Even if you already know the importance of shopping around when it comes to making a purchase like commercial roadside assistance coverage, you might be tempted to cut corners by selecting the first company you come across, whether it’s online, in the phone book or via a phone call by a company who provides such a plan. They might offer an enticing price that seems likes a great deal, until you or one of your employees runs into trouble and needs assistance.
Without research and in depth comparison, choosing the wrong plan can be worse than choosing nothing it all. You think your company’s vehicles are covered should one become disabled, but when an emergency occurs, your employee can end up stranded – possibly hundreds of miles away from the office.
The story of two employees who were driving a company vehicle to a conference 300 miles away, highlights the risks of what can happen by making a hasty decision when it comes to roadside assistance coverage.
The women did the right thing by asking for the company’s emergency roadside assistance number before leaving on their trip, and left with few worries. They had to drive through a remote area in the Midwest, and it was in that desolate region that the vehicle suddenly sputtered and came to a halt.
The roadside assistance number was phoned immediately, but it took nearly a half an hour before a live person answered. The man on the phone was rather cold and impersonal, and didn’t seem to care that the women were stranded on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere. The only towing company he was able to reach had one driver who was on another call and would not be able to assist for hours.
It was getting late, and there was no hotel, restaurant or any safe place they could get to. By the time they received assistance it was almost midnight, and they ended up riding back with the driver to the nearest town, 40 miles away. The driver insisted on payment as the company’s coverage only paid for up to ten miles for towing. He took the vehicle to a repair shop that wasn’t open on Sunday and the women ended up stranded in the town for two days. They missed their conference on Monday, making the nightmare trip a complete waste of time and money, not to mention being a rather harrowing experience.
Their story highlights the importance of comparing commercial roadside assistance plans and researching customer’s current and past experiences through an online search and reference checks. It’s imperative to inquire about response times, as well as to consider the attitude of the staff. Make several phone calls; are company representatives friendly and helpful? Call the emergency assistance number – how long do you have to wait on hold?
The time it takes to assure that you’ll be covered by the best commercial roadside assistance plan, is well worth the effort. It will not only save you money over time, but can avoid a potentially risky situation for your employees should a company vehicle become disabled.