Misleading Practices!

Drew Submitted this review about AutoStar Transport Express
Review made Live: 10/12/2011 4:14:00 PM
AutoStar representative had indicated a pick up would be available on a Friday and that Monday or Tuesday delivery was available if we changed the destination to Los Angles, CA from Monterrey, CA. Based upon the representation of this timing a commitment to contract transport service was made with this company. In subsequent telephone calls to confirm the representative made passing reference to new delivery of 6-7 days; this was quickly glossed over as he had changed carriers mid process and this was never clearly presented and confirmed with me as acceptable. The later delivery was not acceptable as acceptance of delivery was very difficult if not Monday or Tuesday; as the people receiving the car where not scheduled in LA area past Wednesday.

Customer service representative's response was to listen to phone calls and found that indeed the representative had not been clear and AutoStar customer service provided a settlement on there admission they had not done a competent job with being clear on deal details by extending an offer to discount there fee by $75.00 on my next transport with this company. I don't make a habit of using a business again when I have had a bad experience - to many options! I was agreeable to the $75.00 adjustment but required this as a refund not credit for future business.

I then did not hear back for over 2 weeks when I asked that the $75.00 be credited to my credit card account and was met with an email message that they would not do this.

Just a bad experience - not an organization to be trusted unless you really make sure to get everything in black and white!

Company Response
Mike Cannon from AutoStar Transport Express Submitted this response.
Response Date: 10/14/2011 11:44:00 AM
As Head of Quality Control for AutoStar, I think sometimes we may just be too darned nice! I, personally, have spent hours talking to Drew, listening through all of his phone calls with us, reading through all of his emails and kindly managing his bullying, threats and intimidation. He coerced our driver into giving him an unwarranted discount, and he posted this review as a result of us refusing to succumb to such tactics when we know we have honored our contract and provided stellar service. For details on this, please reference an account of the Drew Experience from one of our most, ahem, detail-oriented agents, Mr. Brian Douglas- We are grateful that this forum allows two sides to be presented as this review is evidence that if you do not have something nice (or fully accurate) to say, say it on the Internet. We contacted Drew who requested a quote on a vehicle transport from rural Missouri to Monterey, California. We immediatley mentioned that his rate and the ability for his transport to be picked up soon would be impacted by a less than popular pick up location (Missouri) and a delivery location in Monterey. The Monterey peninsula is one of a dozen or so extremity locations where carriers charge a premium on transport, such as the Florida Keys, Cape Cod, and areas along the US border with Canada and Mexico. After presenting the quote, the customer asked if it would change his rate or ability to get his vehicle picked up sooner if his vehicle was delivered to Los Angeles. I assured him that it would, and was then instructed to locate a carrier to deliver to Los Angeles. Without obligation or cost (in taking a deposit), I called the customer back within an hour to inform I had located a carrier (one that could pick up that day and deliver the following Wednesday, and ANOTHER that could pick up Saturday and deliver on Monday- a two man driver-team). The customer THEN said the drop off needed to be at a terminal and not at a private residence. I called back both carriers and presented to him with the carrier that offered a terminal drop off in Los Angeles, a Friday pick up and Wednesday delivery, which you accepted. At no time was the carrier changed as the name and phone number was provided on the email with we sent him with his transport contract. On Monday the customer called to inform there was a problem with our fax as he had been unable to fax the agreement (though we had been receiving dozens of other faxes over that time). He then expressed that he thought the delivery was going to be that day, but I reminded him from my detailed notes of our conversations that this carrier was delivering on Wednesday. Later that day he called back when he was finally able to send the fax and told me that he and the driver had agreed to have him take his vehicle to the residence of a friend. The customer was pleased and I was happy that the driver was generously willing to make this arrangement with the customer directly. We were then shocked AFTER he received his vehicle that he called us back to demand that he be fully reimbursed for his transport because now he had to get his vehicle to Monterey after HE volunteered this without any prompting on our part to receive his vehicle in Los Angeles. Though he was generously credited $75 from AutoStar to make up for any inconvenience he experienced due to his confusion about the delivery date, as well as a $100 credit from the carrier because of his continued harrassment and assertion to them that he understood his vehicle would be delivered a day previous, he now continues to seek more compensation by posting this inaccurate review. That the carrier has a 98.2 percent customer service rating implies that his experience is the 1.8 percent exception of their transports and not the norm. I trust that any reasonable person will see this review as attempt to force a business to give away services for free to anyone with an incredulous story. The nearly 570 customer reviews and our 5 star rating is testimony to our passion for honesty and integrity. In the past 30 days, AutoStar is ranked at number 5 of uncompensated reviews on this site! Want the truth AND the best price on an efficient transport? Call Brian Douglas at AutoStar, 888 802 8250 x2245.