“We acknowledge that in midst of operating during these difficult circumstances, we have let certain members down, and we are sorry for that,” the statement said. Zipcar sent CNN Business a statement Sunday evening, and said it would be increasing the number of call service agents by 50%, as well as adding hundreds of vehicles to its fleet. The email came a day after an inquiry from CNN Business regarding customer complaints. “We know it’s been frustrating for you, and please know that we will get to every request as quickly as possible.” Zhen said the company is working quickly to get its service back to full capacity. Zipcar president Tracey Zhen emailed customers Saturday afternoon and said Zipcar was disappointed that it hadn’t been there for its community in the way members deserve. Avis laid off or furloughed approximately 70% of its workforce, and sold off 35,000 vehicles in its fleet. Avis has said its businesses were off to a record start to 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic decimated the rental car industry and triggered the bankruptcy of its rival Hertz. The rental car company Avis Budget Group bought Zipcar for $500 million in 2013, and Zipcar has since faced stiff competition from Uber and Lyft. Zipcar was founded in 2000 and quickly found a niche as a car ownership alternative in cities and on college campuses. Zipcar says users can request to cancel their memberships online, but customers told CNN Business they were unable to do so on the website, and had to call Zipcar’s customer support line. Some longtime customers who once viewed Zipcar as so reliable and efficient that it could be a stand-in for owning a car, now say they want to cancel their membership, but haven’t been able to because they find Zipcar is so hard to reach. Obtained by CNNĪnd when things go wrong, customers interviewed by CNN Business say they rarely can get in touch with Zipcar customer support, even after waiting hours on the phone. Some customers have had to scramble to get alternative transportation and were left in what they felt were unsafe situations, such as being stranded far from home without a way to get around.Ī Zipcar customer shared this photo of a recent rental in which the low tire pressure and maintenance indicator lights were both active. Zipcar apologized for the shortcomings in a statement to CNN Business and said it’s taking steps to improve the service. They said that the car-sharing service’s quality had deteriorated in recent months, and that some cars are especially dirty, or not even available when members arrive for reserved rentals, a trend they say has worsened since the pandemic. Everyone arrived home at about 2 a.m., according to Plucinik.ĬNN Business reached out to dozens of people like Plucinik who had mentioned the car-sharing service on social media platforms this year, and spoke with 16 customers, most of whom were satisfied until recently. She drove with her boyfriend to pick them up. No response, he said.Īfter 90 minutes on hold with Zipcar customer service, Plucinik said he gave up and called his ex-wife. He says he tried Zipcar on email and Instagram. Plucinik said he tried calling Zipcar customer support. Dennis Plucinik had finished filling up his Zipcar at a New York gas station the night of July 5 when his holiday weekend unraveled.įar from home, with his daughter and girlfriend looking on, Plucinik said he tried in vain to get the SUV to start.
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