Hertz Informative - Treatment of employees - Treatment of employees

Treatment of employees

Review by leopard on 2007-07-14

UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON -- I actually have two informative complaints. The first is Hertz's deplorable treatment of employees. I worked for a Hertz in the Pacific Northwest, and from day 1 was treated horribly by a tyrannical, bullying boss. He wasn't even the branch manager, just an assistant. He basically did no work, had no customer contact(except to fraduantly boost his sales numbers) and treated me and any other new hire like we were subhuman. Hertz later rewarded his horrible behavior by promoting him to manager. I was forced to work 60-75 hour weeks, sometimes 7-14 days without a day off. The managers would only work a few hours a day mon-fri. If I complained, I was threatened with a write-up. I was eventually promoted to assistant manager after a year, but I was honest with customers, and fair with my co-workers. I was constantly talked to by managers saying that I needed to be more "pushy" with my sales and told that sometimes "you have do to shady, backward things to boost revenue." When ordering cars for reservations, we have to call our city's fleet managers. Often, when we had reservations for specific types of cars like suv's or pickups, or luxury, I was told by the fleet managers that there were none, and I had to make due with my tauruses or corollas that I usually had on hand. And even when we were low on regular cars, and I had to call fleet in order to have more brought in, they would just simply tell me that there were none, and I would have to turn people away, and to only rent the remaining cars to high level Gold customers. (After all, they were miles away in their large offices in admin,not on the counter when the out of luck customers came in.) We were also not aloud to give out the phone numbers for the fleet managers to customers, or we would be suspended. Also, often, I had to back up Hertz policies to customers who were trying to cheat our rules, and was sold out by management. The customers were always coddled to, even if they were clearly in the wrong, and I was made to look like a schmuck. When it came time to get our commision each month, hertz would suddenly raise its level of equation(the sales formula matrix we used for determining the level of commision we received for our monthly sales)making us ineligible for a dime of commision after we had worked extremely hard all month and usually had more than $20k in personal revenue. When it came to quarterly bonuses, we had to sign a waiver stating that the company can withold all our money for no reason at all if it chooses, so we usually didn't know if we would see our bonuses. Branch and upper management was a total joke. I once had an employee who was physically assulted by a customer who was angry because he didn't give himself enough time to return his car and thus missed his train. The customer threw the keys at my employee, hitting him hard in the head, causing a large welt and bruise. The customer then called us all horrible names, and his reward from the manager was a free rental, and a voucher for a future rental. The employee wanted to press charges, and was taken into the back office and chastized. He was later forced to quit when he did not let the matter drop. I myself was once so verbally assulted by a customer, that I was physically shaken for days. The customer was upset because of the company imposed credit check on debit cards(not MY rule)and proceeded to call me an F'ing B@#%^. He also threatened my family and insulted everything about me including my physical appearence. I was of course alone that day, as management decided to go to a movie and out to lunch with some higher ups.(I am a female and the location is in a large city.) I told the customer to leave or I would be forced to call police. The customer later called the city manager, gave him my name, and told him I had threatened HIM!!. I was forced to write a letter of apology to him, and I was also given a formal write-up, and he got vouchers for free rentals. After the tyrannical boss was finally fired after three years, our new manager came in, and was not much better. He scammed customers by upgrading them into the same class of car that they had booked, and also tricked them into buying coverage they did not need. He also once told me about our auto repair shop accounts, "Getting business from these accounts is of upmost importance. You know how these shop owners and managers are, they are crude. If you are ever sexually harassed, or they make sexual comments towards you in any way, just laugh it off and take it. Because nothing else is important as the money these shops bring into the store." I was one of the lucky ones to do quite well in commission and bonuses, usually making between $80-85K a year(unique to our specific location. most off airport locations((called HLE's)) employees make around $30-35k a year). The problem was that I had learned the system and profiting off it to Hertz disadvantage. They offered me a "promotion" to an insurance company liasion for $26k a year, to wich I turned down and told them that I was happy being an assistant manager for the time being. Within a week I was called to admin and told that my position was being eliminated. I was told that I would receive unemployment (to which I was denied-big lie from hertz) and that I would receive my unused vacation and sick time (to which I eventually had to threaten a lawsuit to collect). So suffisive to say, Hertz likes to kick their employees and kick them down some more. If you have children in college now (A bachelor's is required for employment at all non-airport locations)Tell them to keep walking when they see the Hertz and Enterprise(not much better)booths.

My second complaint is to all of you self-centered, arrogant, crybaby, tantrum throwing customers. I have never met a ruder bunch of people who considered themselves adults and educated in my entire life. Just a word of advice. The world does not revolve around you. There are other people existing along with you. Standing in line is part of life. get used to it. I know that you want a specific car when you make your reservation, but that is just not how things work in any rental car company, it is logistically impossible. Just take what you get.
They are not going to make you keep it. Hence the word, RENTAL!! If you don't like the deposit, extra driver fees, drop fees, underage fees, take public transportation or walk. Those things are just the rules and part of the rental process. Also, give yourself enough time to pick up and return your rental. I can't even begin to count the number of people who were always in an "extreme hurry" Come on for christ's sakes, traveling is not efficient. And also, and this is the most important thing to remember, the person behind the counter is a college educated adult just as you supposedly are. Please treat them how you would want to be treated. And remember that most problems you have are probably completely not their fault (bad management, remember) and out of their hands to fix. And when you do have a problem, please try to be polite and cooperative, even if you are very angry. When people were rude to me, I was rude right back. When people were nice to me, I went the extra mile for them, and even gave them big discounts and extras (such as gas, taxi credit, ect)for free. Besides, would you be nice to someone who was in your face screaming and calling you horrible names? I don't think so. And just one more thing. Hertz and all rental car companies are "for profit" businesses. They are not charities. I can't think of the number of times customer complained about Hertz "just trying to make a profit off from them." DUH! I bet the company you all work for is in business to make a profit, isn't it. So just remember those few little tidbits, and your next rental experience should go smoother, because remember, the agents are being crapped on by their employer even before you walk through the door :)

Comments (12)

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Comments:

Posted by firengine103 on 2007-07-14:

Wow! I was starting to feel sorry for you then you turned on me. Makes me want to turn in my Hertz Gold Number One card. I had lived in the Northwest for 40+ years and found the great majority of the people were very laid back and easy to get along with. But then again, I didn't have to live in Seattle.

Posted by leopard on 2007-07-14:

The whole thing about people from seattle being some of the most polite in the country is a bunch of bs! My nickname for this place is stuck up city! but you are right. althoug most customers made me want to scream, there were also a lot who were very nice, and pleasent to work with. I am also still friends with a few and speak to them now. Oh, and update, I have a great job now as a fashion buyer. I have to travel a lot, and suprise, suprise, my company uses hertz. I begged them to let me use someone else, so I use avis or alamo. but I think that all rental companies are pretty much the same. they all operate alike.

Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-07-15:

I don't think you'll be happy anywhere.

Posted by Ponie on 2007-07-15:

Right on, jktshff1. If the poster is so great, why did she endure this so-called abuse for so long? When were you fired? I couldn't even get through the first page without my waders--don't even know what's on the second page and have no intention of finding out.

Posted by leopard on 2007-07-15:

Actually, I am happy now. Im working as a buyer for a retail chain, and its the most wonderful job ever. I got fired from hertz about 8 months ago, and for those of you wondering why I stayed so long at Hertz, I was basically stuck. Being under 30 and naive, when I suddenly found myself with a fat bank account, I did what any other young person just out of college in a trendy city would do. I bought a condo, an suv, and a closet full of designer clothes. I had to therefore pay for these things, and couldn't find another job that I wanted to do that paid as much, so I was stuck at hertz. when I got axed, I just happened to be telling a friend how I never again would be willing to do a job I hated, no matter what the pay. she knew someone in the buying office at this retailer, and thought the job would be right up my alley. they were looking for assistant buyers, and I got right in, and within 2 months was promoted to senior buyer when a position opened up. The job is fantastic!(and pays fantasticly) I get to travel, go to fashion shows, and do my favorite thing, purchase designer clothes, except now, its to fill up a whole department in the store! So, yes, I am extremely happy now, and if you walked into any hertz and asked the employees what they think of their company, every one of them would tell you pretty much the same story as me. Ps, I'm actually a pretty fun gal with a witty sense of humor! check out my myspace at www.myspace.com/smokenmoken

Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-07-16:

That's great. Thanks for the update.

Posted by DebtorBasher on 2007-09-25:

Good for you Leopard! I'm happy to hear you found something you really enjoy. I know what it's like to be stuck in a company that you hate getting up every morning to go to...I used to work at Chase and it is the worst company I ever worked for. Not only the way they treated the employees, but the way they treat their customers as well...Best of luck to you!

Posted by leopard on 2007-09-28:

Thanks, DB. Its good to know there are others like me out there. good luck to you too!

Posted by Taygina on 2007-11-01:

WOW, you should check out whats going on in Georgia...

Posted by Steve-O on 2009-03-22:

I work for hertz and this chic is ridiculous. She is obviously a tool that can't handle the pressure of the general public and of demanding employers. Hertz is a great company. Great benefits, room for advancement, friendly people. I live is washington state and the hertz employees in this area are great, just like the people we rent to.

Posted by leopard on 2009-03-28:

Hey Seve-O, I'm not a tool, I'm THE tool! get it right next time! It's fun playing a B*^#h!

Posted by katie on 2011-06-14:

Im a Hertz employee for 7 years now. every word is true, in fact she gave them break.