Enterprise is great

first off, my apologies to reality for criticizing his tendencies to preach in another thread. I wrote that in jest, but i wanted to let you know that i enjoyed your response here. anyway, as far as the reservation situation, it was this issue that probably had the most to do with my leaving enterprise. what admin is doing is bringing the issues to the attention of corporate and upper management, 2 groups that are very far removed from the rigors of daily rental. They only care about fleet growth and profitability, and therefore could care less about the "small details" that branches must deal with to achieve success. Another important stat that we managed was ESQI, and quite frankly, the customer who is upset because their reservation wasn't held does not take high priority, because they will be an ESQI "hit". i was advised on numerous occasion throughout my career that if those people don't get a car, they don't get a call.
the reservation issue comes down to 2 issues: 1) the "take every deal" philosophy that is shoved down our throat from day 1, and 2) the upper managements apathetic reaction to our cries of "get us more cars!" 92% is the level that we need to run at every day, if not than we get those dreaded calls from ARMS wanting to know why we didn't give cars up. regardless if we have 25 res. that afternoon or not.
I was a big advocate of running a little loose to assure that I don't run into the situation where i didn't have a car for a customer, although it happened often regardless. This was somewhat effective as my esqi was generally @85, and my regular customers knew that they could always count on us. Believe it or not, my profitability did not suffer that greatly. I would gladly sacrifice $5/car if it means that customers are going to come back and rent from me, and tell their friends and coworkers what a great experience they had at my enterprise. This is what business is all about, happy customers. JeahHo, why should a customer care if 25% of our reservations don't show? it is not their problem, they need a car not an excuse. Enterprise is the largest car rental company out there, and I believe they achieved that success by taking great care of their customers while filling an important niche in the business. Unfortunately, they have forgotten their mission statement, which emphasizes the customer and employees. They are so focused on being the biggest and most profitable that they have forgotten what has already made them the biggest and most profitable. the fact that a customer has to resort to starting his own website to express his displeasure in the service he has received speaks volumes about the current Enterprise deficiencies. Were i Andy Taylor, i would be on this site everyday to learn what my customers are saying, and more importantly, how my company is being run by its employees.

Bleedinggreen said it great. Like I said, JeahHo--rental is rental and retail is retail. I am well aware of the rental side of things, but when customer comes in with a reservation---the 'reasons' the car is not there, although very valid when related to the type of business, are simply 'excuses' to them. They don't want to hear that it's a Holiday weekend or that the car didn't return, or whatever--they just want their damn car. Many customer may understand, but if it happens over and over to them--they get sick of it. As for solutions, you implemented the techniques that you see fit--and those are good ideas, but that is simply putting a bandaid on a cut that is to the bone. Erac gives very little support to its branches on numerous occasions. They hold back cars. They pound away on occupancy. They tell their branches that 'you'll find a car, you just need to look hard' 'You're the fleet runner, figure it out'
I've said that this tough love approach does nothing to help the employees and the customers. The reason that they do it and will continue to do it is because the $$ keeps rollin' on in. Taylor is one of the wealthiest Americans out there, yet his company still nickels and dimes things ALL the time. Even the fun stuff like Orlando and the parties get spread to the branches. Ya think they could sport the bill without making a small ding in their branches? There is a line between remaining profitable and becoming greedy. Erac has crossed that many moons ago. Yes, rental companies--not just erac, overbook..as do hotels and airlines. But I think that Erac could reduce the number of times the customer gets inconvenienced by simply providing their employees with the consistently necessary tools for them to take care of the TRUE reason that Jack is rolling in it.. That reason IS the customers. Without them--erac would not exist. But in today's world--companies need to be aware of MANY variables that can chip away at their profits and add to their costs. High occupancy, cutting back on hours (48 hour rule mentioned before), 15 minute lunches (that many employees actually get) all knock their costs down. If a business didn't make $, then they would cease to be, but Erac most likely can afford to not be AS cheap as they are and this would ultimately lead to cust satisfaction. Employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, fleet growth, profitability. Remember those? In my grill I was asked to rank them in order of how I felt would beneift the company the most. Employees and the customers were numbers 1 and 2 for me. Without satisfying both-the other two won't be that great. Erac focuses on the last one--profitability, and forget the first two many times (admin's experiences are prime example).
All these profit reports that erac and their supports boast about, to me are a bunch of bullshit. I don't think erac is growing nearly as much as they like everyone to think. Look at the number of former area managers that have on come to this site saying that salaries are getting dropped across the board. Look at the stories about how a successful manager gets moved to a crappy branch so they don't have to pay him more. Look at how a larger branch is chopped apart, creating a satellite location, and spun as growth. When you take a 200 car branch and create another that has 50 cars-of which were fed to them by the larger branch, turning that branch into a 150 car branch. 150 + 50 = 200
200=200=0 growth. This happens often.

I truly believe they will NEVER change. Admin, if you're waiting for things to get better there, you're gonna be waiting for a long time. Even if you go back, these problems will still be present--they just may not occur as often to that specific branch. My advice, cut your losses and just enjoy this great site that you created for it's entertainment value and the satisfying knowledge that you are an annoyance to the Big green.

As for posting styles: I am what I am.
I think Popeye said that. (Although my forearms are not nearly as large and I don't like spinach)

You can think that JeahHo is more mature and reasonable, but after his sorry display after the last few days in his feeble attempt to retaliate, I don't think that I'm alone in thinking that JeahHo is not as mature and reasonable as I once thought. If mature means holier -than-thou and being a condescending pric'k, then I am glad that I'm a kid at heart. Cause those types of people are like Dustbusters...they both suck.

As for registering, I'll pass. The message board is entertainment enough for me..and I really don't have the time to sift through all the complaints that would be directly emailed to me from all the insecure little infants that get offended by my style of posting. If someone has something to say to me, hit me up on the message board and I will be glad to answer. If you come across as a jerk, then I will be there to let ya know.

Great response Admin. I have no intention of turning this into a back and forth debate, because I am aware that is not normally your role in this forum, but I would like to respond.

“The only reasonable way to make the "right" adjustment is to be aware of the consequences, know your operations intimately, and be constantly willing to make adjustments to get it "right". A Branch Manager sets the dial to get precisely as many dishonored reservations as he can stand. With this web site, maybe the branch at 727 Folsom Street in San Francisco can now stand fewer.”
(I really liked the italicized quotes by the way. I know this isn’t unique to you, but I found it greatly improved readability, so I’m going to use it going forward.)

I have found, and you seem to realize also, this is already the way they do it. The problem is, some managers are able to do it better than others. I don’t want to turn this into a debate over whether the manager at that particular location is incompetent, because it is always possible that you are just extremely unlucky. I know this would be a difficult assumption based on the huge number of reservations they botched in your situation, but stranger things have happened.
On this website many people speak of unpleasant situations that occur when someone shows up for a reservation and are unhappy because there isn’t a car available for them. I can promise you this happens very infrequently. Enterprise trains people constantly to look at these situations as critical mistakes though, so each is treated as a catastrophe, which in turn makes them stand out in the eyes of many of these current and former employees. Some people, like me, may look at one a week as way too often, when during the course of that week hundreds of cars were rented. That is well below the acceptable limit that you yourself expressed. I know it is difficult to believe with the experiences you have had, but, one missed reservation out of hundreds is going to be the case in many more offices than the ten out of fifteen missed reservations you experienced.


"On the main site, I list five very specific issues. Every one involves an explicit promise by Enterprise, or a reasonable expectation by the customer.”

I have addressed one of your concerns already. I will try to explain the gas situation next.
This one does fall within your view that due to the type of customer Enterprise normally deals with, the business traveler sometimes suffers. As you said, the huge majority of Enterprise rental business comes from replacing a car that is in the repair shop due to an insurance claim or mechanical difficulty. The only branches that regularly fill up all their cars with gas are the airport locations, due to the nature of the customer they serve. Here is why…
At one point in time, my branch was picked to be a ‘test’ branch to check the viability of filling every gas tank for the replacement market. So, every car I rented, to any type of customer, was full of gas. There were two problems with this which sprung up almost daily. One, people would return the car empty and tell me to charge the gas to the insurance company who was paying for the rental of the car. Insurance companies won’t pay for gas, and the customer didn’t care. Fighting about it with them would make for an unhappy customer. The second daily occurrence would be a customer dropping the car off at the facility that did the repairs to his car, once again with an empty tank of gas. This one leads to problems with both the repair shop, if you complain about the person leaving the car with them empty, and the customer, while you are attempting to collect money they absolutely refuse to pay. I often had customers tell me at the time they picked the car up they weren’t going to put the gas back in it, as if by doing that they were sticking it to the insurance company that was giving them a hassle, or dealership that sold them their lemon.
I do offer a solution for the business traveler though. When you have a corporate account it should be specified within the account information that you require a full tank of gas with all your rentals. I am unsure as to why this branch you have complaints with did not do this, because every corporate account I have ever seen includes this specification. If you are not a corporate customer and require a full tank of gas, specify it when the reservation is made and your wishes should be fulfilled. If either of these were the case and your need went unfilled, then it is a problem at the branch level and not something Enterprise corporate can remedy on a widespread basis, because it isn’t a widespread problem.


“And, yes, I am educated enough to form and express an opinion here. I have an MBA, I've worked in retail, I have 20 years' experience in business and I helped to successfully take a firm through its IPO. I've earned my credentials fair and square and I'm not afraid to use them.”

That alone is almost an argument winner. It is very impressive. But, keep in mind, there are details to the business that aren't necessarily evident from the outside. I hope I have pointed out at least a couple to consider already.

You are absolutely right when you say Enterprise should strive toward satisfying their customers. I think though that the point you are missing is the system they currently have in place, in most locations, does just that. With both of your problems I addressed there are already solutions in place that should avoid serious difficulty. You are attacking a company because a manager at one location is turning the knob too far.

You have one of two options if you want this fixed. Work to get the manager fired at the offending office, or keep going to that location until he has his problem fixed. Then be satisfied your mission was a success.


“It would be great if you could explain your choice of "JeahHo" for your username.”

It is really just a name I have used when playing video football, basketball, etc, in the past. Jeah = Yeah.

“While we're at it: JeahHo, thanks for your continued intelligent participation on the board.”

I really appreciate you saying that. Although, as I have said before, I am not here to please anyone else, I do enjoy that some don’t find me to be so offensive as to be unwelcome.

Sorry for the double.

Reality--

"You can think that JeahHo is more mature and reasonable, but after his sorry display after the last few days in his feeble attempt to retaliate, I don't think that I'm alone in thinking that JeahHo is not as mature and reasonable as I once thought.

Is da wittle baby gonna cry because the big bad admin made a comment he didn't wike? Not fun when you get it back is it, biatch!

You focus on such small pictures kinda like how you focus on such small points from my posts. You continue to fail to consider that Erac corporate is quite responsible. But they don't get yelled at when customers come in and have no cars. The branch does. And then are punished if their cust service scores drop. Your suggestions are well thought out and have a good chance of working depending on the branch, but they are bandaids. I sure wouldn't want you to operate on me if I was bleeding to death--You'd just slap a Barbie bandaid on and call it a day.

Does their system that is currently in place satisfy many?...Yes. However, if they performed surgery rather than slapping gauze on, maybe they could please a helluva lot more.

As for your explanation of gas--again ...golf clap
That's great, but I don't think it would kill the branch to give an employee the oh so misused gas card that you like to protect to much and have them put a few gallons in so the customer isn't forced to a mile from the branch.
It doesn't have to be full, but at least 1/4 to 1/2 tank is not too much to ask. That is good customer service. And if a customer is going to gripe after that, then hit them with your explanation. As for corporate customers and specifying full tanks...that's a good idea--and is also inlcuded in the notes of many corp accounts.


"I am not here to please anyone else, I do enjoy that some don’t find me to be so offensive as to be unwelcome."
-You're not offensive, your'e just an infant who likes to repeat his minute points rather than addressing the other points. You do this to try and cling to the concept that you are rignt. My guess...You're not used to being told you're wrong.


"Is da wittle baby gonna cry because the big bad admin made a comment he didn't wike? Not fun when you get it back is it, biatch!"

Big bad admin? That's fine that he doesn't think I'm as mature, but I find it humorous that AGAIN you took a small remark that truly didn't mean anything and turned it into something that provides you an attempt to hit me with ANOTHER sorryass comeback. Who's more mature??

I guess I could just lic'k his @ss like you just did, but I think I'll pass. And I'm SO looking forward to your newly discovered ability to italicize your quotes. Oh, goodie. the community is in for such a treat. Will it make some of your 'points' actually worthwhile?

“Does their system that is currently in place satisfy many?...Yes. However, if they performed surgery rather than slapping gauze on, maybe they could please a helluva lot more.”

Instead of wasting your time at Enterprise you should have been a politician. You have mastered the ability to criticize the system which is in place, and can point out the problems, but don't have the ability to come up with a solution. Next time someone is suggesting how Enterprise can offer better customer service, you should simply explain to them your surgery idea. Impressive.

And just stop typing. I'm embarrased for you.
You've mentioned some great solutions, but I think they are short term fixes (the comparison to the bandaid). I say if the branches had the consistent resources and support from upper management, then the amount of customer inconveniences would more than likely go down. (the comparison to surgery). It won't completely stop all customers from being unsatisfied, but it sure as hell can't hurt. What a politician I am.

You dismiss this as invalid because, true to your nature, this conflicts with what you've come to permanently insert into your brain stem and cannot even consider it as a possibility. AGAIN I ask you who is more mature here?

Oh, and your italicized quote of mine...Beautiful. I do like the formatting and it is truly much easier to read as you so eloquently mentioned to admin Now I don't have to strain my eyeballs when I read something I said that is pretty straightforward that you try and make a big deal out of. Impressive. Very impressive.

" And just stop typing. I'm embarrased for you. "

Muahahahaaaa. I think I have really struck a nerve now. Your posts are becoming progressively more pissy. I enjoy it, keep it up.

"I say if the branches had the consistent resources and support from upper management, then the amount of customer inconveniences would more than likely go down."

I am actually interested to hear what you consider “consistent resources and support from upper management.” What do you think they could provide that would be helpful and how could they support the employees. Maybe I am wrong about you, perhaps if we cut through your 'wit' we can get down to an actual suggestion. It is yet to be seen.

Muahahahaaaa. I think I have really struck a nerve now. Your posts are becoming progressively more pissy. I enjoy it, keep it up.
-Pissy? Go back two days ago and read your posts from the sales calls thread on the employee page.

Go ahead and keep typing then..You are the horse..you've been led to water...you can drink or go thirsty, it's your call.

"I say if the branches had the consistent resources and support from upper management, then the amount of customer inconveniences would more than likely go down."
-my quote, again nicely italicized by JeahHo. (Golf clap)
I think I may have mentioned some of these, but here goes again...Don't hold back cars from the branches. Properly staff the branches. Instead of meetings to discuss how low the esqi scores have dropped, many upper managers getting off their @ss and going to their branches to help their employees. Stop hammering home the 2:00 count as if it truly matters. Stop applying ridiculous types of pressure all the way down the hiearchy, and eventually placing branches in awkward employee-customer situations. To do this, Jack and Andy could take some of their 3.2 billion and use that to pay their employees a little better,hire more staff, create REAL anonymous employee opinion surveys and having their employees take those EVERY year. Just a couple of 'actual' suggestions from an apparently solely witty person.

(JeahHo style)
"As for registering, I'll pass. The message board is entertainment enough for me..and I really don't have the time to sift through all the complaints that would be directly emailed to me from all the insecure little infants that get offended by my style of posting."

I can respect that. Honestly, you may get a few lame PMs from time to time if you register, but it's pretty funny when that happens. May I point out it's also a good way to PM other folks who aren't pretending to be someone their not like say, JeahHo.

Just a thought Realitycheck.