Customer service makes all the difference (RAC)

Member Name: MissTierney

Product:	RAC
Date:	04/02/09 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good customer service, kept in contact during wait.

Disadvantages: 75 minute waiting time

I switched to the RAC from the AA about a year ago.
I paid around £50 for my first year of membership, and they've offered a renewal price of £36.80. However, looking at their website, i can join as a new customer for £34 - and by using a cashback website i can get £21 cashback, making the annual membership cost £12.
The fact i am due for renewal in the next couple of weeks meant that last night was an opportunity for RAC to prove themselves worthy!

We were driving down a quiet road (my sister was driving the car - i was the passenger) and some idiot-child-driver came skidding down the road and managed to clip her front driver-side wheel, the tyre burst instantly and he sped off (We didn't get his plate unfortunately)
We got out to see the damage, the wheel metal had been mangled and pushed into the tyre and it was flat - luckily the bodywork wasn't touched.
I took my RAC membership card out of my wallet and for the second time in my year of membership, I called the RAC breakdown helpline.
I spoke to an operator straight away, i gave her my membership number told her where we were, what had happened, and that we'd like to be towed to our local garage. The operator was really helpful and sympathetic and told us our wait for a tow-truck would be between 60-90 minutes. With the weather as it is (snow and ice) i was already prepared for a long wait!
During our wait i received around 3 phone calls from the RAC, checking we were ok and... of course... to remind me i was due to renew in two weeks.
I can't knock the customer service, they were very friendly and helpful. Although i can't help but feel it was because i was due for renewal and they didn't want me to have a bad experience and change companies! Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad thing in my opinion.
They said i was covered for legal advice and gave some tips on ways of getting compensation if you are hit by an uninsured driver. All useless to be honest as we didn't get his Reg, but nice nevertheless.
The truck arrived in an hour and 15 minutes, the RAC men had a look at the wheel, drove it onto the truck, dropped it at our local garage and took us home.
Overall a good experience from the RAC, the wait was a long one in the cold but i think the waiting time was satisfactory enough considering i had someone with me.

Summary: a generally good service