1) The Hours: Most reviews put this in the “Cons” section and it’s because it’s accurate; you will not have a work/life balance at Enterprise. The minimum expectation is 49 hours/week, which is actually what your targeted salary is based on. You will likely work around 55-60 hours/week, and your branch and assistant managers will work more. Branches are typically open from 7:30am-6:00pm, but most of us are there in the morning at 6:45am-7:00am to wash the cars in preparation for the day. Customers who come in at 6:00pm (and people absolutely will try to come in even if the doors are locked) can also hold you up for another 20-30 minutes. If you’re at an airport location or a flagship branch that is open every day, you will work holidays. If your branch is understaffed, you will not get a lunch.
2) The Work: You’re going to be doing the exact same thing every single day. Checking customers into cars takes up the majority of your time, and while the ability to constantly practice your sales pitch is pretty fun, you’re going to find yourself asking every single customer the exact same questions in an attempt to make conversation and keep up the perception of quality customer service. There’s also a lot of backend work to be done, such as calling customers to verify that they are still planning to come in to pick up a car, coordinating with body shop and dealership locations, and leaving voicemails for customers who picked up a car and haven’t returned it in a few days and now have a balance due even though their card declined. Oh, and don’t forget about cleaning the cars.
3) The Promotional Path: This is actually one of the primary reasons I left Enterprise. There’s very limited options to move beyond daily rental, and you’re really only able to do so after becoming a Branch Manager or above, which generally takes 1.5-3 years to attain. If you want to explore HR, business management, fleet work, or any other departments, you’re going to have to stick with the company for a number of years.