Zipcar-Flexcar merger raises service quality concerns

Some Flexcar users have been disappointed with the merger of their favoured car sharing firm with its former US East coast rival, Zipcar. Erica Barnett, a columnist at WorldChanging.com, for example, argued that while she looked forward to the merger with a degree of optimism when it was first announced last year, she ultimately found that many of the qualities that she most valued with Flexcar have been rather unceremoniously jettisoned now that Zipcar has taken control of operations. The efficiency of customer service representatives at Flexcar’s call center and the firm’s open-minded, flexible and reliable approach to car sharing all seem to have gone by the wayside, according to Barnett, ever since the fusion with Zipcar. Barnett also felt that Flexcar once offered a sense of community, where clients seemed to be more prone to leave a full tank of gas for the next renter, left cars perfectly clean and that cherished the fact that members were offered a $40 cash incentive to bring new renters into the Flexcar fold.

Some former Flexcar clients have also complained that Zipcar’s prices are noticeably more expensive. For example, while Flexcar charged an annual fee of $35, Zipcar raised this to $50. Additionally, while the hourly rental rate stood at $8 prior to the merger, this jumped to $10 following the fusion. According to some, Zipcar seems to put less of an emphasis on offering clients human interaction when they book their cars—as most of this happens online, or through an automated telephone system—and even requires clients to pay a $3.50 fee if they wish to receive personal care from a customer service agent.

Despite all these criticisms, Zipcar has grown into a true vehicle sharing/car rental giant, with a total of 180,000 regular renters throughout the United States, as well as 5,000 available vehicles.

www.zipcar.com