fastest way to rent your car. No forms. . significantly vary your benefits or obligations, Avis will notify you of such
http://www.americanexpress.com/ireland/pdf/Avis_Preferred_Programme_Membership_Form.pdfHOME |
Certainly their suggestion about getting another wizard number/cc# could work but who wants another card/membership to worry about? Sorry they tried to stick it to you and thanks for posting your experience.
Originally posted by jabez:
In 50+ rentals of 100+ days,I never experienced this.I get the best rate and upgrade.Getting the best rate should not affect my "benefits" as a Select.
How do you assure getting "the best rate and upgrade"?
They can manually override it. Call the Select desk and tell them your problem. They should be able to fix it.
I do not think that your trouble is the "D" AWD. Test it with other's-Costco,Hilton,etc.I believe it's a "default" problem. How would this agent know that you were not part of the group that this discount was designed for (unless you tell them)? You should be able to "shop" different applicable codes when you reserve on line. Did you call the Select phone number? The supervisor there is extremely helpful.
In March I made two reservations with my corporate AWD in my Wizard profile. I then attempted to use D002807 for an upcoming personal rental. I got the "will not get preferred service" message (first time for me) so I went in and deleted the AWD number in my profile, then made the reservation. Yesterday I completed the first of the two business rentals I had made in March. I checked my billing against the reservation this morning and found that Avis had used an AWD of S888850 which resulted in a $50 higher charge. I called customer service and they informed me that the AWD in the profile overrides any entered AWD and if the profile contains no AWD it defaults to S888850 (probably their rack rate). They credited me the difference and reinstalled my corporate AWD in my profile. I was told that if I want to use a different AWD and get preferred service I need a second Wizard number under a different credit card. Avis has obviously been sneaking these changes into their system over the last several months.
Jabez, After reading your response, I called the Select number again this morning. (This is the second time in two days.) And talked to a different agent who informed me that the D002807 AWD code is a "specially arranged code" that cannot be used with a wizard number. This is the second agent in two days that has told me me that I cannot use that number and get my preferred status. I told him I have been doing it for almost two years now and he told me that the system was not supposed to allow that to happen. The code remains on my June reservation but my experience last week in MSP and the Avis people I talked with tell me that I will not get that quoted price when I go to pay for the rental. Sounds like Avis is cracking down. It would be strange if it is hitting only certain people and not everyone. I have to believe that I am not the only person out here that checks my final billing against the reservation quote, but that is the only reason I noticed the change.
Thanks bob1008! I think this is the answer I was looking for. I will try it. If I have further problems I will post here.
I have had the EXACT same problem many times. Finally was advised by our Avis rep to do the following. I have not had a problem since. I get to use the best AWD # AND my wizard # for Preferred Select.
A) Go into "My Avis"
B) Go to " Modify My Profile"
c) Remove the AWD # completely and manually enter the one you want to use on each reservation. It works fine and does not show a conflict with the AWD in profile because there is none.
In 50+ rentals of 100+ days,I never experienced this.I get the best rate and upgrade.Getting the best rate should not affect my "benefits" as a Select.
For personal rentals I always avoid my company AWD and always avoid entering my Wizard number. After reserving online, I call the Preferred telephone number and ask them to hold the rate and enter my Wizard number. Never a problem on Avis, although I do have to ask the phone agent to double check the rate. Record at rental shows status and is upgraded. If I've gone through those steps, the rate stays as I reserved it. [Big problems trying to do the same on Hertz...they can't hold the rate if they enter a Gold or Five Star number.] Suggest you just routinely call after reserving. There are rates online that are not readily available over the phone, as you may have found.
CMW...
So far it was just the one business rental. I had made two business reservations (last week in MSP and this coming week in ATL). These were made with my corporate AWD in my profile. Avis did not swipe my card in MSP, my car was ready and waiting as a preferred. Several days after making the business reservations I attempted to make a personal reservation and wanted to use D002807. That is when I deleted the AWD from my profile per these Fyertalk threads. Now that they have put the corporate AWD back in my profile I will see if next week's rental comes out right. I am afraid that I will not be able to use my preferred-select status to get the wonderful rate for my personal trip (plus my upgrade as a select member.) I did this back in January this year with no problem but it sounds like I can no longer do it and will have to settle for the either the select upgrade or the D002807 rate (which I believe was $100 cheaper when I checked out both AWD codes at reservation time).
 Suggestion for cool sorting options
 Unwanted bonus
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No preferred benfits for this rental only !?