Complaint Review: AAA Advantage Auto Transport - Internet

This company is an expert at lying to its customers.

On 7/8/2005 my wife and I spoke with a representative regarding shipping our vehicle from Massachusetts to Arizona. We specified that we needed the car picked up on 7/23. He assured us that this would be no problem since we were giving them so much notice. We explained that the car needed to be in Arizona by August 1. He again said no problem, it would only take 5-7 days to transport.

It is now 7/27/2005 and the car hasn't been picked up. A call placed on 7/23 was answered by another customer service representative. This rep assured us that the car would be picked up within 24 hours. It never happened.

7/24 - calls placed went unreturned.

7/25 - calls placed went unreturned

7/27 - This is when the fun begins. After being on hold for over 20 minutes, Mike answered and said that the car had left on 7/27. He asked me me to confirm that the car has already left? I explained that I still had the car in my possession. He quickly placed me on hold.

He came back on the line and said that the car hadn't been assigned to a transport company yet. I said that you just mentioned that the car had already left, so which was it? he danced a bit and said that he would try to get the car assigned right away. I explained that I had had enough of the lies and wanted to cancel. He explained that I would be charged a $200 cancellation fee. I explained that the car had not been picked up in a reasonable amount of time as the contract states. He said that "reasonable time" to their company meant 10-14 BUSINESS days.

I explained that we had been promised a pickup on 7-23. He said that it was not possible that I had been promised a pickup date. I asked to speak to a supervisor. He sent me to a supervisors (Danielle) VOICEMAIL!

So I call back. Got through after being on hold for only 5 minutes. Esther answered. I asked to be transferred to a LIVE supervisor, not a voicemail. She put me into voicemail. That's twice now.

I call a third time. On hold for 10 minutes. Mike answers. I identify myself... and you guessed it... right to Danielle's voicemail! That's number 3.

I call a fourth time. On hold, just 5 minutes again. Thank god for that. Mike again. I ask him not to transfer me. He complies. There is a God! I try to get him to refund my money. He won't budge. He says its my fault that I haven't given them 10-14 business days to pick up my car. I explained that I did... I gave a deposit on 7/8/2005. He says no, the date begins on the pick-up date, not the deposit date. I tried to explain that we were told that it would be picked up on a certain date. I said I felt lied to. I asked him if has ever received complaints like this one before. His response - 'Yes, all the time. That's because customers don't listen and make up what they want to make up. Customers only hear what they want to hear"

Well, I heard that! I asked if he could transfer me to a live supervisor, not voicemail. He put me on hold for 10 minutes. He finally came back and said no one was available. I said, well, I guess I am out my deposit of $200 bucks, huh? He said, yes, afraid so. I asked him how he sleeps at night after ripping off customers. He said he sleeps fine. Good for him. I won't.

Bob

Braintree, Massachusetts
U.S.A.