Dedicated customer serviceThat day when my business trip in Las Vegas was almost over I suddenly thought of the small problem I had when I picked up the car and I felt really glad that QEEQ had my back from the start. I flew from IL for work and this time I had to stay in Vegas for quite a while so I booked a Budget car in advance. It was a Kia Soul group car with automatic transmission and four doors and five seats. I wanted something easy to drive when I went to see clients around the city. Around noon on February 14 I dragged my suitcase to the counter near the airport to pick up the car. My head was still full of slides for my afternoon meeting. When it was my turn I showed the confirmation to the counter staff. I thought it would be a normal process. The staff looked at the screen for a long time and then said the amount in their system was not the same and it looked like they did not receive the money I already paid online. I felt confused at that moment. I was sure I had paid. The staff then told me I needed to pay at the counter again and asked me to swipe my card. I was in a hurry and I did not want to be late for my client meeting so I paid again so I could get the keys and leave but in my heart I was worried that I was charged twice. When I sat in the silver gray Kia Soul and put my luggage in the back I started to drive out to my hotel. My body was in the car going through the roads of Las Vegas but my mind was not on the lights at all. I kept checking my emails and payment screenshots at red lights. The more I checked the more I felt something was wrong. After I reached the hotel and put my stuff down the first thing I did was contact their customer support and tell the whole story. I explained that I had already paid on the platform and then paid again at the counter. I sent them the details of the payments. I thought this kind of problem would be very annoying and that I would have to fight with the rental company by myself. I was surprised that the person who answered me took it very seriously from the start. They tried to calm me and said they would help me check everything. They also asked me to get all the screenshots and bills ready to send over. I felt like there was someone on my side who was watching this problem for me so I did not need to worry all the time. In the next few days my schedule was really full. I had to drive that Kia Soul between different hotels and office buildings. I left very early in the mornings when the sky was still dark and the neon on the Strip was just turning off. Every time I started the engine in the parking garage I would think about the charge problem again but I also felt I did not have to chase it by myself because they kept sending me updates. The support person checked in with me and asked if there was anything new and also told me how their talk with the rental company was going. I always knew what step they were on. I could feel it was the same person following my case and I did not need to repeat my story every time. For someone on a business trip like me this saved a lot of time and energy. One night after a long day I went back to the hotel and lay on the bed feeling really tired. I still opened my payment app before sleeping and stared at the credit card record. I still had a small worry. Then I saw the message from them. They explained that the extra money was mainly from an extra insurance from the rental side and they had already checked the bill line by line. After that I was not as nervous as at the start. During the whole time I could feel this kind of one on one follow up. It was not like they sent one short message and then disappeared. It felt like there was a person who remembered I was the business traveler from IL in Las Vegas who was worried about double payment and they kept watching the problem until it was clear. Around March 10 I returned the car very early in the morning. The sky was still dark. I filled up the gas next to the station near Budget and parked the Kia Soul. I took some photos of the car just in case. I felt pretty calm because by then they had already explained the money part in detail to me. I only took one more look at my credit card bill to make sure there were no strange new charges. On the flight back I scrolled through my phone and saw the chat record with the support person again. I thought if I had to argue with the rental company alone this whole thing would have taken a lot of time and I might still not get a clear answer. For someone like me who has a tight schedule and needs to watch both projects and costs this feeling that someone followed up for me was very important. It was not just some copy paste replies. It felt like they remembered who I was where the problem started and what step it was on now. When I talked with my coworkers later I told them that during this Las Vegas trip there was this small problem with the car payment at the start but it did not ruin my trip because their support stayed with the case and helped me get a clear answer. For my next business trip to the US I think I will book my car through them again so I do not have to learn a new platform and a new support team from zero.
Price Drop ProtectorI remember that day I was sitting in front of my laptop looking at car rental prices in Orlando. The screen was full of different companies and cars and my head felt a bit confused. I still chose to book an Avis car on QEEQ and I told myself it was better to fix the car before the trip. After I booked it I did not care too much. I only knew I would use the car from late May to around mid June and the pick up and drop off time were both in the evening. What really stayed in my mind was what happened later.
A few days later I saw an email in my inbox. I opened it and saw that my booking had Price Drop Protector on it. I was thinking in my head if this thing really works or if it is just a cool name. The email said they had helped me make a new booking for the same car and the new price was lower than my first booking. They also gave me back the difference. I felt a bit surprised and also a bit excited. I thought wow so it really helps me get money back without doing anything.
Then I checked my old order number and the new one. I saw that it changed once but I did nothing. I did not need to talk to customer service or send any proof about the price. For me it was like one day I just saved more than twenty pounds for free. It felt like I got some extra pocket money for the trip. I was scrolling on my phone and smiling. In my head I was thinking if car rental can save money like this then I lost a lot of chances on my past trips.
The funny thing is that I already started to plan what to do with that saved money. Maybe buy some souvenirs in Orlando or have one more good meal. It felt like someone was watching the price for me in the background. When the price went down they just told me in a silent way and helped me change to the cheaper one. This feeling was a bit strange but also very nice. It was like I had a friend who is good at saving money and I only needed to wait and take the extra money back.
One-Dollar FreezeWhen I think about this car rental in the US, the first picture in my head is me walking out of Fort Lauderdale after I returned the car, pulling my suitcase and feeling really relaxed. I kept thinking how I only paid 1 dollar when I first booked the car. In my mind I was like, so this is actually real. Later I learned this was their One-Dollar Freeze service.
A few days before that, around March 17, I was at home in Great Britain, planning my trip in front of my laptop. The total cost of the trip already felt a bit high. I was a little stressed and kept checking prices again and again, afraid the car would get more expensive if I waited. My credit card limit was already hit hard by flights and hotels. In my head I kept saying, it would be great if I can still rent a car, but paying a big amount in one go would be a lot of pressure.
On QEEQ I chose a car from Avis, a Toyota Camry with automatic gear and four doors for five people. It looked perfect for driving in the US. When I was about to pay, I saw a line that said I could use One-Dollar Freeze and only pay 1 dollar first. I froze for a second and thought I read it wrong. I read the note again and again and saw that the rest would be charged automatically before the pickup and there was no interest. In that moment I really felt a big relief. I thought to myself that I should just try it, since I only needed 1 dollar to lock the car.
When I clicked confirm, I also checked my credit card bill on another tab and did some quick math in my head. I felt I could still handle it. When I saw the bank record and it really only charged 1 dollar, I was kind of shocked in a good way. I even took a screenshot and sent it to my friend and said I just booked a car with 1 dollar. For a traveler like me with a student style and a tight budget, it felt like I had secured something very important but my wallet did not get hit all at once.
On the night of March 18, I received a payment alert and saw that the rest of the money was charged automatically. It was just one day before I went to Naples to pick up the car, and I was packing my luggage at that time. When I saw the payment, I actually felt calm, because I knew the car was really confirmed for me. During those days before the trip, I did not need to worry about my credit card limit getting locked up all at once. I did not need to do anything extra. I just waited and they charged the card by themselves. I only needed to keep an eye on my bill.
On March 20 around one thirty in the afternoon, I went to the counter in Naples to pick up the car. The staff checked my booking and I showed them my number. Since the payment was already done before, I just needed to finish some basic details and it was pretty quick. While I was standing at the counter, I remembered that moment when I only paid 1 dollar and I felt a little proud. It felt like I made a smart move this time.
For me the most important part is that there was no interest. I did not need to worry about paying extra like when you do installments. The money was just paid at a different time. I used 1 dollar to hold the car first and bought myself some time to manage my budget. Then I paid the rest before the trip started. For someone like me who needs to count every pound and every dollar carefully, this was very friendly.
When I finally returned the car in Fort Lauderdale, my bill was clear and I did not see any strange extra charge. Looking back, from paying only 1 dollar, to the automatic payment, to driving and returning the car, this payment plan made the whole preparation much easier. My credit card pressure stayed low, which really helped me as an overseas visitor traveling in the US.
One-Dollar FreezeThat night I was working late in the office and my mind was already on my business trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. Client meetings, hotel and routes were all planned. I only needed a car. Before this I always had to pay a big amount at once when I booked a car and my credit card limit got pushed so hard. It made me feel very stressed. Then I saw a payment option on QEEQ called One-Dollar Freeze. I only needed to pay 1 dollar first to lock the booking and the rest would be charged automatically before the rental started. My whole body relaxed when I saw that. I compared different cars and checked my budget. I chose a Kia Soul from Budget. It was automatic with four doors and five seats. It was perfect for me to visit clients and maybe give colleagues a ride if needed. It was the afternoon of March 23 when I sat in front of my computer and clicked confirm. I only paid that 1 dollar. When I saw the bill page I felt like I had saved a spot for myself. Since there was no interest my credit card pressure became much lower. In the next few days I was still adjusting my schedule. At one point I almost changed my time. In the past if I had already paid the full amount I would feel very nervous about this. Now I only froze a tiny part of the money so I dared to think about the best plan. When I arrived on the Big Island of Hawaii in the evening of March 25 I walked out of the airport with my suitcase. The air smelled like the sea and the sky was orange. I felt calm because the car was already booked and the payment had been taken care of before the trip. I did not worry that my card would hit the limit at the counter and I did not need to stress about money face to face at the desk. I walked to the Budget counter. The staff checked my information and handed me the keys for the Kia Soul. The car was in the nearby lot. I walked over and the sunset light shone on the car. The airport announcement went in and out of my ears. I opened the door and felt lucky that my card had not been charged a large amount all at once. I sat inside put my laptop bag on the passenger seat and checked my trip on my phone again. I thought about how I would return the car around the early morning of March 29 and then catch an early flight to see the next client. For a business trip the plan is always full of changes. I really need a feeling that I first make sure I have a car and then deal with the money slowly. One-Dollar Freeze felt like a frame that held my trip up without taking a big payment from me at the start. On the return day very early in the morning the airport was still quiet and the sky was gray blue. I parked the car in the right spot and checked the trunk to make sure I did not leave any files or documents. After the return process I walked toward the terminal and thought again about that tiny 1 dollar at the start and the light feeling during the whole trip with almost no card pressure. As a business traveler who often flies around the country and even overseas this lighter money pressure matters a lot to me. It lets me focus on my work instead of always worrying if my credit card can survive another full prepayment for a rental car.
Price Drop ProtectorThat day I sat in front of my laptop and looked at car prices for Newark. Line after line, I had one question in my head. How can I spend less money? I finally booked an Avis Toyota Corolla on QEEQ, automatic, four doors, five seats. I planned to pick it up in Newark around April 9 in the afternoon and return it around April 15 at noon. I travel alone so this car is just right. When I booked, I saw a service called Price Drop Protector. I asked myself if this thing could really save me money. Since it did not cost extra, I just turned it on.
A few days later I suddenly got a payment alert and a message about a new order. My first reaction was simple. Did something go wrong and will they charge me more? I opened my email and the order page and checked line by line. I saw that they did not charge more. They made a new booking for me with a cheaper rate. My old order was replaced by this one and they locked the new lower price. They also sent the price difference back to me. I saved more than six hundred Swedish krona.
In my head I started to count. What can I do with this money? I can eat a few better meals or use it for gas. The main thing is this money came in while I did nothing. I just booked once and forgot about it. When the price went down they watched it for me and made a new booking. I only needed a few taps on my phone to see the refund of the difference.
At first I was not sure about this kind of price protect service. I was afraid it was just a trick. Then I saw that Price Drop Protector really worked for me. I travel alone and I always watch my budget. This time I felt like someone was helping me watch the price and that made me feel more relaxed about the trip.
One-Dollar Freeze"You really booked the car with just 1 dollar first?" My friend stared at me on video call. I was sitting in the parking lot in Vero Beach, next to a white Toyota Camry with the AC running. I held the phone between my shoulder and my face and laughed. I said, "Yeah, just 1 dollar at the start."
A few days before that, I did not feel relaxed at all. I was coming alone from the UK to a small city in the US. My budget was tight and I knew I was 23 so there would be a young driver fee. I wanted an automatic car and something a bit nicer, so I picked this Camry from Avis. When I saw the total price, my stomach dropped. I worried my credit card limit would be under too much pressure.
At that moment I saw the One-Dollar Freeze option on QEEQ. The note was simple. It said I only needed to pay 1 dollar first to lock the car and the rest of the money would be charged before the rental started, with no interest. I stared at the screen for a while. I felt a bit nervous and also kind of excited. It felt like pushing a small try button.
That night I was in my tiny room in London. There were cars passing outside the window. I checked the info again. It was not some kind of long plan that adds big extra cost. It was just a different time for the charge. So I clicked confirm. On the payment page my card was charged only 1 dollar. I looked at the bank text message again and again. Then I slowly felt calm.
In the next days I just lived my normal life, went to class and prepared my trip. I did not worry that my bill would jump up all at once. Sometimes I opened the order on my phone and saw the confirmed status and the Camry I chose. It made me feel safe. I knew the rest of the money would be taken before pick up, so I could keep the money on my card for other things for a while instead of locking a big amount there.
When I finally reached the US it was early morning on March 22. Outside Vero Beach airport the sun was very bright and the air smelled a bit salty. I pulled my suitcase to the Avis counter and kept thinking about the young driver fee and if it would be messy. The staff checked my booking and asked for my license and card. He said the amount was already set in the system. I looked at my phone and saw the big payment had been taken automatically two days before. There were no strange extra fees and no extra cost on top, so I relaxed right away.
When I walked to the parking lot with the key, I saw the Camry standing in the sun and the paint was shining. I sat in the car and put my phone on the center console. In my head I went through the whole thing again. First I used 1 dollar at home to lock the car. Then I just lived my days as normal. Before the trip the rest was auto charged. Now I was sitting in the driver's seat. The steps were simple, but for a student like me traveling alone with a low budget, the difference in pressure was huge.
Palm trees stood in lines by the road. I put the gear to D and slowly drove out of the lot. I felt really glad I picked that option. If I had paid the full amount at once, I would have stressed over every meal for weeks. This way my card was not squeezed so hard before I left.
The radio was playing some local songs. I turned the volume up a bit and thought about how I felt when I first saw the words One-Dollar Freeze. I was not sure at first. Now when I think about it, it was just one simple choice. It made the whole booking experience feel much easier. For someone like me who travels alone and counts every pound and dollar, not paying a big sum at once feels much better. The whole rental became easier to handle because of that.
