In India, self served car rental companies are rare (such as Hertz, Budget, Europcar etc). Car rentals are provided with a driver, and is billed at a daily rate (including fuel). I was quite disappointed at the punctuality of GRT’s travel service (T.Nagar - Chennai). Sure enough you can book cars at short notice, but never did the cars arrive on time. Usually it is a 30 minute delay, and often they would start from the hotel at the time I wanted them at my home.

Quality
The quality of their cars is great, for Indian standards. The drivers are uniformed, and they provide complimentary newspapers and bottled water on board. All cars are air conditioned, and there is a single rate for all cars. To me this is a bit silly, considering there are considerable space - and feature differences between cars. I always hired the Toyota Innova, which was spacious and a comfortable ride for Chennai’s bumpy roads.

Customer service
The best thing about their travel service is that cars can be arranged at short notice (24 hours in advance). They always had the car I wanted (Toyota Innova), but then again - I have been their customer for 15 years so perhaps that made a difference. They offered me a 15% discount due to my loyalty, however it was frustrating to have the car arrive 30 minutes late each time (total 7). They are a business hotel, and should understand the concept of punctuality. I have written a short note telling them of their time standards, and its negative impact on customers’ experiences. I hope to hear from them, and will let you know how I go.

Inside tips
* Newspapers and bottled water is complimentary in all their cars
* Build a relationship with the hotel, and they WILL look after you - everything from organising a pleasant stay to discounts

Suggestions
* Mantras for you to chant: “Must be punctual”, “Must arrive on time”

Mr Feedback - Rating 6/10 (average, punctuality really killed them!)
Basically, if you are not punctual, it defeats the purpose of running a car rental company. If you’re running a hotel for traveling business people, being punctual should not even be an issue. Unfortunately for GRT Grand hotel, it was a major issue in my case and I made it known to them.