Going on 3rd Interview

[Newguy]

I'm going on my 3rd interview (I'll be working in the D.C. area) this week, and I am trying to decide between this and some other job offers/possibilities. Can anyone give me some real advice about their experiences at this job, what's good and what's not? And I don't mean some of the petty stuff I've seen on this site, it's work people. Thanks to anyone who can help.

[One The Way]

It's swings and roundabouts. There's nothing particularly wrong with the job. It's not rocket sciene. Rent cars, market, sell waiver. If you like customer service work you'll love it.

What you won't love is that the fact that you work 56 hours a week; are seen as a pussy if you want a lunch break; don't get paid a lot; get laid into for underperforming (even though support is often lacking); risking your license because you set off for a pick up 15 miles away with five mins to go.

There are better things out there. But there are worse things as well. It depends on what you're after in life.

Originally Posted by Newguy

I'm going on my 3rd interview (I'll be working in the D.C. area) this week, and I am trying to decide between this and some other job offers/possibilities. Can anyone give me some real advice about their experiences at this job, what's good and what's not? And I don't mean some of the petty stuff I've seen on this site, it's work people. Thanks to anyone who can help.

what you read on this site is about 90% true. do what you want but take it from a 4 year ex employee. RUN --- I am not being a whiny baby and ripping the company because I left but put it this way. People will lie to you ranging from potential income, future success, life, everything you can think of JUST SO YOU STAY. You're right this is a job, but it is also a way of life to these people, a cult like atmosphere. If you do take the job you will not see that in the first year because they hide those things from trainees until you become management. In the first year you will proabably think it is fun but it will begin to fade because you realize there is much more to life and better jobs with a good future. I am in pharma sales and if you can get into this industry now I would strongly recommend it. This industry has its challenges as well but nothing compared to a crappy job like enterprise. Management has a meeting once a month and forecasts how many people they will lose and perform damage control measures to not lose people in bunches. If you want to work for a company like that then be my guest but remember you heard it here first. there are pros to the job but they are heavily outweighed by the cons.

I normally would not reply to a post, but I feel obligated. I've been with ERAC for about 5 years. It can be a tough job, but I don't know of an easy job that exists, especially one that has potential for good money and one that is as good a "resume builder" as ERAC. As a manager, I can tell you we don't have meetings on how to control people leaving. Our talent pool is very deep right now and most of the people that leave do not have the talent. This job takes a certain kind of person. Someone that has to listen to customer's shit, clean cars when the weather sucks (in a suit), maybe stay until 6:30 when we close at 6, etc. The last post said you work 56 hrs/wk. As a group, we actually average just over 50. As an MT, you are also guaranteed to work close to your home, so no commute. Bottom line, you learn to run a business, from the ground up. I don't know of anyone who has ever said working for ERAC hurt them in any way. Yes, some days are tough, but running your own deal is never easy. I recommend you try it out, if nothing else, I promise the work experience will only help you. As a manager, I am on target to make 70K, which isn't bad for renting cars. You may end up hating it. If so, find something else, you're young. Personally, I love it and I know many people that do, you just won't see them on this site too often. Good luck.

[hekiliko'olau]

Originally Posted by Unregistered111222333

I normally would not reply to a post, but I feel obligated. I've been with ERAC for about 5 years. It can be a tough job, but I don't know of an easy job that exists, especially one that has potential for good money and one that is as good a "resume builder" as ERAC. As a manager, I can tell you we don't have meetings on how to control people leaving. Our talent pool is very deep right now and most of the people that leave do not have the talent. This job takes a certain kind of person. Someone that has to listen to customer's shit, clean cars when the weather sucks (in a suit), maybe stay until 6:30 when we close at 6, etc. The last post said you work 56 hrs/wk. As a group, we actually average just over 50. As an MT, you are also guaranteed to work close to your home, so no commute. Bottom line, you learn to run a business, from the ground up. I don't know of anyone who has ever said working for ERAC hurt them in any way. Yes, some days are tough, but running your own deal is never easy. I recommend you try it out, if nothing else, I promise the work experience will only help you. As a manager, I am on target to make 70K, which isn't bad for renting cars. You may end up hating it. If so, find something else, you're young. Personally, I love it and I know many people that do, you just won't see them on this site too often. Good luck.

The part he left out was that he didn't have to do shit but show up for the alleged 70k he's gonna make this year. YOU, as the newly hired MT, will be the one putting money in his pocket. You sell CDW, PAI, and SLP which all increase HIS paycheck while yours stays the same. YOU write tickets, pick up customers, drive them back, wash and vacuum cars, ruin every pair of shoes and pants and shirts you own while he "markets". The car sales department "flips" the cars, which is where the branch really makes it's money, and YOUR PAYCHECK STAYS THE SAME WHILE HIS GETS BIGGER! Then one day, if you eat enough shit, you get to climb the pyramid and be just like him and do it to other people. Furthermore, he may not be the best mentor for success at ERAC. He admittedly only makes 70k after five years. By ERAC's standards, he's not doing too well. He has less than a year to increase his paycheck another 30k and hit the "six figures in six years" milestone. Oh, and "just over 50" hours a week is pretty close to 56 if you ask me. You will never be "running your own business" at ERAC. ERAC is the Taylor Family's business and you will be reminded of that at every turn. A real business owner is autonomous, which you will never be at ERAC. Just like any other RETAIL job, they simply allow you to manage one of their stores and they pay you a shitty base salary and a commission check (which they use some really creative math to figure) that other people earned for you. Good luck.

I worked in group 16 VV for 3 months and I will tell you it is the worst job that I've done in my life.

You will work 50 to 55 hours per week. On Mondays you will work from 6 AM to 6:30 PM, Tuesday to Friday you will work from 7 AM to 6:30 PM and you will work every other Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM.

They will offer you 35K per year but the truth is that you will be making $11.00 an hour. The 35K comes after overtime and bonuses that they will pay you if you pass some evaluations.

You will have to clean cars in your business suit ,(100 or 15 degrees outside) and take crap from customers, body shop owners, dealerships and insurance agents.

They will tell you that you will learn to market and do business but the truth is that the marketing that they will show you is that you will deliver donuts and pizzas to body shop, dealership owners.

You can be the best employee in the office but if you don't sell DW you won't get promoted.

My advise is don't take the job, there are better jobs out there. You don't need a degree to be an MT at Enterprise, a high school kid can be an MT. I now work with another company making a lot more money and working 40 hrs a week and no weekends. Good Luck

Originally Posted by Unregistered111222333

I normally would not reply to a post, but I feel obligated. I've been with ERAC for about 5 years. It can be a tough job, but I don't know of an easy job that exists, especially one that has potential for good money and one that is as good a "resume builder" as ERAC. As a manager, I can tell you we don't have meetings on how to control people leaving. Our talent pool is very deep right now and most of the people that leave do not have the talent. This job takes a certain kind of person. Someone that has to listen to customer's shit, clean cars when the weather sucks (in a suit), maybe stay until 6:30 when we close at 6, etc. The last post said you work 56 hrs/wk. As a group, we actually average just over 50. As an MT, you are also guaranteed to work close to your home, so no commute. Bottom line, you learn to run a business, from the ground up. I don't know of anyone who has ever said working for ERAC hurt them in any way. Yes, some days are tough, but running your own deal is never easy. I recommend you try it out, if nothing else, I promise the work experience will only help you. As a manager, I am on target to make 70K, which isn't bad for renting cars. You may end up hating it. If so, find something else, you're young. Personally, I love it and I know many people that do, you just won't see them on this site too often. Good luck.

the reason you don't know about meetings to prevent people from leaving is because you are only a MANAGER and not an AREA MANAGER and above. as far as people that leave simply do not have the talent is pure bullshit. some people yes just can not cut it at enterprise but most are better then that place and find out quickly when they leave how much better they are, yourself would probably be included. as far as making 70k, I doubt it but just for argument's sake, so what if you do. you are an employee there for 5 years... I left erac after a 3 year stint, 1.8 as a manager. i made 55k when i left. I got a job in pharma and immediately got a base of 68k with a on average comm every quarter of 7k. company car and gas and ine i do not have to pay 200 a month for. paid cell phone, paid internet, 6% match on my 401k, 3 % of my salary at year end and american express card, 25 days vacation and 35-40 hour workweek, no weekends and a few nights a year. if my math is correct I clear 100k in monetary compensation and all the perks add up to about 20k... you do the math on your end but there are plenty better jobs out there so have fun being mediocre making 70k renting cars when you could do a heck of alot better and sell a dream to misguided young college grads..... if i was still at erac i would be making 60k if was lucky and working 60 hour weeks wondering when the nightmare would end..... THAT IS THE TRUTH

Originally Posted by Newguy

I'm going on my 3rd interview (I'll be working in the D.C. area) this week, and I am trying to decide between this and some other job offers/possibilities. Can anyone give me some real advice about their experiences at this job, what's good and what's not? And I don't mean some of the petty stuff I've seen on this site, it's work people. Thanks to anyone who can help.

Whatever you do....take my advice. RUN RUN RUN!! Yes, this company is a good resume bulider and it is fairly easy to get promoted, but the money is not worth it. they work you like a slave and pay you like one. after a few months you will begin to hate it. if you value your social life and sanity do not work at ecrap. keep looking, better jobs are out there! trust me, after a while you will rather be unemployed.

[!!Nick Booras!!]

I'll put it this way.
I was a branch manager at an office with a 20 year old porter. He mostly washed cars, but since I ran a larger office with 4 ticket writers, I would send my porter to the dealership with a contract to rent customers cars.
He didnt have a high school degree and sold the extra insurance better than the MT's in the office. I got busted and ultimately fired because a customer wrote a letter to corporate about how nice Rick(the porter)was.
Aint that a bitch.
If you want a JOB for a couple years, It can be good experience leaning improv.

I used to be a manager in UU and I would let my 65 year old lot guy write contracts and check people in all the time. He sold better then most of my MT's. I got canned when my ARM walked in on Sarah Willams licking peanut butter off my balls. Angry dog, loved peanut butter.