"The Walk-In"

[hekiliko'olau]

Originally Posted by dabanker

Your post made good sense. It is a supply and demand/revenue management thing. It is good business practice. But I feel that there is no consistancy when quoting rates. You made reference of buying a gallon of milk at a convenience store. Yes you pay more, but that price is already set when you walk in the door. It's not set by the counter clerk. He's not going to charge $2.00 for the gallon of milk to me, then charge $8.00 for that same gallon to someone else. Most airlines use some type of revenue management program where the rates are already set. It just seems like it would be easy for a discrimination case. Most BM's at ERAC can't grasp the concept of revenue management. Not because they're not smart, but because they've never been introduced to it or studied it. What most BM's do is price gouging.

You're right about the fact that the opportunity gets abused by unethical employees. When dealing with walk in customers, I personally quote based on what I think that individual would reasonably want to pay. There is not a large gap between one customer and the next, as far as what I quote, but I definitely try to "Top-Down" sell to get the most money possible.

Try the hotel industry, they are the exact same way. It's not unique to ERAC or any other industry out there ~ at least for the walk-ins. I have worked at 3 hotels and sure, they have a price sheet, but for reservations. Walk ups, ha, anything goes ... depends how desperate you look.

Originally Posted by stickittothem

We always tried to get a nice high rate for walkins. It all depended on the situation. Obviously if we were sitting tight, we quoted higher rates, and if we were fat, then we would go for as high a rate as possible but not lose the deal. People bitch about price gouging, but noone is making you rent a car! If you don't like the price, don't rent....go somewhere else, or walk, or go sit in a corner and cry. The same thing would happen if you walked into a hotel or up to an airline counter without a reservation, you would pay more. Yes, the person who walks in after you might pay more or less depending on who they are dealing with, but that is part of the deal. Again, if you don't like the price, leave!

This is really not price gouging, it is supply and demand. Now price gouging is when a company (Enterprise) takes advantage of irregularities in the market (Katrina) and exploits the customer using these irregular supply and demand cycles to their advantage.

[hekiliko'olau]

Originally Posted by 12121212121212

This is really not price gouging, it is supply and demand. Now price gouging is when a company (Enterprise) takes advantage of irregularities in the market (Katrina) and exploits the customer using these irregular supply and demand cycles to their advantage.

Precisely!

While at an airport I once stuck a stranded lady who thought she had an E-Car reservation with ERAC (it was really for Budget or some other place) with a Tahoe for $125/day and limited mileage because it was "literally the only nonreserved car on the lot" when we had like 20 NCS cars sitting downstairs in the garage. Because the BM offered a free lunch to anyone who could get $100/day on it and I was broke. i actually felt bad about that one. One time I saw an MT put out an Aveo to some stranded travelers for $100/day once additional driver was added in.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by yessir

While at an airport I once stuck a stranded lady who thought she had an E-Car reservation with ERAC (it was really for Budget or some other place) with a Tahoe for $125/day and limited mileage because it was "literally the only nonreserved car on the lot" when we had like 20 NCS cars sitting downstairs in the garage. Because the BM offered a free lunch to anyone who could get $100/day on it and I was broke. i actually felt bad about that one. One time I saw an MT put out an Aveo to some stranded travelers for $100/day once additional driver was added in.

Hopefully that customer had dub and did some damage to the car to make up for the gouging.

[hekiliko'olau]

Originally Posted by yessir

While at an airport I once stuck a stranded lady who thought she had an E-Car reservation with ERAC (it was really for Budget or some other place) with a Tahoe for $125/day and limited mileage because it was "literally the only nonreserved car on the lot" when we had like 20 NCS cars sitting downstairs in the garage. Because the BM offered a free lunch to anyone who could get $100/day on it and I was broke. i actually felt bad about that one. One time I saw an MT put out an Aveo to some stranded travelers for $100/day once additional driver was added in.

Did your free lunch give you diarrhea?

Has to do with not only supply and demand.... but also convinience.

You are paying for that extra ease of just walking in and getting a car, with out any prior notice to us.... where as the person that booked ahead of time so we could try to prepare is going to get that little bit better rate.

Just think about it this way....
If you want that discounted rate.... call or go online and book it... then walk in the door... Granted you still may not get that car or the rate because you just made the reservation... but at least you have a fighting chance.

Yes, you come in off the street.... your not just a walk-in.... but a dead man walking.... bring a helmet because you are about to get knocked over the head for being an idiot and not making a reservation!!!!

[trabpukcip]

Originally Posted by Unregisteredoffender

Has to do with not only supply and demand.... but also convinience.

You are paying for that extra ease of just walking in and getting a car, with out any prior notice to us.... where as the person that booked ahead of time so we could try to prepare is going to get that little bit better rate.

Just think about it this way....
If you want that discounted rate.... call or go online and book it... then walk in the door... Granted you still may not get that car or the rate because you just made the reservation... but at least you have a fighting chance.

Yes, you come in off the street.... your not just a walk-in.... but a dead man walking.... bring a helmet because you are about to get knocked over the head for being an idiot and not making a reservation!!!!

Walk ins were fun. They were too dumb to realize reservations make things cheaper so you could rape'm on the rate and scare them into dub.

Originally Posted by hekiliko'olau

You're right about the fact that the opportunity gets abused by unethical employees. When dealing with walk in customers, I personally quote based on what I think that individual would reasonably want to pay. There is not a large gap between one customer and the next, as far as what I quote, but I definitely try to "Top-Down" sell to get the most money possible.

And at your night job at Burger King, do you use your amazing negotiating skills too when charging for a combo meal?