I HATE AVIS - QUEEN & KENNEDY(brampton)

I know, I know its been a while…

I have tons to talk about but just can’t find the time/ energy to put it into words. I’m sorry.

However, today has been a different day, (by different, I mean sh**ty). So let me explain.

First off, never rent a car/van from Avis – especially the avis in BRAMPTON ONT. – ON QUEEN & KENNEDY.

Long story short, they over charge you then have the nerve to give you attitude when you ask them what’s going on.

*side note* my aunt has already had a bad experience with this specific location regarding the same thing

FULL Story

My family and I needed a van for the Labor Day weekend to travel to the States for my Uncle’s 50th surprise birthday party.

Another family member who works with a church who does regular rentals with told us that AVIS has a van for rental with unlimited mileage total price = $450 + tax (HST 13%)!!!!

Great Price, to good to be true?
Yeah that’s what we thought so we called in. SAME PRICE
Went to book it, SAME PRICE
We sign the sheet after he specifically repeated the price and terms, SAME PRICE
We drop off the car get back the receipt, DIFFERENT PRICE!!!!

See the tipping point of my day?

Please bare in mind I’m returning the car during my work break. ½ hour after my allotted time I’m still in the store.

He claims we scratched the car, we have the paper that says the scratch was already there.
He charged us $100 over the original price

My aunt, who booked the car, is pissed( It’s on her card)…I tell her to relax while I talk to the man. (correction try to talk the man). He takes the next customer. He calls the guy that we originally booked with.

The guy we booked with asks whats the problem.
I respond he overcharged us

Avis douche: the scratches

In my head I’m going WTF.

Original booker say don’t worry about the scratches there on the paper.

Me: okay, but there still an over charge. You told 3 people the same price now its more. How do we fix this.

Original booker: no no, I told you $495

I take a deep breath
Regardless the price you charged on her card are wrong. Even with the taxes on the $495 it shouldn’t be that much. Here look at the paper

Original booker: silence

45 mins after allotted break time

I call my uncle (church boy) he says he told him $450.

My aunt’s like we need to figure this out before I pay!

Silence.

Me: Hello – I’m speaking to you.

Avis douche: the charge is already processed

Me: Excuse me, she didn’t sign anything.

Avis Douche: she’s doesn’t have too

I go from chill to PISSED.
Me: I need the store manager number.

Avis douche: no answer

Me: Excuse me, I need the name and number of your manger!

1 hr. 10 mins after my allotted break I say w.e
- by this point I’m livid.

*breakthrough point
This is where my marketing diploma comes in very handy – more specifically that social media class where you need to write a blog, get a twitter account with 50 followers, and where I’ve learned to utilize the big mouth’s of me and my friends.

Ahhh social media, makes our world so small. I Love it (for now).

So the message of today – NEVER EVER, rent from Avis at QUEEN & KENNEDY in Brampton, Ont.

I wont say stay away from AVIS in general, I’m pretty sure most of them are decent. I’m also aware that somewhere out there a family depends on an Avis paycheck. However, there is a certain way to conduct business. DO NOT LIE to a customer, WHEN they ask for the manager DO NOT IGNORE the customer unless there being overtly disrespectful. GIVE THE NAME OF THE MANGER.

I’ve talked the manager after I called customer service (she had to call to get it with me on the phone) At the end of the day they got $600 TODAY. In the future they’ve probably lost over $10 000.

Hey Brampton Avis,

I plan to tell everyone I know, and people that I don’t how much I don’t like your service.

I’ve already put out twitter blasts – I have 55 followers, my sister, 1000, my friends over 5000. most of them are locals

I plan to message everyone on my email list and my LINKED IN profile.

I’ve already told everyone at my work.

2 of my friends are writing blogs as we speak

I’ve just completed mine.

- Have a Nice Day


Just another thought,
Unltd Love (except to Avis),

SM

Textaholic

Hey

I am ready to admit that I have a problem. I am addicted to my cell phone (no its not a crackberry)! (I can’t afford one)

It’s not even a nice one; I’m just a product of my environment. The social media age, the Now! Now! Now! generation. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and I highly doubt I’m the only one.

I’m currently on detox (somewhere between the fourth/ fifth step), surprisingly it’s not that hard. I mean, a cell is a great convenience (and a welcome distraction during class) but it comes with its set of problems.

I am one of I have recently got use to having it on me, or within arms reach (even in the shower). In this day, and age, that is normal (trust me, I did research!) However, since I have given my cell phone a restraining order I’ve noticed that I have indirectly neglected people in my life (or phone contacts list).

With neglect, come consequences, numerous “cuss offs,” silent treatments and even people complaining to my mom! The people who are closest to me know that I no long have my phone 24/7, so why the complaints?

Since my phone isn’t near me most of the time, why are they surprised when I reply to a text 20 minutes later? And they know I do not pick up my phone before 6!

One of my friends told me, after I replied “too late” (5 mins. after the text reached my phone) “I asked u that like 10 yrs. Ago- *kiss teeth!”

So this got me thinking, and questions start forming.
Now I have a question (yeah, you knew it was coming) does owning a cell phone automatically mean that you’re on demand?

My answer is no!

Correction, HELL NO!

I am not a genie who appears right after you dial my number.
I’m not video-on-demand or anything like that. If there is a rule that states the length of time you have to reply to a text or missed call. Is that time limit set at 5 minutes? If so, where was I when that memo was given?

This take-off of social media, everyone is easily connected and because of this people assume that you are always available. I’m guilty of it as well, but I’ve learned.

I mean if it’s important find another way to contact me (I’m a student – so I’m usually in class). I don’t have a voicemail for the same reason. I have a wonderful (but expensive) (*ahem Rogers) thing called caller ID. Like most voicemail recorders say “I’ll get back to you AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Moral of the story: I’m not purposely avoiding anyone, if I don’t automatically reply it’s not because I don’t care – I just don’t have my phone on me!

Just another thought,
Unltd Love,

SM

University (supplementary) Applications

Hey,

For all those students who are applying or have already applied to university good luck because it's expensive!

I (probably not the last person) thought I had completed my applications (and drained my bank accounts doing so) only to remember one last thing supplementary applications especially for competitive Business programs.

Not only did I just find out that they are mandatory, OUAC fees (Ontario University Application Centre) doesn’t include these costs!

Yeah, I’m a little bit upset (pissed off is more accurate) but it is a cost that is essential to my education, and therefore, can not be averted (believe me, I tried).

So my question(yes I always have one) is why are they there?

Am I to believe that someone is actually reading my extracurricular activities, two reference letters, and essay about changing the world?

I no longer know what to believe. All I know is this: stats (StatCan) come out every year saying that students have the lowest budgets but everyone (retailers, book publishers – another blog topic!) are trying to squeeze every last dollar from our pockets.

I know that Universities need to make money in order to provide services, I just think that they shouldn’t be getting it off potential students (please remember that you DO NOT have an admissions offer before you spend your money on applications).

Maybe they should give partial refunds for students they reject, or at least make University applications tax deductible!

Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong. Let me know what your're thinking!

Just another thought,

Unltd Love,

SM

PS: Thank You to my first follower – Letesha!

Reading Week 2010

Heyy,


Its reading week…aka “March break” for most college students. This is the time where we get a break from school to catch up on homework, or read. Or play beer pong with our cousins who are in town (kidding).

Personally I think one week isn’t enough. I think it needs to be extended, I’m so far behind that I need at least two weeks, and a couple shots of espresso to keep me going.
(Maybe that’s why I can’t sleep in!)

Anyways, my question is why is it so early (February 15-19)! (I’m used to March break in March!) and why did they schedule it that same week as family day (Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan only). They practically cheated us out of a day of relaxation and I don’t even know who to blame.

Whatever though, I get it, we’re lucky there even giving us a break! There trying to prepare us for the real world – you barely get breaks out there!

I, Myself, am finally going to complete all the supplementary applications for university (congrats all the people who made early admissions – JRose).

On top of that I plan to actually exercise (I’m lying), catch up on True Blood, oh, and finish my advertisement assignments (going well so far).

Therefore, I guess I will be using my reading week to actually read (ewww). I’ll fit in sometime for a spa treatment (compliments of my mom).Hey, I might be so relaxed that I never return to school. Who knows, See you then.

*Update, NO STRIKE (yeah I’m a little disappointed)*

Enjoy the rest of your reading week!!!

Just another thought

Unltd Love,

SM


Still looking for something to do this reading week? Check this out!

Ontario College Strike 2010

Hey,

If you’re one of the 200,000 students enrolled in an Ontario college you know that there’s a possibility of a strike.

Hey, I myself can use a break! I’m still trying to catch up on assignments from the first week of school. I hoping for a maximum of two weeks, anything after that can do serious harm (especially since I graduate this spring (yeah me!!!)) after that I want answers (or some sort of compensation).

Here is what I know for sure:
1, That the deadline has been pushed back to Feb. 17 (on our reading week)

2, The union has rejected the arbitrary binding (if they had accepted these terms there would have been no strike)

3, 57% of teachers voted for a strike (weak)

4, Some schools (*ahem Humber, Fanshaw business teachers) really don’t care (they’re already paid well) (so I hear…)

The weirdest part about this is how quiet the school is being about it. Even the student council (people voted to power by us) seems to have little information for us. Maybe they know less than we do? Maybe not. I’m just saying that in a time like this, it would be nice to see them earn their paychecks…Let us know what’s up!

The last thing we need is another York U disaster!!!
For more info. (google it)

Just another thought,

Unltd love,

SM

Questions about Haiti

My first blog…

There is not a person in the world who hasn’t heard about the tragedy that hit Haiti January 12th 2010 (The earthquake for those of you under a rock).Whenever something like this happens, people respond; everyone ( Banks, Retailers, Offices, Individuals) were all setting up collections in order to help Haiti. I myself, wanted to help anyway I could, and as usual that means money (it’s the American way).


I’m a student, on a student budget but I knew I wanted to give something. I soon received one of the many text msgs. instructing me on how to donate money ($5) to the Salvation Army. Right after I got the confirmation txt, I received another text warning me to be careful of a scam collection circulating.


(My first reaction was duh, Rogers will probably charge me $5 just for sending the text). But I really began to question where my money was, and how it would be used.
Helping others in need by collecting money in itself is a beautiful thing; but who, and how, are they going to keep track of it all? I mean, it’s impossible (for me) to keep track of all my spending. How does a small country like Haiti, who is already unstable (physically and politically), do it? Especially with the 100’s of millions of dollars going into it?


With all that money and so many hands in the pile, it seems a little too easy for someone to skim a little off the top of the money pile.


I mean, think about it, millions of people are collecting donations in the name of Haiti. But again where and to whom is it really going to? If its going towards food, how are the people going to get it? Roads are destroyed. Would they drop it from the sky? Will everyone get enough? Most importantly, who is in charge. Who is responsible for what, and how much exactly do they need?


I heard (in the US) that one organization raised $9 million just over text donations. $9 million USD, which is 40x the amount in the Haiti gourde (Haiti dollars). And this was just the beginning.


I understand that this is a country that literally need to be rebuilt. But I don’t believe in just giving money than saying goodbye.

From what I heard Haiti is still a poor, politically unstable economy. To pump hundreds of millions dollars into a country who has proven themselves unable to sustain their themselves, seems a little stupid.

So who should be in charge of operation Haiti. The US would seem like a likely choice but given their track record of handling money (recession – yes I am pointing fingers) I don’t think they have the time to be building another country when the obviously should be focusing on their own. Canada, same thing!


I guess the plan it to get things started, do the best we can, then allow them to continue. But when we do succeed in rebuilding Haiti, we cannot prevent another earthquake from coming. What happens then?

I know I’m asking a lot of question, but I want to know (I think that I’m allowed that much); Am I wrong for wanting to know?

These are my 21 questions about Haiti (I know it's less).Either way I have a feeling that none of these organizations would be able to answer them anyway.

Just another thought,

Unltd love,

SM

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