Worst car rental experience - Dante was EXTREMELY unprofessional, stay far away!…read more
I had a prepaid premium SUV reservation through American Express for Labor Day weekend because I was traveling with my family and specifically needed a larger three-row SUV.
After waiting about 15-20 minutes, an employee named Dante completed my paperwork, took my deposit, and brought out an older GMC SUV that was not what I expected from the premium SUV class I had reserved. When I questioned the vehicle, he told me it was the only one available and said words to the effect of, "You're lucky we even have this car. It's Labor Day weekend."
I was disappointed, but I was prepared to accept the vehicle because I needed the three rows for my family.
Then I opened the doors.
The inside of the vehicle was covered in what appeared to be dog or pet hair. It was all over the seats, carpeting, floors, and throughout the interior. This was not a few stray hairs or a minor cleaning issue. There was an excessive amount of visible animal hair throughout the vehicle.
I have photographs documenting exactly how bad the condition was.
One of my children is allergic to pet hair, which made the vehicle completely unsuitable for my family. I could not believe a national rental company would present a vehicle to a customer in that condition, especially after the customer had prepaid for a premium SUV.
When I pointed out the dog/pet hair to Dante, rather than apologizing or acknowledging that the vehicle should never have been rented in that condition, he essentially told me that if I wanted it cleaned I would have to wait another 30-45 minutes.
His attitude was dismissive, confrontational, and condescending throughout the interaction.
At that point, I told him I no longer wanted the vehicle and asked that the rental be canceled. Because I had already signed the paperwork, paid a deposit, and the rental showed that a vehicle had been provided, I reasonably asked for written confirmation that the contract had been voided.
Dante told me someone would handle it the following day. When I explained that I was not comfortable leaving without confirmation and that I intended to remain until I received some documentation, he responded:
"You're going to be here all day."
That was completely unacceptable.
Thankfully, another employee, Henry G., stepped in and handled the situation exactly the way a professional should. Henry was respectful, courteous, contacted his district manager, and provided me with a screenshot confirming that the rental was being voided.
What made this even more frustrating was that Henry was able to resolve the issue by simply contacting the district manager--something Dante clearly could have attempted from the beginning but chose not to do. Instead, I was repeatedly told there was nothing that could be done and was even told, "You're going to be here all day."
Henry's actions proved that there was, in fact, a way to address the situation promptly and professionally. His professionalism was the only positive part of this entire experience and demonstrated how easily the situation could have been handled from the start with basic effort, communication, and respect.
I eventually had to contact American Express myself. American Express contacted Hertz/Dollar, confirmed the cancellation, and helped with the prepaid refund.
By the time everything was resolved, nearly two hours of our Labor Day weekend had been wasted, my family's trip was delayed, and I had to scramble to find another rental vehicle.
This was not simply a case of receiving a different SUV than expected.
I was given a vehicle covered in dog/pet hair, despite traveling with a child who has a pet allergy, and then treated as though I should be grateful that Hertz/Dollar had provided me with any vehicle at all.
There was no meaningful apology, no accountability, and no effort from Dante to make the situation right.
Statements such as "You're lucky we even have this car" and "You're going to be here all day" are not acceptable ways to speak to a paying customer who arrived with a prepaid reservation.
I would strongly caution anyone considering Hertz or Dollar, especially during a holiday weekend. A prepaid reservation apparently does not guarantee that the vehicle will be properly cleaned, appropriately prepared, or that you will be treated with basic professionalism if there is a problem.
Henry G. was excellent. Dante's handling of the situation was completely unacceptable.
***UPDATE: Regional Manager Christine contacted me and was extremely professional and apologetic. The fact that Hertz cares enough about its customer experience to personally follow up means a lot. Their executive office also emailed me. Because of Christine's excellent follow-up and the great service Henry provided at this location, I've updated my rating from 1 star to 3 stars.
