Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
Every time I deal with them is an exercise in minor annoyances. My company has a discount with them so I'm supposed to use them for work. But every interaction with them is annoying and slow. They have no idea how to treat business renters. Example: I'm renting a car tomorrow and they called me asking to confirm my reservation. They told me - twice! - I need a major credit card in my name to rent a car. Weird, I thought I could use my mom's credit card. They warned me they'd put a $200 deposit on the card. Oddly, they are the only rental agency that does that that I've noticed. They are also the only one that calls to confirm a reservation.
There's no way to read my name off a board when I arrive and just go to my car. Instead I always have to stand in line and then the kid (why is it always a kid working behind the counter?) takes me to the car and looks at it to verify no damage. Shouldn't they do that when it's returned? The kid always has to carefully explain to me that there is/isn't damage and have me sign separately for it.
With Avis, Hertz, etc, I just go to the car and leave.
Why is Enterprise so annoying?
Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk.
We've discussed this in other threads previously; all car rental companies under Enterprise umbrella (National, Alamo, Enterprise ) place significant CC or debit card holds in excess of total rental. National/Alamo only recently began doing this, but Enterprise long has had such hold policy.
As for rest of your post you may or may not know vehicle rental agents are not "customer service" strictly per se; sales factors heavily into their job description and even compensation. Quite honestly they are there to push LDW, CDW, GPS, toll passes, infant seats, etc... any and everything corporate offers. There are rewards for meeting or exceeding monthly goals, and various downsides if numbers are not met. This all comes out at annual review/report time, with those who don't meet even minimum numbers likely to see that reflected in overall performance ratings.
Enterprise reps must be kept on a tight lead, and or starved for money in order to make those commission sales because most wont take no for an answer.
My profile clearly declines LDW, CDW, etc... because have that covered; but every time rent from Enterprise have to endure a hard sell along with a litany of how many bad things can happen if don't take out coverage. Then comes pitch for GPS, toll pass, etc... Again explain have that covered, but then comes a lecture about the ease and whatever of using Enterprise.....
Overall it is important to remember Enterprise deals with a significantly different client base for most part than National (business traveler ) or Alamo (holiday traveler/renter).
Enterprise caters to a market that National for instance does not (and wants none of); insurance replacement vehicles, and or those who might be (and there is no easy way of saying this) lower down on socio-economic scale. By this mean they don't have credit or charge cards, and or those they do have come with low balances. This and or their driving record is less than stellar. As such Enterprise routinely deals with cash/debit card and other creative rentals (again those with less than great driving records) that National either doesn't or not very much at all.
There are only three National locations in Manhattan, NYC; meanwhile Enterprise is nearly twenty. This confirms in my mind that the latter makes their money any way they can.
National routinely will give free upgrades; even on a economy or intermediate rental at same rate. Enterprise doesn't give up anything. If you want an upgrade, it will cost you unless rep or manager is in a generous mood. Otherwise if they don't have what was reserved and you don't want to pay for upgrade, you'll have to wait until they can find whatever size vehicle was reserved.