Customer Service

I have returned from my vacation out of town, but still have the rest of the week off. I had two dr. appointments last week, and this week I will go to PT 3 times.  That does not seem like much of a vacation, does it?  But not going to work is nice.

I stayed at the Quality Inn in Greenfield, Ma., http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-greenfield-massachusetts-MA186#listpos1. I knew the pool was unavailable, but I am not much of a fan of chlorinated pools.  The room was adequate.  There was cable TV, minus ESPN http://espn.go.com/  and The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/, but there was NESN http://nesn.com/, so I got to watch the Red Sox games (or reruns of the Red Sox games.)

The free wi-fi was easy to access, and unlike some systems, this one did not require me to change email settings to use it.  The staff was helpful and sometimes, intuitive.

But, the key card repeatedly did not work in the outer door.  My room was near the front, so going around to the front desk and having the key card re-set was not too inconvenient, but uncomfortable Thursday and Friday in the pouring rain. Grrrr. But, the staff at the front desk were pleasant and helpful.  When I left, I mentioned the problem.   One of the clerks, who had re-set my key card and thought it was set to use throughout my stay, was present.  They agreed they needed to list that as a maintenance item.   But did nothing to compensate me for my inconvenience.

I ate free breakfast every morning. The selection was small, but adequate.  I just wish they had had ketchup for the eggs, but that is me.  So, all and all, it was an adqueate experience.

I used Dollar Rental Car http://www.dollar.com/Locations/gen.aspx?locationId=BDL.  Although the rental car lot is off site of the airport, access by van was easy, and drivers were helpful.  Check in was quick, and they provided maps and directions to get to the interstate, and then to return to the site from the interstate. 

When I returned the car, I mentioned that I had had to add a quart of oil.  My brother had mentioned they should pay for the cost of the oil. I thought that would be fair.  They did not.They took 20% off of my bill. I thought that was more than fair.  Wow!  It was not really that wrong, but they sure made it right!

I used the Airport Shelter Park http://airportshelterpark.com/ for my car at the airport.  I usually use uncovered parking at another lot, and that lot has covered parking, but the cover is not as good as at Airport Shelter Park. We are in a weather cycle with intermittent chance of severe weather, including hail, so I wanted the car under the more substantial cover.  The driver insisted on loading my bags into the car, explaining that should I hurt myself doing so, I might not return as a customer. Sounds like good customer service to me.

I flew American Airlines http://www.aa.com/homePage.do.  I am used to Southwest Airlines https://www.google.com/search?q=Southwest+airlines&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBF&gws_rd=ssl and the attitude of we will make your experience pleasant.  American Airlines was a neutral experience.  

So two out of four got good marks for customer service.  The others did not get bad marks, but nothing to write home about, either.

Vacations experiences

Last year, in the autumn, I took a driving trip to northeast New Mexico.  It was a short trip, but filled with long hours of comfortable, back roads but good highway driving, sightseeing, good eating, comfortable hotel time, and in general just nice, relaxing time.

The leisure, release and relaxation I enjoyed on that trip sustained me for quite some time, and even now, as I recall it, I can  also recall the relaxed feeling I experienced.

That is what a vacation should engender: nothing rushed, nothing stressful or hectic, nothing untoward.

This past June I took a trip that was very nice, but not as relaxing.  There were some issues: driving an unfamiliar car, driving in a big city instead of small towns and country roads, an airline issue which was minimal from my perspective, but still, a little stressful.  It was still a great vacation, but not as refreshing as my trip to New Mexico last autumn.

As we go through life, we can appreciate the changes we make, and what works and does not work for us.  I know myself, and driving trips are so much more pleasant for me.  Having control works for me.  Back roads and country atmospheres work for me.

But, if I did not experience other environments, other changes, I would not appreciate what works for me.

Rental Cars

I still do not have all the ins and outs of rental cars figured out. I know my insurance is supposed to cover me in a rental car, and am able to resist the dire sounding problems that might occur if I do not buy supplemental insurance.

I have learned not to buy a tank of gas because I can fill the car up before I turn it in; if I buy a tank of gas, even at a lower than market price, the likely hood of my returning the car on empty is small, and the rental car company gets to use the gas I paid for, anyway.

Upgrades are nice, but beware, they can drastically effect the amount you are paying for your rental fee without your realizing it. Market prices vary depending upon demand, and a rental car in a market like Florida or Arizona at Christmas is worth much more than the same car in the middle of the summer. And, of course, if you rent a car in one location, and drop it off in another, the drop off charge is amazing, and can double the cost of the rental.

Having said all that, isn’t it nice to show up some where by plane or train, and then be able to drive where ever, these days generally with unlimited mileage, and in many markets, in more than one state, without major limitations. So, it is a pleasant luxury to be able to enjoy.