I arrived at the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport and the first thing on my agenda was to pick up my pre-paid rental car from Sixt Rent a Car LLC . I walked up to one of the five greeting desks and was welcomed by Ms. Jennifer, a Service Representative. I told her I was from Wisconsin and she started asking me some questions. She asked where I was going, which I answered, and told me that I would be traveling through many express tolls. She said they can help me by paying for the toll expenses ahead of time, and avoid any fines should you happen to accidentally run through one without paying, through our Express Toll Convenience package.
In reply to her offer, thinking to myself that maybe this is a good offer because I’m not familiar with the area, the number of tolls, and more than anything I wanted to avoid any legal issues with the Texas Tollway, I took her up on the offer. I paid an extra $31 for their Express Toll convenience package only to discover later-on that I was manipulated for a scam sale.
I was given the key and directed to where my rental car was parked. I unlocked the door and settled into the driver’s seat giving me a chance to read the rental car information, as well as entering the hotel address into my GPS system.
Approaching My First Express Toll
I’m following my GPS directions as it takes me away from the airport and toward the city where my hotel is located. I encounter my first express toll, that looks as if I’m about to race in the Kentucky Derby, which becomes an unexpected challenge.
What do I do, which lane do I go into, what do the lane signs above mean? All the while also knowing I have this Toll Express Convenience from Sixt Rental Car I can use. I had to make an on the spot decision which lane to go into! So I maneuvered a lane or two of heavy traffic and pulled into a credit card/cash payment lane behind other vehicles.
It’s now my turn, I’m looking for direction, any kind of direction on how this works, (there are no humans at these electronic tolls and the only way through is for the toll arm in front of you to raise). I was advised by the Sixt Car Rental service representative that the Toll Convenience Package would handle all the tolls I encountered, only to discover I did not have a clue on how these worked.
So there I sat with tension building in my system trying to figure out what to do, while many other vehicles were lining up behind me. Oh how the pressure was building up!
At the rental car desk, I was given a receipt with a bar code on the top thinking I should run that under the scanner reader located to the left of me, only to find out that did not work, the toll arm did not raise. I tried the scanner two more times, nothing happened. I then saw the credit card slot and put my card in there, still nothing happened. Now what?
By now my mind and body is a huge jumble of frazzled nerves, the tension in my neck, shoulders and arms is at an all-time high, and my brain is preparing for flight mode. The high-speed intensity at which traffic was moving in these express lanes, combined with the high volume of vehicles, was enough to topple over a dinosaur (one’s body and mind just cannot take this intensity if not familiar with what to do or expect.)
Then the guy behind me stuck his head out of his window and said, “Push the button”, immediately I felt relief, I had help from a human, not an electronic device. So I’m looking for a button, which I finally found and pushed. Yeah, the arm raised and I’m back in moving traffic.
Side note: All of this is filmed on cameras, there are cameras all over the place. One can only imagine how many unfamiliar people are stuck at these tolls.
As I continued my journey in the Lone Star State of Texas, traveling to a horse training event, maneuvering the major expressways to reach the hotel and all the places I had to go, I traveled through only 3 more tolls, and each one only taking my credit card for the arm to raise. I paid a total of $4.00 for all of the tolls I encountered.
How This Relates to Clients
When I was in my hotel room, I had time to unwind and process what happened. In looking at what had transpired throughout the day, I came to the conclusion that I was manipulated through a sales tactic, influencing me and my vulnerability to make an uneducated purchase by the Sixt Customer Service representative. And because of this, I made a phone call to their home office. I spoke with a service representative and explained in detail to her what was said to me and happened. She shared with me there have been many other complaints, that she would forward this to their complaint department.
When I got back home to Wisconsin, I followed up and emailed them, asking for a full refund. They apologized for any inconveniences or miscommunication and I received a full refund, at least on my final email invoice. Yeah! (I will still have to check my monthly statement.)
The importance of my Texas story is not about the tolls, but one of manipulation, being taken advantage of as an honest customer. The fact is, the service representative persuaded me through what could happen, resulting in a possible legal fear at my door step, as a tactic to make a sale.
This is something I’ve seen over the years in the helping professions. I’ve heard many complaints from clients, friends, family members, and others that feel they get taken advantage of, especially if they are feeling vulnerable. Which is why so many honest, holistic, and spiritual professionals do not like marketing their services. It can and does carry a bad rap, but not every professional is like that.
As Equine Assisted Coaches, in my experience, don’t fall into this manipulative category. What we do is provide so much value, in the form of a service. Partnering with horses, sentient beings, combined with our coaching, makes for a positive impact in our client’s lives.
As Equine Assisted Coaches we offer legitimate services that people need and want. We do this through:
- Letting them know about our services without feeling salesy, because we believe and know how healing and helpful horses are. (Studies are backing us up more and more.)
- Letting them know why we do what we do, and how we do it. It paints a clear picture of what they can expect, how it can help them.
- We answer questions they don’t know to ask, especially during a free discovery session. (Think of something new you encountered, did you know what questions to ask? Did the person you were talking with take the time to educate you, really listen to you?
- We educate and build rapport giving the client a chance to get to know us and our services. As people do business with people they know, like, and trust. Right!
In closing, this is not the first time I traveled alone, however it’s the first time I’ve encountered a challenge, an ethical issue such as this. Encountering challenges, issues is to be expected, as we cannot avoid them.
The upside is, each time I travel, I grow my confidence and wisdom, while meeting so many honest and fun people. Along the way, I learn what questions need to be asked so I know what to do and expect next time. And, if I feel I was taken advantage of, I will stand up for myself and do what is necessary, as I’m also speaking for others.
If you want to know more about suspicious toll charges and how to protect yourself: Read How to Avoid Excess Toll Road Charges for Rental Cars
I’d like to hear from you. Where were you manipulated? How did that make you feel? Did you do anything about it?
Safe travels,
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