Originally Posted by
pferrandi
PASS!
Do not pay for President Circle status!
It is not worth a penny!
I have been PC for a while and frankly I had exactly the same treatment if not better as a regular Gold member ...
- Car upgrades are a mistery
- Car downgrades are getting more frequent so to get what you booked you end up going back in line to get a new car (if you get it)
- You are lucky if your car is in a President Circle parking spot
- Some locations like PHX are a real disaster for Gold service to start with
The servie is really random nowadays and PC status does not save you
As a Prez Circle for a few years running, I have to say I would never pay $250 for it. I would pay, maybe, $25.
I partially agree with all your reasons, pferrandi, but I have found that PC is very helpful
if you really work it. I never pay for upgrades, and usually reserve A or B, but have talked my way into numerous upgrades.
Common upgrades:
- Free Neverlost
- Free Sirius/XM
- C, D, F, Compact SUV - I frequently ask for a smaller car than given
Less common but doable:
- Convertible - Mustang or Mitsubishi
- BMW
- Volvo
- Cadillac
- Larger SUV
My bottom line: if I just
expect to be given something, I rarely get it. If I treat people really well, squeak a little, and then make sure they get rewarded somehow, I'm much more likely to get treated well in return.
Treat people well? Yes, look them in the eye, say, "How is your day going?" with meaning, smile, and express some sympathy if they are super busy, overwhelmed, and frustrated by a depleted, high mileage fleet (they usually are!).
Squeak? By all means, subtly mention that you are a President's Circle! Know who the manager is (look, there's usually a sign on the wall) and mention their name. They will assume you know them; but don't do it in a threatening way, just a friendly way.
Rewards? Yes. My favorite is to bring homemade baked goods. You'd be surprised how appreciated and remembered something like this becomes.
Other rewards include mentioning to the manager that you are a satisfied Pres Circle thanks to good service by the employee, and letting them know you will be filling out a web survey form saying so; then remember to do that. They get read, and remembered!
Occasionaly I will give a small tip, like $5 to $10, which is just an awesome price on a B contract getting a BMW for a 10 days. These people NEVER get tipped, and they aren't getting rich at Hertz.