Hertz Car Rental - John Glenn Columbus International Airport — Local services in Columbus

I arrived on August 1st around 6:05a. I provided my information to the woman at the counter who neglected to ask if I wanted to pre-pay for fuel or wanted insurance coverage. I'm pretty use to car rentals and the full speel therefore, I was a bit surprised that she didn't ask these standard questions. But mind you, on my paperwork, she noted that I declined these services. I should've known that this service would be problematic at this point but I figured that because it was so early in the morning that perhaps she just wasn't fully alert and dialed in which I was understanding of as we've all been there before. I now realize that her failure to follow protocol was a precursor to how this Hertz location operates.

I was given the keys to a Toyota RAV-4. It was white and located in section F. I went to the car and upon opening the door, I was hit with the worst smell. It smelt of mildew almost as if the car interior had been soaked at some point and not properly dried. Why Hertz would even set a car like that out there for use is beyond me but after my experience, I suppose it was simply so that they could scam the next customer and say that they were responsible and Hertz could get a fresh steam clean and deodorizer at their customers expense.

I began wiping down the steering wheel with a disinfectant wipe and when I was done, I pulled away the sheet with a substantial amount of dirt on it. You can't tell me that they even attempted to clean the truck with the amount of dirt I was able to collect. I sat with this sham of a vehicle before deciding that I couldn't do it and returned to the front desk and told the woman of the issue. She laughed and proceeded to give me another pamphlet and vehicle. I walked back out, this time to section 'G'. It was another RAV 4. I walked around and didn't see any heavy damage or anything of overt concern beyond a the literal centimeters of what I can only describe as a minimal 'misalignment'. It was mentioned but apparently NOT noted which, after the check-in experience, I shouldn't have been surprised. I guess because the second truck was at least tolerable, it wasn't a high concern on her end and I, stupidly believed that Hertz workers would do their job both correctly and ethically. Turns out, I was wrong.

Driving this truck was an absolute nightmare! The auto-stop was so aggressive that each time the vehicle turned on, it literally jerked the entire truck. Trying to get up to speed was just as hard with the gear shifts literally feeling like a old wooden rollarcoaster. I ended up having to drive at night and I couldn't get the vehicles lights to turn on. I referred to the manual which apparently did not align with the actual vehicle! It kept mentioning that the truck was a push to start (it was not) then it kept referencing an option that wasn't equipped with the vehicle I had. I had to refer to YouTube and Reddit threads to get help. It was by far one of the scariest rental experiences I've had. The truck continously lost connection when it came to the Bluetooth and USB connectivity but little did I know, all of these issues wouldn't be the worst part. There was still the Hertz return crew. I returned the truck on Sunday 08/04 at 9:17. A Black man came up and half-heartdly greeted me. He asked for confirmation of my name which I provided. He then proceeds to walk around the car and stops on the front left side. He asked me about the 'damage' to the car. He pushed the bumper with his foot a few time then gets down and pulls on the spot and then pushed on it with his hand attempting to manipulate the bumper.

While I wrote my statement, I watched as the same attendant who inspected my vehicle did not do anywhere near the military like inspection I was subjected to. I'm very suspicious of why I was seemingly treated differently then the other customers but I have my guesses. I'm writing this full length report only because I didn't have enough space on the statement paper and I want the full situation...

Recently, I rented a vehicle from Hertz a/k/a Byers Car Rental LLC (Franchise). The Customer Service Representatives were attentive, engaging and helpful. A stark contrast to the entire management team. If there was ever an organization that could benefit from up-coaching this is the place. When I returned the vehicle I was told that I had damaged the vehicle. I advised the Parking Lot Attendant that the damages were on the vehicle when I picked the car up and I have photos. I asked for a Supervisor. The Instant Return Manager appeared bothered by the fact she was requested to hear a customer complaint. She avoided meaningful eye contact. She did not acknowledged my concerns instead she pointed out additional damages. I offered to show her photos. She shook her head from side to side and declined to view them. She provided me the option of completing an Incident Report or having Hertz Columbus complete it. I was already late for a flight and advised that I did not have time to file a report for damages that were on the vehicle when I picked it up. A week later, I returned to this same location to rent another vehicle. I was not provided an auto and I was told that I had been placed on a Do Not Rent list for an open insurance claim. I spoke with an aloof and vague Hertz Airport Manager and he said I am on a Do Not Rent List because I did not complete an Incident Report when I returned the vehicle. I advised him that insurance claim was closed and I have a paid (non refundable)Hertz reservation. I received an email and text confirming my reservation days earlier. I left 4 voicemail for the Hertz Claims Manager & General Manager in Columbus. No return calls. I contacted Hertz Executive Customer Service to get feedback. They contacted Hertz Columbus and provided me with another reason for Do Not Rent status. The version of events told to Hertz Executives by Hertz Columbus were embellished and changed to fit their narrative for suspension. The lack of transparency and permitting me to make a non refundable Hertz reservation and then being declined a car is deceptive and unethical. So, I encourage other travelers to seek for other rental options. There are other rental companies that are better managed, better skilled and more fluent in the areas of consumer relations and the overall...

I have been using this Hertz location for 5 years only to find out, they do not care about their customers. I tried to change my return location (about 120 miles difference) and they quoted the change fee would be twice my original amount. After being extorted, I made a new reservation for less than my original rental agreement and returned the car only to be given a car that smelled like smoke and a skunk. The MOD - CJ who needs to be retrained on Customers Service is completely inept at his job. The best part, this is a franchised location and Hertz customer service does not have any power to make a customer happy. Very disappointed in Hertz - Oh, BTW - I spend $4K to $5K per year renting from this company... Avis, National, Enterprise - Will you honor my Hertz status until I build my rentals?

After 14 days of the John Glenn International Airport Hertz customer complaint - three e-mails, three phone calls and two case escalations: I received this less than lackluster and no resolution response for corporate:

Dear Mr. Neuenschwander,

Thank you for contacting us. I apologize for our delay in responding.

I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding regarding our Intercity policy. When a vehicle is rented at one location and returned to a different location, the customer is billed either an intercity fee, a per mile charge, or an intercity rate. This allows Hertz to provide "rent-it-here/leave-it-there" service to our customers, regardless of the vehicle's owning city or state. I regret you believe the rate quoted was excessive or unfair. Hertz does not have a program which allows the applicable Intercity fee to be waived, regardless of the vehicle's owning city or state.

I regret the situation was compounded by the negative attitude of our representative, who failed to handle the matter in a courteous and professional manner. As a service oriented company, we rely on customer feedback to help us maintain and improve our service performance standards.

The information you have provided is very important to us, since it tells us how our various locations are doing and where improvements are needed. Please be assured your comments will be shared with the appropriate Hertz management.

You are a valued customer, and we hope to have the opportunity of regaining your confidence in Hertz.

Sincerely,

Carolyn S. Hertz...