Avis Car Rental — Local services in Boston

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment and outrage regarding a recent incident that transpired at the Avis location at 1 Center Plaza, Boston, MA 02108. On Thursday May 18th, 2023 around 11:45 am, my family and I picked up a rental vehicle from your establishment, only to be subjected to a shocking display of abuse and verbal assault by an Avis parking attendant named L.A.

As responsible renters, we were conducting a routine inspection of the vehicle before departing. However, L.A. approached us in a hostile manner, using abusive language and questioning our intentions for taking pictures of the vehicle. This behavior was completely unwarranted and unprofessional. To exacerbate the situation, L.A. demanded that we vacate the parking spot, despite numerous available spaces nearby. We attempted to explain our documentation process, but he remained unresponsive and continued to escalate his harassment. Not only did L.A. insult and belittle us, but he also directed foul remarks towards my wife and our entire family. This reprehensible behavior is utterly unacceptable and has left us deeply traumatized, on what is supposed to be a very special occasion celebrating my daughter’s PhD graduation. We have been loyal customers of Avis for an extensive period, both globally and at this specific location, and have never encountered such deplorable treatment anywhere before.

Moreover, it is important to note that the situation became even more alarming, as L.A. displayed physical aggression towards me. He was ready to physically assault me, but thankfully, my son and other employees intervened to deescalate the situation. This incident has left us shaken and deeply concerned for our safety. Due to this distressing incident and the subsequent feeling of insecurity, we no longer feel safe returning to the Avis location at 1 Center Plaza. The actions of your employee have shattered our trust and confidence in the Avis brand. We trust that you will understand the gravity of this situation and take immediate action to address...

TLDR: Convenient Government Center location but poor customer service and hidden fees make this Avis/Budget location problematic. Despite good vehicle quality, lack of transparency and communication issues make other rental companies worth the extra distance.

At the Boston Government Center Avis location, the experience is a mixed bag that ultimately leaves much to be desired. While they offer newer, well-maintained vehicles and convenient pickup/drop-off logistics, the severe lack of customer service and transparency with fees overshadows these positives.

Service Quality The location operates with minimal staff, sharing personnel between Avis and Budget operations. Customer interaction is notably sparse, with staff showing reluctance to explain contract terms or respond to direct questions - a concerning issue even for native English speakers. This hands-off approach extends to the drop-off process, where transactions are processed without proper customer confirmation.

Hidden Costs and Contracts The initially attractive pricing masks a problematic billing system with numerous undisclosed fees. Despite direct inquiries about additional charges, staff provides unclear or evasive responses. While refunds for incorrect charges are possible with photographic evidence, the process is time-consuming and requires persistent follow-up with an equally unresponsive customer service department.

Vehicle and Location The silver lining is the quality of vehicles - new and well-maintained. The Government Center location offers convenient access, and the pickup/return logistics are straightforward. However, these benefits don't outweigh the service issues.

While this location might seem appealing due to its central position and competitive initial pricing, the hassle of dealing with hidden fees and poor communication makes competitors like Hertz or Enterprise worth the extra travel. Save yourself the post-rental headaches and consider alternative rental companies, even if they're slightly less...

I've rented from this location 3+ times since it's in a convenient location for me and Avis has low prices.

I've had neutral to negative experiences each time. Customer service in the office is so-so. The employees in the parking garage who actually give you the keys and receive cars upon return offer very poor customer service. Each time I pick up or return a car, I have to wait for them to finish a conversation with some one (doesn't appear to be a customer, also is not wearing an Avis uniform). When you return the car they try to add on as many charges as possible.

Example 1: When checking out a car, I asked the employee to document some existing dents/scratches on the body of the car. He acted like I was being overly cautious and said they don't charge for things that minor. However, the last time I returned a car they tried to charged me for similar size dents that were on the car when I picked it up.

Example 2: Recently when I returned a car the employee noticed my dog (she's 5 pounds, doesn't shed, and rose in a pet carrier the whole time). He looked in the back seat where there was absolutely no mess and then told me they "may" charge a pet fee and that he could see that my dog was out of her carrier when I was parking. The only time she was out of her carrier was when I was unloading. I told him this and he argued with me. Also, there is no rule that she must be in a carrier at all times. Avis allows dogs in car but the fine print says they can charge an additional cleaning fee for pet messes. Most importantly there was no mess. Zero mess. He wanted to charge me simply for having a dog, which I am allowed to do according to Avis's own policy.

I will not be renting here anymore. They are only slightly cheaper than other alternatives (Enterprise, train, buses, Turo, etc.) It's not worth the stress of dealing with their dishonest...