Hertz Issue

[docjames]

I'm #1 Gold with hertz, and they are my preferred Car Hire Co.

I've had three rentals with them this year (sure, not that many, but they have had 100% of my rentals over the last 5 years, and 95% over the last 10 years). I'm extremely frustrated.

Previously i just used to earn FF points on my rentals to QF. Of course, this is no longer an option. I have decided the best for me is to earn to Priority Club.

All three rentals I've tagged when booking earn to PC. None have yet credited. I hold my UA MP # and my Velocity # in my profile in case I wish to use them. I have never earnt to either. All three rentals I've tagged PC as the earn.

Turns out, rental #1 went to QF, bounced, and now they've chased it, are sending it to PC, but still hasnt landed. QF number now removed.

Worse, #2 and #3 (recent) somehow have defaulted to Velocity and #2 has arrived in Velocity, and #3 in PC. I contacted hertz immediately after my rentals as I noted it was tageed with Velocity, but decided to deal with it via phone a day or two post drop-off (rather than at the time) due to the fact the rentals were in MEL and it was chaos (understandably as it was ash cloud time).

I've just been informed by Hertz that as it's now forwarded the points earn to velocity, i'm stuck with that and i should delete my other options. I've asked that the Veolocity points be recalled and then the appropriate earn sent to PC.

Any suggestions how I proceed here? Clearly I need to wait for a response as to why they cant recall the points and credit to my preference (particularly given I called them promptly). I've also asked if they are escalating this with their IT department as clearly something isnt working properly.

I dont want this to sound like a rant (not my intention) but am after comments from anyone who has had similar issues (either with Hertz or others) and how they resolved the situation. The long term solution is, for simplicity, to remove the alternate #s from the profile and just have the PC number in there.

Wasnt sure whether to post in Car hire thread as it's more of a question but happy for mods to move there if they feel it's more appropriate.

 

[markis10]

I had similar issues where the default credit was to DJ no matter what I put in the system, their systems are just cough these days and I am no longer renting form them unless they have more of the 50% off specials for the luxury collections etc. Mind you with the DJ points + pay options those points are looking a lot more valuable these days!

 

[drron]

Give up on Hertz.I am still #1 gold with them but after car downgrades,only 1 out of 2 rentals posting AA miles I switched to Avis preferred.50% car upgrades,points have always posted automatically even though I often use the UK site to save money.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Rental car Co's are hopeless. As such I'm a tart with all of them......I don't care which, I'll take the best deal and that changes depending on the day, the location etc.

I've had good service from nearly all of the majors (except Red Spot who will never see another cent from me) and poor deals from most of them too.

The car Co's could learn a thing or two from airlines about keeping their frequent renters happy, but for some reason they don't!

 

[cove]

Now you tell me!I have a Hertz Camry for the freeway driving in Los Angeles.Almost nailed a red light walking pedestrian within 5 minutes of hiring the car. I was lucky to have an Audi behind me as he could match my stopping power even though it was a green light.My Hertz card goes back to 1979 I think.

 

[AdMEL]

I, too, experienced a similar problem when Hertz stopped crediting to QFF. I added my Velocity details and despite specifically selecting Velocity online (and in one case, ringing and asking them to change from QFF to Velocity), the Hertz system kept trying to credit QFF, with points effectively going nowhere. After reading of others having similar problems on another thread on this forum (by markis10, if I remember correctly), I deleted my QFF details and recently they have finally been crediting correctly to Velocity. Problem was possibly there before, but I only ever credited to QFF, so didn't notice. For most of the ones which did not credit correctly to Velocity, I submitted a points request on the Hertz website and they e-mailed me within 24 hours to say points would be credited, which they were a couple of days later. If you think Hertz is bad, try Europcar! Not only do they not credit points, but they don't have a missing points claim on their website, so you have to claim via the Velocity website. To date, this has not yielded any positive results! Suffice to say, I've missed out on points from Hertz and Europcar! Avis always credit correctly and quickly though!

Cove, my Hertz points from the US last year did not post to QFF, so I e-mailed a copy of the rental receipts to QFF - points were credited a few weeks after my request. Had I known how slow QFF were and how quick Hertz were, I would have submitted my request through Hertz!

 

[Andyzx]

I gave up on them 12 months ago after issues with them and their enhanced "customer service". Tried to give up my #1 Gold but they keep sending me cough.... and wondering why I haven't booked in a while.

Crediting points or not was one of several issues. :evil: a bit like trying to get the car you ordered.

 

[Joshua]

I had them crediting to QF for months after I tried moving it all to VS. Ended up just asking them each time at the counter to remove any reference to QF then would do a follow up email later on. That seemed to work well. Just clear everything from your gold club account. Of course now nothing goes to QF so that makes it a bit easier, what an enhancement

Also don't bother phoning because they think VS = DJ and you always have to ring 'the other number'. Reservations/Customer Care/Club Gold, just give us one number to handle everything!!

I'm meant to have status with them but my account never changed, oh well I always take luxury/non-standard cars anyway so no upgrades going to happen. Not ranting either but their customer relations/management sure could be better.

 

[cove]

Ok I had better fix my profile this week at Hertz.

 

[cove]

Ok I am now earning Velocity points and Hertz no longer think I am in Washington USA!

 

[docjames]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the answer is a) Avis or b) Shop on price. Ther'es a nasty Oligopoly going on in car rentals it would seem.

I'll also delete the other numbers from the Hertz acct so maybe if i end up using them again it'll work correctly.

FWIW, they've just lost from me a 7 day car hire in Fiji after this mess (will now use limo service instead).

 

[AdMEL]

Ok I am now earning Velocity points and Hertz no longer think I am in Washington USA!

I'd forgotten about location problem (which seems to be a common one) - Hertz thought I/my licence was from the Virgin Islands, USA, instead of Victoria, Australia! You'd think for a worldwide program, they could get the basics like address right! Shows how US centric Hertz is!

 

[brett-au]

Sorry. Every rental for the last 5 years has always creditted to my krisflyer account, including bonuses. Upgrades have been annoyingly regular, even when I don't want them. I much prefer a corolla when dealing with tight city car parks rather than a camry. Even got 2 upgrades to a mini.

Its not all peaches and cream tho, they pulled a swifty on their free day coupons which annoyed me and I saw no reason to change from 59 minutes to 29 minutes grace period.

 

[markis10]

With the latest debacle concerning the new one way charges (IE DRW city to Airport) as I stated earlier I cannot be bothered despite being PC, I just look at QF for the intended pickup city and dates and go with the cheapest (surprisingly Avis and Budget are always the same, then again they are the same company ). I also avoid City pickups that dont have a refueling option at the location or next door, like Hertz DRW, as you tend to get cars that are not full!

 

[JohnK]

My preference for car rental these days is

a) Europcar
b) Avis or Hertz

Still can't get Hertz #! Gold number in my online bookings and I cannot be bothered calling to get it fixed.

I often find Avis the cheapest then followed by Hertz and Europcar.

I did find one time that points had credited to QFF after I had switched crediting car rentals to VS and called and got the points credited to VS and they also left the credit to QF as well. It was only ~90 QFF points but it may have been Avis.

 

[Stuser]

I seem to use Hertz more often than not.

I'm in Canberra and all of my rentals here (at Canberra Downtown, Braddon) have been perfect. Always the right car. 95% of the time I seem to get a black car.... must have asked for that in my profile...

They always have low kms and the price always seems to be better than AVIS or Budget. I don't use Europcar, can't even remember why.

I used to use AVIS, but the cars always seemed that much older and ... grimier.... that's what my own car is like, so if I'm paying I want it flash ey....

One time in Hobart I got a downgrade. I was STEAMED at the time as I had booked it AGES in advance and I had to stuff my entire family and bags into it..... I wrote a letter of complaint after and got in return 2 vouchers for free day rentals. That was nice. And TOUCH WOOD, I have managed to use them several times over cos the guys at Hertz haven't asked me to surrender them. Sure makes a price difference!

Actually speaking of Hobart, I once was so blanked / dissed by the AVIS rep there once as I was standing in the AVIS Preferred line. I had a beard and a child on my back, dressed in my woolly clothes. After serving the others, the rep turned to me and rudely said, "you're in the Avis Preferred Line, SIR (read a...hole)." "Yes", I said, "here's my AVIS Preferred card". HAHA watching her turn deep red was enough to make me less grumpy...

Always got better service from Hertz anyway. Shame they stopped making Fairlanes, I still look "fondly" back on the time I got one for $30 a day. Some crazy special they had, made them cheaper than small cars. Great for country driving with your family...

I convert all my Hertz points into Hertz car points anyway. Does that seem a bad idea?

 

[Bunty]

I believe Hertz is no longer creditting to QFF.

 

[docjames]

To update my Hertz saga.

All other numbers removed leaving only Priority Club Acct number in online profile. It ensured it was also selected in the booking.
Two subsequent rentals both credited to Velocity despite this no longer being in my profile. Unable to be reversed as "already credited rental to velocity".

Worse was to come - on my last pre-xmas rental they gave my CC number to Roam tolling. I had NOT authorised this (tolling done separately). Not realising it was hertz that had done it (bill came ~ 2 weeks post travel) I called roam who told me that they wanted a copy of my credit card statement to investigate. I refused and called my bank and CC had to be cancelled. Subsequently (despite no CC statement), I got a response (10 working days) from Roam telling me it was hertz that had provided details.
Contacted Hertz re: FF points - no adequate response after three months.
Cotacted re: credit card leak --> Reply within two hours, $50 voucher, profuse apologies.

Tried to apply voucher to xmas booking - invalid code! Told by reservations to take to counter when collecitng car.

Arrived on Xmas day to pick up car. Text message popped up after I got off plane in MEL - we are unable to process booking, please see counter.
Credit card details not on file (hello, that's because you forced me to cancel my card!).
Half hour wait in queue, finally at desk, voucher unable to be processed, "leave it with me and I'll process it and it'll be sorted when you drop the car back" (stupidly I agree - it was xmas day, there were people queued out the door, and they assured me when I asked were they sure that would happen that it would be done - mistake!).

Return car, wireless link not working, please go to office (grrr), wait 15 mins in queue - presented with final bill, $50 not removed. Ask for voucher to be applied - "you have to do it at reservation, I cant do it" - sequence above explained - "i cant do anything now" - please talk to manager (rep picks up phone) - "manager says we cant do anything" - ask for manager to come and tell me to my face. Manager duly arrives and says same thing ("you have to do it with reservations") - point out note reservations put on booking, suggest they look at security film of me presenting voucher on xmas day. Half hour "discussion" ensues, me telling them to fix it ("why dont you call reservations and have them fix it"), them telling me they cant. Eventually manager beats computer into submission 9reaad; lifts a finger to actually help their customer and lo and behold, $50 taken off rental. He still tries the "next time you need to have it done with the reservations number". Cue mrsdoc dragging me out of the office before I have a brain explosion at the manager.


Moral of the story: shop on price. Forget any loyalty to Hertz. Shame really. :evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:

Oh, and this rental STILL had my velocity number in it - I've given up on that. Also it doesnt seem to have credited! So here we go again!

 

[obrienja]

I'm having an issue with Hertz in Perth at the moment. I reserved a Yaris (we all know we'll never actually get one) from 10/2 (Fri) - 15/2 (Wed) for $206. Arrive and get given an XR6 which was a little grubby and didn't quite have a full tank of fuel. I noticed the following day Hertz had added insurance to the rental despite it not being in my profile (as Presidents Circle and paying with an Amex Plat). Called & had it removed.

Returned the car on time & full of fuel, handing the keys to a Hertz rep behind the counter at the Virgin end of the terminal at 10pm 15/2, boarded DJ flight back to SYD.

Get voicemails on Sat afternoon from "Ash" at Hertz Perth that were indecipherable but seemed to imply they couldn't find the car. I made a number of attempts at calling them back Saturday & Sunday but got no answer. I checked Hertz.com yesterday and see that a receipt has been issued claiming the car was returned at 6am Perth time Sunday morning 19/2. I think that's a pretty neat trick given I was tucked up in bed in Sydney. It's also got an extra 500kms on it, I've been charged for 9 days at a different rate, charged $184 for fuel etc.

Not surprisingly a little displeased I call Hertz Perth, speak with Gail who says "that's odd" my manager "Ash" will be in shortly he'll call you this morning. Two hours later I call back only to be told that Ash will get back to me when he's free. 8 hrs after the original call still not having head anything I called back and got through to Ash. Who acknowledged the problem, offered half-hearted apologies and said it'd take 7-8 business days for a refund & would have to be actioned by "Customer Care" (a department I'm thinking may not really exist at Hertz).

I appreciate that probably sounds like a rant but if you're going to fail to check in a car properly, rent it out to someone else, overcharge the original renter for your incompetence, neglect to call them back you can at least be apologetic and resolve the problem quickly.

I'm considering saying to hell with their refund process and having Amex do a chargeback.

 

[serfty]

Learned my lesson years ago!

As much as possible I endeavour to finalise my paper work and get a hard copy of it before departing the rental desk upon returning the vehicle.

This policy might take some extra time but has seriously saved me much further hassle over the years since adopting that policy.

Posted on a wing & a prayer