Personal information and making shuttle reservations...

[devilgrrl]

There's a wedding I'm going to and I called a shuttle service to get me to the airport. The shuttle operator rubbed me the wrong way off the bat, there was this "that's not what I asked you" smugness, I felt as if he was interrogating me rather than taking down my information - much like that ACLU commercial with the guy ordering pizza, the operator already has his address, medical history, etc. It was really freaky. What really set me off was that I was asked where I was going, as if it was the shuttle company's business, they're only supposed to be concerned with the flight number, time of departure and driving me to the airport. Then he asks if I'll be carrying a cell phone, for some reason I got super hypersensitive and snapped "WHAT DO YOU CARE?????!!!!!" and then explained that they could get in touch with me in case they needed to contact me should I not be home...?????

I don't know, the experience really unsettled me. :scared:

Thanks for listening.

[Debau2005]

1. Go with your gut in these things

call another company.

[MercutioATC]

2. I think the questions were customer service related.

Cell phone? So they can get in touch with you if something happens (as he said).

Destination? No idea, but it's not an intrusive question if they already have the flight number.

[devilgrrl]

3. It was probably just me...

though, his tone had a lot to be desired... I should have hung up on him and started over. :shrug:

[MercutioATC]

4. Sounds like you got a rude dispatcher.

That's enough reason, IMO, to give your business to another company.

:hi:

[Catherine Vincent]

5. If some rep told me over the phone "that's not what I asked you"...

I would have kindly said FU and then hung up. They are not the only shuttle service in town.

[MadHound]

6. This is becoming increasingly common in large retail chains also

For years now Radio Shack has always asked me for name, address, telephone number, etc., even when I'm getting the smallest thing and paying cash for it. My response has always been "Do you want my personal information, or do you want my cash, you're not getting both." They've always opted for the cash.

Now I'm noticing other chains are doing the same thing. I had to go to O'Reilly's Autoparts last week for a late night fan belt run. And the guy starts asking for my name, address, etc. Simply told him that I don't give out the information.

I think that we're faced with another, creeping form of data-mining, and sadly some people just prattle on away, giving out their information like it doesn't matter.

Pretty soon I think this will be the norm for all national chains, from McDonalds to WalMart. And I will refuse to shop anywhere that is going to require that I provide personal information simply to buy a widget.

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Weirdly, the local airport may require some of that info

I've been asked for flight number, destination, and flight time more often than not and I learned from a consumer FAQ that it's not the shuttle company's idea in most areas. Shuttle companies are sometimes expected to demonstrate that they were transporting people to and from specific flights rather than circling the airports trying to siphon off business from the cabbies.

There's no excuse for rudeness unless they know they're so successful that they can fill their vans every trip.