Avis and Customer Service

In my book, 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations, I point out that successful companies have four things in common.

• Successful companies develop and communicate a clarity of purpose and direction.
• Successful companies have engaged and committed employees.
• Successful companies skillfully execute the things that matter.
• Successful companies build mutually beneficial relationships with important outside constituencies.

  Today, I’d like to give some kudos to a company that has built a mutually beneficial relationship with me – Avis. 

  I rent from Avis because they never let me down.  They really do try harder.  When I rent a car, I am confident that it will be ready for me when I need it.  And that’s the most important thing a car rental company can do – provide clean, gassed, well maintained vehicles when they promise them to a customer.

  However, recently I’ve had two experiences with Avis that highlight their commitment to customer service – and building and maintaining long term relationships with their customers.

  On Monday, I flew to Indianapolis.  When I arrived there I was renting an Avis car.  I had about an hour’s drive in front of me.  I wanted to get a bottle of water for the drive.  When I was on the bus going to the Avis lot, I asked the driver if Avis had a vending machine where I could buy a bottle of water.  He got on the radio and ordered a bottle of water for me.  When I got to the car, a nice cold bottle of water was waiting for me – compliments of Avis. 

  This is not only great customer service – it is great execution.  In this case, Avis sweated the small stuff – like getting me a bottle of water.  Little things like this are the kind of things that keep customers coming back.

  Here’s a second example of great relationship building.  Avis has a joint promotion with iTunes.  When you make a reservation on line and complete the rental, you get five free iTunes.  I rent cars a lot, so I had a lot of iTunes coming to me from Avis.  Usually, I save up the iTunes and then download a lot of songs at one time. 

  About a month ago, I noticed that my credit of iTunes had gone from 55 to 10.  I sent an e mail to iTunes asking why this happened.  iTunes reply told me that the Avis credits had expired.  Sure enough, they had.  I sent an e mail to Avis explaining the situation, saying that while I missed the deadline to download the songs, I would appreciate it if they would reinstate the credit.  It took about a week, but I got a response from Avis reinstating the credits I had let expire.

  Avis didn’t have to do this.  But they did. 

  Contrast this with American Airlines.  A few years ago, I booked a ticket on line.  I used the profile I had created with American to book the ticket – you know what I mean, instead of entering all of my information, I entered just my frequent flyer number.  As soon as I pushed the button, to confirm the purchase, I thought “uh oh, my American frequent flyer account still has the name “Bud” attached to it.”  This is a problem because my given name is “LeRoy” (bet you didn't know that).  Since 9/11, I cannot get through security with a boarding pass issued to “Bud” as my driver’s license and passport say “LeRoy”.

  I called American within five minutes of booking the ticket and asked to have the name on the ticket changed.  The agent informed me that this would cost $200.  I was incredulous.  I had booked the ticket five minutes earlier.  It hadn’t even been issued by their computer.  I wasn't making a change to the itinerary.  Yet they wanted to charge me a $200 change fee.  The agent said that American was doing this because “it wasn’t their error”.

  I canceled the ticket, absorbing a $100 fee; and will never fly American again.  Just like Avis, American didn’t have to charge me a $200 fee to make a change that would require a few computer strokes – but they did.

  The common sense point here is simple.  It’s the little things that you do for customers and other important outside constituencies that make or break your relationship with them.  Pay attention, and sweat the small stuff.  Because, in reality there is no small stuff.

  That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.SuccessCommonSense.com for common sense advice on becoming the career and life success you are meant to be.

  I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

  Bud

  PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Comments

[Diane]

I'm interested to see your comments on Avis ... Here's a blog item on mine:
http://prod-blogs.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/

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