ST. LOUIS, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the newest player in the airport rental car market, today was ranked highest in customer satisfaction for rental car companies operating at or near an airport in a study released by J.D. Power and Associates. The study is based on the results of a nationwide survey of airport rental car customers.

At the urging of its local customers, Enterprise only recently began to expand its operations to serve air travelers, long the domain of seven national competitors. Enterprise built its reputation as the company that rents cars to local consumers in need of vehicles while theirs are being repaired. But within the last year, the company announced plans to more than double its on-airport offices and now serves 96 of the top 100 airports in the continental United States.

Enterprise finished highest in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power and Associates 2000 Domestic Airport Rental Car Customer Satisfaction Study, ranking above all seven of its veteran airport rental car competitors. The study draws from the evaluations of more than 3,000 air travelers regarding rental car service at or near airports. It is the only independent, nationally representative study measuring customer satisfaction among U. S. rental car customers.

The study attributes Enterprise's strong performance among air travelers to the company's rental car rates and value, and the customer pick-up process.

"When it comes to giving customers real value, it's not enough that we offer airport rates an average of 20 percent lower than most other companies," said Andy Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. "Enterprise employees have the professional commitment and attitude it takes to do the things to keep our customers satisfied - whether its reviewing how each car operates, giving directions or helping with luggage. This may take a few extra minutes, but it's this personal service that tells our customers we value their business."

While the majority of the company's on-airport rental car competitors gear their operations to the frequent business traveler, or the ten percent of the population that is responsible for half of the air travel in this country, Enterprise focuses on the remaining 90 percent of the population that does the other half of all air travel.
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