Hertz Needs to Try Harder

...oops, isn't that Avis? Oh well....maybe Hertz should take a play out of the handbook designed to compete with them.

Before I go on, I need to point out that I've been on the road (or, rather, in the air) quite a bit lately. And I have to say that the customer experience in the offline world hasn't quite lived up to expectations, and it's something I need to blog about.

To me, Hertz just isn't what it used to be. Has anyone noticed this? Sure, travel couldn't be less fun, less convenient, less glamorous right now. But no matter how many airport delays, meals substituted with peanuts, I've always looked forward to that big board in the rental car lot. That big yellow Hertz board with my name in lights. Ahhh....relief. No lines. No waiting. Keys in the car, ready to roll. A hotel and a short night's sleep seemed within grasp. Hertz was always that sure thing at the close of a long day. But lately, Hertz just seems like a different company.

During one recent 1AM airport arrival, my car reservation wasn't ready. Apathetic counter representatives behind the glass were too disinterested to provide assistance. A long wait for a manager was required. The only option available to me was a souped-up Mustang called a Shelby. Never heard of it and after seeing it with double-wide gold metallic stripes on the hood, I decided it was not "consultant-appropriate" for an appearance at a thrift-driven client. In numerous airports, they simply haven't had cars available, even to a Gold and Platinum customer. Numerous colleagues have complained about their unfulfilled promise of a certain type of car or any car, for that matter. To Hertz's credit, they did find the laptop I left behind in a hurried rush and sent it back to me -- after the less-than-happy lost-and-found representative scolded me and sighed throughout our conversation.

On the flip side, I've noticed that airport and airline employees -- particularly security -- seem nicer, more pleasant, more human recently. Even though their job just got harder....maybe they used to work for Hertz.