europcar.co.uk

They don't care

After posting a review on Trustpilot, I was invited to “give us the chance to solve the issue by providing more details.” I hope this email outlines my concerns clearly and helps you understand the level of disappointment I feel regarding my experience.I booked a van online on 8th January, specifically requesting an early pick-up at 7 am. I paid an additional fee for this time slot as I needed to meet a strict schedule to offload at an exhibition. The payment was processed successfully, However, I never received an email confirmation. Fortunately, I took a screenshot of the transaction, which I have attached for your reference.The day before the pick-up, I contacted customer services to confirm my reservation and was assured that my booking had been processed and the van would be ready at 7 am the next day.On the day of collection, I arrived at the Enfield branch promptly at 7 am, only to find the branch closed. I waited outside until someone eventually arrived at 8 am – an hour later than expected.I explained to the staff member that I had booked a van for 7 am, only to be told that "this never happens." Eventually, I was given two options: continue with the booking and contact customer services later or cancel the reservation and rebook on the spot. Already behind schedule due to the delay, I chose to continue with the booking.The issues didn’t end there. I was provided with a van but had to wait for the windscreen to clear as the branch had run out of de-icer. Adding to my frustration, the van’s dashboard display did not clearly indicate how much fuel was available. This only became a problem during drop-off when I was informed that I needed to refill the tank. I incurred an additional cost of £35 for refuelling, which seemed excessive given the distance I had driven.Throughout the day, I attempted to contact customer services. On my first call, the agent hung up on me. On my second attempt, I was told there was nothing that could be done.In summary, I am deeply disappointed with this entire experience. From the lack of professionalism displayed by your staff to the failure to provide basic services (such as having the van ready at the booked time), every aspect of this booking was poorly handled.Furthermore, the additional £35 refuelling fee and the absence of any apology or meaningful resolution from customer services have left me questioning your commitment to customer satisfaction. I expect a full refund of the additional costs incurred, along with an explanation of how you intend to prevent such issues from happening in the future.This is the response I got from Customer services.Thank you for contacting Europcar customer services in regards to the reservation xxxxxx and for taking the time to share your experience with us.I truly apologise for the frustration and disappointment you encountered during your recent rental. I fully understand the impact that these issues have had on your schedule, and I am genuinely sorry for the inconvenience caused.I deeply regret that the van was not ready at the agreed time, and I recognise the importance of punctuality, especially when you had a tight schedule to meet. I also apologise for the lack of acknowledgment from our staff and the difficulties you faced with the windscreen and fuel gauge. This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide.I am pleased to inform you that I have refunded the extra 60 GBP fee you paid for the early 7:00 am pick-up. The refund has been processed and should appear in your account up to 10 working days.Please know that your feedback is important to us, and we are taking it seriously. We are reviewing our processes to ensure this kind of situation does not happen again in the future.Once again, I apologies for the inconvenience and stress this caused, and I truly appreciate your patience throughout this matter. If you need any further assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. I am here to help. Regards,Europcar UK Group | Customer Services

Date of experience: Jan 10, 2025