Area Manager Zack Smilak

Originally Posted by FailingEnterpriseAdmin

That's got to suck. I hope you slam those guys with felony charges.

Yes, of course a forgetful customer should shoulder some responsibility. Of course the renter should give the car the fifteen second inspection when he drops it off and understand that that a lost item may never be returned. But if he does leave something behind and comes back in ten minutes and the car's still there...

the cases aren't bulletproof. who's to say the last employee didn't notice the wheel-switch, you can't always pin it to a specific customer without a doubt. You just hope your employees are diligent on the check-in...and as you pointed out, if some employees don't even notice a coat lying on a backseat, they're not going to notice a wheel switch out or radio switchout.

I do agree on the coat argument if they're back in 10 minutes and the car is still there...something's wrong or they didn't actually forget anything. But do you conduct a search and seizure on your employees because of it? How do you get around harassment claims if you do this? deep pockets...need to insulate yourself from lawsuits as a company, even from your own employees. I'm not agreeing here, just playing devil's advocate.

[FailingEnterpriseAdmin]

Originally Posted by bleedgreen

the cases aren't bulletproof. who's to say the last employee didn't notice the wheel-switch, you can't always pin it to a specific customer without a doubt. You just hope your employees are diligent on the check-in...and as you pointed out, if some employees don't even notice a coat lying on a backseat, they're not going to notice a wheel switch out or radio switchout.

Yeah, I'm sure this has got to be tough. Maybe video of the vehicle leaving the lot?

Originally Posted by bleedgreen

I do agree on the coat argument if they're back in 10 minutes and the car is still there...something's wrong or they didn't actually forget anything. But do you conduct a search and seizure on your employees because of it? How do you get around harassment claims if you do this? deep pockets...need to insulate yourself from lawsuits as a company, even from your own employees. I'm not agreeing here, just playing devil's advocate.

I would think a smart manager would find a way to get the word out that the coats need to materialize immediately and then find a way to step out of the area so they could re-appear without blame or fault. Later, a quiet word might help prevent this in the future.

Originally Posted by FailingEnterpriseAdmin

Yeah, I'm sure this has got to be tough. Maybe video of the vehicle leaving the lot?

I would think a smart manager would find a way to get the word out that the coats need to materialize immediately and then find a way to step out of the area so they could re-appear without blame or fault. Later, a quiet word might help prevent this in the future.

we don't have video cameras for our lots. (at least in my group.)

and if they didn't materialize? then search and seize and risk a harassment or invasion of privacy lawsuit?

[FailingEnterpriseAdmin]

Originally Posted by bleedgreen

we don't have video cameras for our lots. (at least in my group.)

and if they didn't materialize? then search and seize and risk a harassment or invasion of privacy lawsuit?

I just can't imagine a branch in which employees can steal from customers and management feels they can't do anything about it.

Maybe Enterprise should add "We don't steal from our customers" to their Founding Values? Oh, wait a minute, they've abandoned most of those values. Sorry.

(yeah, yeah, cheap shot. let me have it.)

Originally Posted by FailingEnterpriseAdmin

I just can't imagine a branch in which employees can steal from customers and management feels they can't do anything about it.

Maybe Enterprise should add "We don't steal from our customers" to their Founding Values? Oh, wait a minute, they've abandoned most of those values. Sorry.

(yeah, yeah, cheap shot. let me have it.)

you're just looking for trouble from me aren't you? =-)

I just love how it's always "they've" as if the local employees have little to do with it.

I'm not going to rip you apart...this time...I'll give you a break or attack when you're not expecting it...more fun that way.

To me, this sounds like a customer who is trying to get their rental free. Because you leave something in the car, does NOT mean that you can get a free rental if we dont find your item. I mean, what if the customer left it in the hotel, or at grandmas house? There is no proof those coats were in the car, so why should erac absorb a 200 or 300 dollar rental because of this??? You dont know this customer, neither does erac. chances are, this customer cannot be pleased either way if she is going to complain on and on about something she left in the car. I once left my coat on an airplane, and it was not to be found, but I didn't bitch and complain about my ticket not being comped! YOU are responsible for your own items....and ERAC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ITEMS LEFT IN THE CAR!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

To me, this sounds like a customer who is trying to get their rental free. Because you leave something in the car, does NOT mean that you can get a free rental if we dont find your item. I mean, what if the customer left it in the hotel, or at grandmas house? There is no proof those coats were in the car, so why should erac absorb a 200 or 300 dollar rental because of this??? You dont know this customer, neither does erac. chances are, this customer cannot be pleased either way if she is going to complain on and on about something she left in the car. I once left my coat on an airplane, and it was not to be found, but I didn't bitch and complain about my ticket not being comped! YOU are responsible for your own items....and ERAC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ITEMS LEFT IN THE CAR!!!!!!!

Thank you, agreed.

Originally Posted by FailingEnterpriseAdmin

That's got to suck. I hope you slam those guys with felony charges.

Admin- what kind of false reality world do you live in? Do you actually think ERAC would do anything about wheels being replaced? C'mon admin, this is not fantasy land where everything and everybody does what they are supposed to do. ERAC looks at wheels being stolen as 'the cost of doing business' and ultimately, they blame their employees for not doing their job properly. In the Enterprise world, everything is ultimately the employees' fault. "YOU should have checked the car better when it was going out." "YOU should have checked the car better when it came back." "YOU should do a better job securing your cars so lot vandalism doesn't happen." "YOU should have rented those cars, because if they were on rent, they wouldn't have been vandalized." "YOU shouldn't have rented to those people, couldn't you think ahead and see they wouldn't take proper care of your vehicle?" blah, blah, blah. Believe me, Zach will shoulder the responsibility on this one. Especially with that FINE GM he's got in the ATL. Zach just garnered the reputation of 'not being able to take care of customers' by this one incident. He's toast. And it will be said to him, "Why didn't you call the customer while they were in the airport waiting on their flight?" "What would have been impressive is if you would have found the jackets and overnighted them to the customer and call the customer while they were in the air to let them know what you were doing to rectify the situation." Zach is done on this one.

The bad part is who is to say the jackets were even in the car? Who is to say the customer didn't leave them somewhere else? And for Enterprise to take responsibility of their customer's belongings after the customer returns, where do you draw the line on that one? "I left my bag in the car with fifty thousand dollars in cash inside it. I want it back." Believe me, it happens. Customers come up with the most outlandish stories to justify themselves that it's not even funny. You can't just pony up and tell the customer, yeah, your jackets were in there and I have a crooked employee working here, so here is your free rental. That's going to do a lot of good. Tell the customer you employ theives and criminals. Enterprise is not responsible for items left in the car. They can't be. Enterprise may suck in a lot of ways, but in this one, they are in the clear in my mind.

And Admin, you don't have to respond to the false reality world question. It was more of a rhetorical question because your comment already said enough. Pursue customers for 'switching wheels'.... that's a good one.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Admin- what kind of false reality world do you live in? Do you actually think ERAC would do anything about wheels being replaced? C'mon admin, this is not fantasy land where everything and everybody does what they are supposed to do. ERAC looks at wheels being stolen as 'the cost of doing business' and ultimately, they blame their employees for not doing their job properly. In the Enterprise world, everything is ultimately the employees' fault. "YOU should have checked the car better when it was going out." "YOU should have checked the car better when it came back." "YOU should do a better job securing your cars so lot vandalism doesn't happen." "YOU should have rented those cars, because if they were on rent, they wouldn't have been vandalized." "YOU shouldn't have rented to those people, couldn't you think ahead and see they wouldn't take proper care of your vehicle?" blah, blah, blah. Believe me, Zach will shoulder the responsibility on this one. Especially with that FINE GM he's got in the ATL. Zach just garnered the reputation of 'not being able to take care of customers' by this one incident. He's toast. And it will be said to him, "Why didn't you call the customer while they were in the airport waiting on their flight?" "What would have been impressive is if you would have found the jackets and overnighted them to the customer and call the customer while they were in the air to let them know what you were doing to rectify the situation." Zach is done on this one.

The bad part is who is to say the jackets were even in the car? Who is to say the customer didn't leave them somewhere else? And for Enterprise to take responsibility of their customer's belongings after the customer returns, where do you draw the line on that one? "I left my bag in the car with fifty thousand dollars in cash inside it. I want it back." Believe me, it happens. Customers come up with the most outlandish stories to justify themselves that it's not even funny. You can't just pony up and tell the customer, yeah, your jackets were in there and I have a crooked employee working here, so here is your free rental. That's going to do a lot of good. Tell the customer you employ theives and criminals. Enterprise is not responsible for items left in the car. They can't be. Enterprise may suck in a lot of ways, but in this one, they are in the clear in my mind.

And Admin, you don't have to respond to the false reality world question. It was more of a rhetorical question because your comment already said enough. Pursue customers for 'switching wheels'.... that's a good one.

WELL SAID! There is absolutely ZERO proof the customer left the coats in the car. Why should ERAC give you a free rental because you were not responsible enough to take your coats with you??? This is outrageous and I am proud of the Atlanta Airport for not giving her a free rental. This would set a ridiculous precident!! YOU are responsible for your own items; not ERAC.

[gp65:(]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

WELL SAID! There is absolutely ZERO proof the customer left the coats in the car. Why should ERAC give you a free rental because you were not responsible enough to take your coats with you??? This is outrageous and I am proud of the Atlanta Airport for not giving her a free rental. This would set a ridiculous precident!! YOU are responsible for your own items; not ERAC.

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!