7 Reasons Not to Rent from Hertz

Let’s talk about service and let’s compare France to the United States. What I didn’t share in my “30 Pounds of France in my Suitcase” post was the horrible reception I received at the Tours Centre Hertz. It’s a great case study that also explains why Americans have so much trouble with the way they are received in France.

I frequently rent cars, mainly for business purposes, and I often use Hertz. Their online reservation system is very easy to use, their agents are pleasant and efficient, and their vehicles are impeccable.

Don’t forget that I live in the United States! I often travel in this country. This summer, during our family vacation in California, we also used Hertz many times. Still no complaints. So wouldn’t it make sense to also rent a car from Hertz during this trip in France?

It was a bad idea. A very bad idea. Let me fill you in: I left Washington for Paris on Tuesday, November 3. My overnight flight left at 5:25pm, local time, and I landed in Roissy at 6:55am the following morning. After retrieving my baggage, I took the first train to Tours and arrived there at 10:09am. For me, it was still 4:00am, and I had been up for almost 24 hours.

After an uneventful trip, it was at Hertz where my troubles began.

7 reasons not to rent from Hertz, Tours Centre

1. Their location is not easily found

I had halfheartedly looked for Hertz’s location on a city map, but not well enough to get there with my eyes closed. In the train station, there was no signage for Hertz. I headed off in the right direction, but due to lack of directions, I had to turn around.

We’re all used to our smartphones, and I’d be the first one to rely on its GPS if necessary. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough credit left on my SIM card to use the internet. Eventually, the people at Avis (their agency is conveniently located at one end of the station) gave me the right directions.

In the United States, “Rental Cars” pictograms and signage are commonly displayed. This is very helpful for those who don’t know where to go!

2. The Hertz Tours Centre is a 10-minute walk from the station

The Hertz location isn’t very far from the Tours station…provided you know about taking the side exit and are able to walk without baggage at a good pace. That wasn’t my situation, however. I was weary from my trip and burdened with a huge suitcase, my computer case, and my purse.

In the United States, the car rental agencies provide shuttle services to transport you to their offsite locations.

3. The agency was closed at 10:30am when I arrived

You should have seen the look on my face. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I tried to open the door a few times, looked for another entrance then checked the business hours: 8:00am – 12:00pm and 2:00pm – 7:00pm. My phone indicated that it was 10:30am. I questioned myself about the current time, and recalculated the time difference. Without a doubt, the agency was closed during its business hours.

I have never seen that in the United States – at least not with Hertz, or with any sizeable stores, and especially not in the service industry.

4. The number to call was unreachable

To their credit, at least the employees had affixed a sheet of paper to the window with the handwritten words “Gone for delivery. Please call this number…” I laughed hysterically when I read it. Delivery? Of what? Apples? Linen? Fuel?

Of course, I called the number they left, but to no avail. I kept getting the following error message: “The number you have called is not in service”.

If you have ever experienced something similar, let me know.

5. I had to wait 30-minutes, outside

Fortunately it wasn’t raining, the temperature was mild, I knew the city and that the area was safe. I paced back and forth and called the number back several times.

I tried the number for vehicle returns outside of business hours. It was answered at a hotel, L’hôtel Alliance, I believe. The person I spoke with was extremely kind. I forget her name…Agnes maybe? She helped me out by giving me numbers for another Hertz location in the area, as well as a toll-free number.

What service! Absolutely comparable to what I experience in the United States every day. Agnes was a hotel employee and she had nothing to do with rental cars. Yet she did not once refuse this courtesy even though I called her many times.

6. There was no word of apology upon arrival

Around 11:00am, a car finally stopped in front of the entrance. My greeting was cold, and I became downright aggressive when the employee tried to brush me off by suggesting that I must not have seen the note, and that I should have called the number displayed.

One word led to another, and I switched into German mode (I have dual citizenship). I began to lecture the man, explaining to him that you don’t do business this way, and telling him about “de-escalation” techniques.

The customer should always be king, everywhere…in France, in Germany, just as in the United States. At the Tours Centre Hertz, there is a lot of work to be done.

7. My car wasn’t available

This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was after 11:00am and I was told that since I had reserved for noon, my car wasn’t yet ready.

Two Hertz agents were facing me. When one of them informed me of this, his colleague attempted to intervene. It was my understanding that either my vehicle would be ready or I would be provided with another one. He too was put in his place. I forget the exact words, but the message was clear: Five minutes later, I left Hertz without a car and without any desire to ever set foot in there again.

What did I learn from this experience?

Lesson one:
I already had some cultural background (French and German) before living in the United States, and I have obviously assimilated some aspects of American culture with great speed. I have always defended the quality of service in France, while my French friends living in the United States remain very critical about it. Having spent 20 years in Germany, I can vouch that the service there is not as pleasant, less attentive and more discourteous. Needless to say, the United States are the customer service champions.

Lesson two:
Americans are the best because they look for solutions to a problem. Customer service isn’t just a smile or a friendly word, qualities the French have mastered well. The person I dealt with at Hertz was fairly nice. However he lacked empathy for his dissatisfied customer. Not only did he stoop down to my level of bad moodiness but he also accused me first. Yet it would have been so easy to defuse the Catherine bomb by apologizing (the customer is always right…even if she is wrong) and by being especially efficient (here are the keys to your car, Madam).

Lesson three:
I would definitely use Hertz again, but not in Tours! And now, I give car rental agencies no reason to withhold a vehicle from me or to test my patience. I make reservations for 2-3 hours before my potential arrival, and simply notify the rental agency in the event that I’m running late.

So how did I do?

After leaving the agency, I discovered that my (German) SIM card was acting finicky and the likely reason for my problems trying to call the number left on the sign. I replaced that SIM immediately with a French one, and then took a taxi to UCAR where I was able to rent a larger vehicle for the same price. It was long after noon when I finally arrived at my destination, completely exhausted.

Do you find my story interesting? Feel free to share your comments!

Photo credits : Voyagerix, Atomic Taco