YOU KNOW YOU WORK FOR ERAC WHEN

[Former24FFer]

When people ask you why you took on this job...your response is "SIX YEARS.....SIX FIGURES"

[CashQual]

When you don't make enough $$$ to dry clean the shirts that you wash cars in every day. Too bad they don't offer "dry clean for success" gift certificates.

[Mr. Electricity]

Originally Posted by ERACrunsmylife

-All your good clothes are ruined from washing cars.

-Your fighting off alcoholism because making a good impression at bars is an important thing in your career.

-You break into tears and are miserable for a month because of your matrix score.

-You have to remind yourself not to speed on your way home the way you do to pick up customers for fear of bad Esqi

-You know you are destined to find a girlfriend/wife (or husband/boyfriend) that works for ERAC because no normal person would put up with the hours you are forced to work

-All your college knowledge goes away however you can quote anything about everything involving ERAC without thinking

-After work an asshole punches you in the face and your first repsonse is I am sorry to have upset you what can I do to make this better rather then to punch him back.

(add to this I want to see what other people's input)

Still a cult, through and through
This rental car company, from
Brooklyn to the shores of California

[theycameandgothim]

You think the people up in Admin have a "cushy office job"

You hear the phone ringing on your ride home, during dinner, and all night long

You've started smoking just to get "out of the office"

You always let the phone ring twice, and get mad when one of the 8 people sitting at their computer "doing callbacks" didn't get it


Your BM, who is "living the dream" asks you to grab a beer after a work, then once the beer is in hand at the bar tells you he "doesn't have any cash"

[JGATZ]

In the early stages, you brag about others' paychecks that you've never seen, are quick to answer the phones within one ring, feel priviledged to be given such an awesome business opportunity, look up to your fellow upper management team, shrug off warnings from customers about the reality of your job, believe that you will be making six figures in six years, etc. etc.

After a few months of 60 hour weeks, you begin to discover it was all farce. The opportunites and growth are not really there afterall. Upper management really doesn't make as much money as you thought or were told. The company's retention is atroscious, even though they claim it is average. Soon this begins to ensue:

You begin to lash out at significant others, friends, and family because you are so miserable from your day at work where you got to wash a dozen cars, write a dozen contracts, and listen to a dozen customers complain their cupholders were dirty before asking to be driven home.

You begin to question why you even bothered getting excellent grades, working hard, and going to college when your reward was a job in which you were nothing more than a glorified cashier, taxi driver, janitor, and peon for ignorant customers.

You eat dinner at about 7:30-8:00 every night because you had to stay after work because the body shop that gives your branch one deal a month called two minutes before closing and demanded a car for Mrs. Carter since you were technically still open.

You begin to find solace in talking to the car preps in the wash bay because it so much less stressful than being in the office. In fact, you secretly would like their job since they make almost as much as you and don't have to put up with office politics or whiny customers.

Your own car begins to get dirty because you don't feel like washing the 20th car that day, even if its yours. (Although, my car was always clean when I worked there.)

You love when you have to run a car to another office because you know you will no longer have to be answering three calls at once while the customer in front of you impatiently stares you down, while tapping their fingers lightly on the counter.

You are grateful that your parents let you move back into your old room after school because you know that you would never be able to afford to move out on your own on your $32,000/year salary (includes overtime, promotion, car sales, recruitment, etc.).

You are so motivated to find a new job that you begin asking every customer what they do, where they work, and if they are hiring.

You begin using flex time, sick days, and vacation to go on interviews hoping that your prospective employer does not invite you to take off your suit coat as it would reveal the the true condition of your white dress shirt complete with dirty wrist and pit stains from those 90 degree days in the wash bay.

After you quit, you are so happy and appreciate your new job more than you would have had you never worked for ERAC.

You feel cheated, abused, and bitter months after you left. You feel compelled to post on this site to warn all the naive college graduates not to work for this terrible company.

[freeatlast]

Originally Posted by JGATZ

In fact, you secretly would like their job since they make almost as much as you and don't have to put up with office politics or whiny customers.

I actually almost requested a job as a car prep when one came available at a nearby branch. I knew I would be ridiculed so I didn't do it. I do, however, know the feeling.

[FreefromGreen]

Originally Posted by JGATZ

In the early stages, you brag about others' paychecks that you've never seen, are quick to answer the phones within one ring, feel priviledged to be given such an awesome business opportunity, look up to your fellow upper management team, shrug off warnings from customers about the reality of your job, believe that you will be making six figures in six years, etc. etc.

After a few months of 60 hour weeks, you begin to discover it was all farce. The opportunites and growth are not really there afterall. Upper management really doesn't make as much money as you thought or were told. The company's retention is atroscious, even though they claim it is average. Soon this begins to ensue:

You begin to lash out at significant others, friends, and family because you are so miserable from your day at work where you got to wash a dozen cars, write a dozen contracts, and listen to a dozen customers complain their cupholders were dirty before asking to be driven home.

You begin to question why you even bothered getting excellent grades, working hard, and going to college when your reward was a job in which you were nothing more than a glorified cashier, taxi driver, janitor, and peon for ignorant customers.

You eat dinner at about 7:30-8:00 every night because you had to stay after work because the body shop that gives your branch one deal a month called two minutes before closing and demanded a car for Mrs. Carter since you were technically still open.

You begin to find solace in talking to the car preps in the wash bay because it so much less stressful than being in the office. In fact, you secretly would like their job since they make almost as much as you and don't have to put up with office politics or whiny customers.

Your own car begins to get dirty because you don't feel like washing the 20th car that day, even if its yours. (Although, my car was always clean when I worked there.)

You love when you have to run a car to another office because you know you will no longer have to be answering three calls at once while the customer in front of you impatiently stares you down, while tapping their fingers lightly on the counter.

You are grateful that your parents let you move back into your old room after school because you know that you would never be able to afford to move out on your own on your $32,000/year salary (includes overtime, promotion, car sales, recruitment, etc.).

You are so motivated to find a new job that you begin asking every customer what they do, where they work, and if they are hiring.

You begin using flex time, sick days, and vacation to go on interviews hoping that your prospective employer does not invite you to take off your suit coat as it would reveal the the true condition of your white dress shirt complete with dirty wrist and pit stains from those 90 degree days in the wash bay.

After you quit, you are so happy and appreciate your new job more than you would have had you never worked for ERAC.

You feel cheated, abused, and bitter months after you left. You feel compelled to post on this site to warn all the naive college graduates not to work for this terrible company.

I literally cannot find a single flaw in this list. Pretty much sums up my 13 months at ERAC

[FormerClone]

Originally Posted by JGATZ

In the early stages, you brag about others' paychecks that you've never seen, are quick to answer the phones within one ring, feel priviledged to be given such an awesome business opportunity, look up to your fellow upper management team, shrug off warnings from customers about the reality of your job, believe that you will be making six figures in six years, etc. etc.

After a few months of 60 hour weeks, you begin to discover it was all farce. The opportunites and growth are not really there afterall. Upper management really doesn't make as much money as you thought or were told. The company's retention is atroscious, even though they claim it is average. Soon this begins to ensue:

You begin to lash out at significant others, friends, and family because you are so miserable from your day at work where you got to wash a dozen cars, write a dozen contracts, and listen to a dozen customers complain their cupholders were dirty before asking to be driven home.

You begin to question why you even bothered getting excellent grades, working hard, and going to college when your reward was a job in which you were nothing more than a glorified cashier, taxi driver, janitor, and peon for ignorant customers.

You eat dinner at about 7:30-8:00 every night because you had to stay after work because the body shop that gives your branch one deal a month called two minutes before closing and demanded a car for Mrs. Carter since you were technically still open.

You begin to find solace in talking to the car preps in the wash bay because it so much less stressful than being in the office. In fact, you secretly would like their job since they make almost as much as you and don't have to put up with office politics or whiny customers.

Your own car begins to get dirty because you don't feel like washing the 20th car that day, even if its yours. (Although, my car was always clean when I worked there.)

You love when you have to run a car to another office because you know you will no longer have to be answering three calls at once while the customer in front of you impatiently stares you down, while tapping their fingers lightly on the counter.

You are grateful that your parents let you move back into your old room after school because you know that you would never be able to afford to move out on your own on your $32,000/year salary (includes overtime, promotion, car sales, recruitment, etc.).

You are so motivated to find a new job that you begin asking every customer what they do, where they work, and if they are hiring.

You begin using flex time, sick days, and vacation to go on interviews hoping that your prospective employer does not invite you to take off your suit coat as it would reveal the the true condition of your white dress shirt complete with dirty wrist and pit stains from those 90 degree days in the wash bay.

After you quit, you are so happy and appreciate your new job more than you would have had you never worked for ERAC.

You feel cheated, abused, and bitter months after you left. You feel compelled to post on this site to warn all the naive college graduates not to work for this terrible company.

Well said!

[_torched_soul_]

- You realize that you are going to burn in hell for practicing Enterprise's ethics each day.

- You have not made one payment to repay student loans, because you can't.

- You can't visit Fry's Electronics after work cause customers in the store mistaken you as an employee.

- You feel SO privileged to wear a blue shirt on Fridays, as its the one day you don't have to wear a white shirt.

- You rely on 3 cups off coffee in the morning, followed by 4 Redbulls in the afternoon to make it through.

- All your neckties are dirty from getting sucked up in the vacuum hose. Why bother buying good ones?

- You can't look that 3-month MT in the eyes anymore because you told him ERAC was the shit on his branch observation day.

- The 100th customers asked "What are going to do after school?" Only to confuse them that you already have a 4 year degree.

- You own a copy of the actual grill test and maybe some from the previous years.

- You've seen area managers' cars reduced from an SUV, to a Sonata, to an Aveo, and soon to a bicycle.

- You get the 50th customer that bitched about the stains on the seats of the Chevy Malibu.

- You've realized the title of Assistant Manager of ERAC is equivalent to Assistant Manager of Taco Bell on the resume.

- You've ripped or busted the zipper of the original slacks that you wore to your Enterprise interview.

- You feel so hostile towards Hertz when they have done nothing to you other than run a business too.

- Your gf/bf or significant other leaves you because they are embarrassed for you and the hours you work.

- You realize the phrase the "Enterprise Difference" is the weight you have gained since you started Enterprise-A-Shit!

-You root for huge forest fires so the Forest Service will come rent trucks and make your "numbers" look good.
-You cringe when you hear the enterprise jingle on TV commercials at night (You can't afford TiVo)
-Anytime the name RALPH is mentioned...well you don't think about a person.
-When people ask you about your job you feel you have to justify why you rent cars or have a title of "trainee"
-People are assholes to you and you kiss their ass on the offchance they get a phone survey
-When the idea of Work/Life Balance is laughable
-When your work wardrobe conisists on black and white
-Your farmer's tan is at your wrists and neckline
-You wash 12 cars a day but haven't washed your own in months
-Conversation on a Saturday Night with your friends is about dub sales because they work at Enterprise too.
-You drink more and more
-You show everyone your green E tatooed on your ass and talk about your green blood
-You notice Enterprise license plate frames or base model cars without frames
-You are keen to pick up when one of your friends are in the market for a used car for the CS bonus
-You can identify 5 different new car smells with your eyes closed
-You can identify 5 different gross car smells with your eyes closed
-You are excited about the idea of flexing
-You are pissed off when your manager forces you to flex (otherwise known as a forced half day unpaid)
-You miss a weekend long trip with your friends because you have a 3 hour shift on saturday and have to work until 7 on friday night
-The first person you think of when someone mentions the name Andy is...
-You work your ass off so you can earn little trophies and hang out with upper management
-You are the only one of your college buddies to perspire through your dress shirt on a daily basis working outside
-You are the only one of your college buddies to freeze your ass off on a daily basis working outside
-You help senile drivers find cars every day and don't feel bad about putting them on the road in a Tahoe
-You plan out relatively small expenses according to pay periods
-You buy food for your branch's accounts but can't afford to buy your own
-Enterprise owes you more money in T/E than they do in Payroll