How To Get A Free Rental Car Upgrade Posted on: 08/11/10 Category: Travel

My car rental provider of choice is Budget.  They always have the lowest prices, and I just generally never have problems with them.  My most recent experience with Budget took my opinion of them from good to great.

I showed up to pick up my car early in the morning (at the airport).  I was the first customer of the day, and there was no one else around the kiosk.  I walked up to the receptionist and greeted her with a smile and a, “Good morning!  How are you today?”  She let me know that she would be in dire need of coffee soon, but otherwise all systems go.

I told her my name, and she said it didn’t appear I was a FastBreak customer.  I used the FastBreak service only three weeks prior, so I know I am a FastBreak member – but I don’t know why it didn’t show up for her.  I confusedly told her that I was indeed a FastBreak member, but maybe I did something wrong in setting up the rental?

She phoned corporate, and asked them for my deets.  As it turns out, I wasn’t a FastBreak member for that airport.  WTF?  I have no idea, but I didn’t really care.  I wasn’t in a hurry, and I let her do her thing, calling corporate and then proceeding to sign me up properly for FastBreak.

When she finished the reservation, she handed me the key and said, “Here you go, I’ve upgraded you since you were so calm and nice.”  I responded, “Do people actually get mad here?”  She replied, “Yeah, they say things like, ‘You had better find my info!  I don’t need to be waiting here for this!  What the hell!’”  I was incredulous (with dropped jaw).  She then said, “That’s why you get a Mustang, and they get a compact.”

The moral of the story?  Be nice, people!  When you’re making other people happy, your happiness will come in return.  All the coupon codes and rental credits in the world won’t replace a nice smile and a little bit of compassion.