Enrollment Fee with Avis
 

My company is changing from Hertz to Avis for our rentals. Is there a charge for enrolling in the Preferred program?

No. Anyone can get Preferred, and if you have 30+ rentals from Hertz you can probably get Preferred Select, although there really isn't much difference.

You just need to get a Wizard number, tied to a credit card. From what I read on FT, you will be disappointed after using Hertz. Keep your expectations low and treasure anything Avis gives you.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the responses. Go Vols! Beat Bama!

UA2SYD
UTK Class of '96 & '00

the enrollment is free. this is a classic example of "you get what you pay for."

There is no enrollment fee
 

And when it comes to the "perks", I was once an Hertz renter, then got a job with Avis, and I must say it really isn't much different, at least in the locations that I have been in. The biggest difference that I have seen is this.


Hertz, they get everything ready for you. Usually if you ask for something, they aren't as ready to give it to you, but most of what you need is already taken care of.

Avis, the people are more accomodating when you ASK, but some of the "automatic" things aren't done for you. At my location, hertz pops your trunk and hands you the key at the car. Avis doesnt pop your trunk for you and the keys are at a central key location. If I asked for directions, hertz would give me directions. If I asked for directions at avis, they took better care in making sure I knew how to get there. So at the location where I work (which shall remain nameless), The difference between hertz and avis is that at avis, you sacrifice the trunk pop and drop off at your car for better directions and friendlier attitudes.

All in all, Throwing aside my avis bias, I would have to say as a business traveler, I was more content with Hertz, simply because I could turn my mind off and just "do it." Esp if I knew where I was going.

When I wasn't in a rush, or I had specific needs of my vehicle (no smoking, GPS, Better directions to my hotel/destination and need a friendly voice) Avis was better at it. One time I was late for a flight, Avis sent a manager to drive me up to my gate in my car after I checked in (this was in california) so I didnt have to wait for the shuttle bus. hertz just pointed to the bus (at the same airport mind you.) on a different occasion.

All in all, its still a car. Its still clean. And the checkout is infinitely faster for both if you are in the gold/preferred so it really is a wash. Then it comes down to personal preference.

The difference between Avis and Hertz depends on where you rent. Generally both firms are good, but in NCE where I rent cars 30-40 times a year Avis' service is abysmal whereas Hertz is generally very good.

The major problem with Avis here is that they don't care to pre-prepare your contract -- and the Preferred line is only open whenever they feel like it. On a Friday evening you are generally stuck in line with tourists who have to debate with the agent for half an hour to decide which insurance options to take out. Generally the agents there are very new in their jobs, not knowing too much about car-rentals. (I don't know how many times I have signed on top of "SIGNATURE ON FILE"...)

Hertz on the other hand delivers the goods according to plan. Contract and keys always ready, seldom takes more than 5 minutes to get on the road. Staff is also more experienced, and that helps out a lot when you want to change something.

proceed with the knowledge that not every avis operation works that way. Where I work, avis has all preferred contracts done 1 hour before estimated arrival time and we have a designated preferred agent, whom has at minimum 1 year as a regular agent. Also our key box agents have on average 5 years experience each, and if you don't like the car they can make the exchange on the spot without waiting in lines. The most common delays for preferred are "expired credit cards" and "first time preferred renters."

once your past those two situations, its usually smooth sailing at our operation. Im sorry to hear that other operations don't operate at the same level. I have only seen renters sign on the "signature on file" line for vehicle exchanges, to document the exchange.

At our airport, we get walk over complaints from hertz gold members all the time. They get turned off and walk down the road to us. Part of that is the experience level of our staff. In your experience, hertz was more the senior staffed organization than avis. At our airport, its the opposite.