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During model years 2006-2008, 66,000 of the [[Chevrolet Impala]]s the company ordered were purchased without [[airbag#Side airbag|side-curtain]] [[airbag]]s, saving the company $11.5 million ($175 per vehicle), even though the airbags were standard in retail models.<ref name="kc0815">{{cite web| url=http://www.kansascity.com/842/story/1385463.html| title=Investigation finds Enterprise Rent-A-Car sold Chevy Impalas without standard side air bags| publisher=[[The Kansas City Star]] | date=August 15, 2009 | accessdate=2009-08-17}}</ref> The practice, which the company notes does not "violate any federal mandate", came to national attention when cars being retired from their rental fleet were sold with claims that side-curtain air bags were included.<ref name="kc0815"/> About 5,000 [[Chevrolet Cobalt]]s and [[Buick LaCrosse]]s were also purchased with the side air bags omitted.<ref name="kc0815"/> Enterprise admitted that it inaccurately advertised and sold 745 Chevrolet Impalas—model years 2006 through 2008—that were identified online as having side air bags, when in fact they did not. A company spokesman said that it would inform customers who had bought the cars, and offer to buy them back from the customers.<ref name="kc0815"/>
During model years 2006-2008, 66,000 of the [[Chevrolet Impala]]s the company ordered were purchased without [[airbag#Side airbag|side-curtain]] [[airbag]]s, saving the company $11.5 million ($175 per vehicle), even though the airbags were standard in retail models.<ref name="kc0815">{{cite web| url=http://www.kansascity.com/842/story/1385463.html| title=Investigation finds Enterprise Rent-A-Car sold Chevy Impalas without standard side air bags| publisher=[[The Kansas City Star]] | date=August 15, 2009 | accessdate=2009-08-17}}</ref> The practice, which the company notes does not "violate any federal mandate", came to national attention when cars being retired from their rental fleet were sold with claims that side-curtain air bags were included.<ref name="kc0815"/> About 5,000 [[Chevrolet Cobalt]]s and [[Buick LaCrosse]]s were also purchased with the side air bags omitted.<ref name="kc0815"/> Enterprise admitted that it inaccurately advertised and sold 745 Chevrolet Impalas—model years 2006 through 2008—that were identified online as having side air bags, when in fact they did not. A company spokesman said that it would inform customers who had bought the cars, and offer to buy them back from the customers.<ref name="kc0815"/>
According to Safety Research and Strategies, a safety research firm that regularly works with the automotive industry, it is a highly unusual practice to delete safety features. "I’ve never seen a standard safety feature removed from a vehicle. I’ve been doing this work for 17 years and, until now, had yet to see this happen,” said Sean Kane of Safety Research & Strategies.<ref name="kc0815"/> Contrary to this, some sources have noted that buying fleet without normally standard features does occur, as auto manufacturers offer this option to fleet buyers. {{fact|date=September 2012}}
According to Safety Research and Strategies, a safety research firm that regularly works with the automotive industry, it is a highly unusual practice to delete safety features. "I’ve never seen a standard safety feature removed from a vehicle. I’ve been doing this work for 17 years and, until now, had yet to see this happen,” said Sean Kane of Safety Research & Strategies.<ref name="kc0815"/> Contrary to this, some sources have noted that buying fleet without normally standard features does occur, as auto manufacturers offer this option to fleet buyers. {{fact|date=September 2012}}

===Enterprise Car Sales===
For more than 40 years, we've been selling cars only one way. We select great cars - most from our fleet of more than 1 million vehicles - offer them at competitive used car prices, and back each one with one of the industry's best used car warranties. And to make your used car buying experience even better, our professional staff is trained in a low-pressure sales process that puts our customers' needs first. That's the right way to sell cars. And it's the Enterprise way. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Car_Sales Enterprise Car Sales' Wiki]]


===WeCar===
===WeCar===

Revision as of 16:27, 20 September 2012

For the Houston-based energy holding company, see Enterprise GP Holdings.
Enterprise Holdings
Company typePrivate holding company
IndustryCar rental
Founded1957
FounderJack Taylor
HeadquartersClayton, Missouri, United States
Key people
Andrew C. Taylor,
Chairman & CEO
Donald A Ross,
Vice Chairman
Pamela Nicholson,
President & COO
Revenue$12.1 billion
Number of employees
68,000
Websiteenterpriseholdings.com
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ann Arbor, MI

Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company formed in 2009 to operate rental car subsidiaries: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, PhillyCarShare, WeCar and its commercial fleet management, used car sales, and commercial truck rental operations.[1]

Enterprise Holdings was formed as part of a reorganization that followed Enterprise Rent-A-Car's acquisition of Vanguard Automotive Group.[1] The resulting company was 21st on the 2008 Forbes list of "Largest Private Companies in America."[2]

Enterprise is headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, U.S., an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis.[3][4][5]

History

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the largest rental car company in The United States,[6] and has more than 5,400 “local market” locations (95% of all transactions), and 419 airport locations (30% of all transactions).[citation needed] According to Detroit News[citation needed], Enterprise purchases seven percent of all new automobiles sold in the United States.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s primary focus is the local rental car market, specializing in car rentals to consumers who need a replacement car as the result of an accident, mechanical repair, theft, or who require a vehicle for a special occasion such as a short business or leisure trip. In the late 1990s[citation needed], Enterprise Rent-A-Car also began expanding its operations to include the airport market, and now serves airports in the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany and Ireland. The company's initial entry into Europe came in 1994.[7]

By 2005, Enterprise Rent-A-Car's customer service has been recognized seven times by J.D. Power and Associates as highest in customer satisfaction for rental car companies at or near airports.[8] The company was named ninth on Business Week's top 25 companies customer service list in 2007.[9][10]

Enterprise Rent-A-Car location on North High Street in Columbus, Ohio, around 2004.

In 2006, Business Week listed Enterprise among the top ten places to begin a career.[11] Although the company's pay for management trainees was among the lowest on the list (at an average $50,000), "those who catch on"[11] quickly get a chance to run a branch office with the responsibility to generate a profit. There are certain requirements and qualifications to become promoted to an Assistant Manager, and many of these qualifications may depend on the employee's sales. According to BusinessWeek's list of "Best Places to Launch a Career," Enterprise was in the top 15. Within five years, a successful manager may take positions at headquarters or become an area manager responsible for multiple branches.[11]

Customer satisfaction

First published in 2007, "Exceeding Customer Expectations" is an account of Enterprise's business model of a focus on customer satisfaction and describes strategies that have helped Enterprise grow. Internally customer satisfaction is measured and published, and comparative analysis of branch locations of customer satisfaction on a monthly and yearly basis is a key part of determining success. Customer satisfaction is determined by a third party company which makes follow up phone calls on a random selection of rental customers on a weekly basis. A customer has been determined as a repeat customer if they rate their experience as "Completely Satisfied".

Fleet management controversy

During model years 2006-2008, 66,000 of the Chevrolet Impalas the company ordered were purchased without side-curtain airbags, saving the company $11.5 million ($175 per vehicle), even though the airbags were standard in retail models.[12] The practice, which the company notes does not "violate any federal mandate", came to national attention when cars being retired from their rental fleet were sold with claims that side-curtain air bags were included.[12] About 5,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and Buick LaCrosses were also purchased with the side air bags omitted.[12] Enterprise admitted that it inaccurately advertised and sold 745 Chevrolet Impalas—model years 2006 through 2008—that were identified online as having side air bags, when in fact they did not. A company spokesman said that it would inform customers who had bought the cars, and offer to buy them back from the customers.[12] According to Safety Research and Strategies, a safety research firm that regularly works with the automotive industry, it is a highly unusual practice to delete safety features. "I’ve never seen a standard safety feature removed from a vehicle. I’ve been doing this work for 17 years and, until now, had yet to see this happen,” said Sean Kane of Safety Research & Strategies.[12] Contrary to this, some sources have noted that buying fleet without normally standard features does occur, as auto manufacturers offer this option to fleet buyers. [citation needed]

Enterprise Car Sales

For more than 40 years, we've been selling cars only one way. We select great cars - most from our fleet of more than 1 million vehicles - offer them at competitive used car prices, and back each one with one of the industry's best used car warranties. And to make your used car buying experience even better, our professional staff is trained in a low-pressure sales process that puts our customers' needs first. That's the right way to sell cars. And it's the Enterprise way. Enterprise Car Sales' Wiki]

WeCar

In 2008, Enterprise piloted its first on-campus car sharing program at Washington University in St. Louis.[13] The program, called WeCar, was introduced at University of South Florida in July 2009.[13]

Mergers and acquisitions

A planned acquisition of Citer SA was announced in November 2011; this includes the acquisition of subsidiary Atesa.[7] This acquisition would add 30,000 vehicles to the Company's fleet and provide entry into the French and Spanish markets.[7]

Business model

Types of vehicles available to rent

Chevrolet Express from Enterprises Rent-A-Car.

Enterprise mostly rents vehicle manufactured by General Motors. Enterprise's current selection includes (or cars similar to):

References

  1. ^ a b Louis, St. (August 3, 2009). "Enterprise launches new holding company". Retrieved 2009-08-17.
  2. ^ America's Largest Private Companies: #21 Enterprise Rent-A-Car, from Forbes
  3. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions." Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Retrieved on June 14, 2009.
  4. ^ "Clayton city, Missouri." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 13, 2009.
  5. ^ Hathaway, Matthew. "KC Star: Enterprise didn’t tell buyers cars lacked side air bags." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 17, 2009. Retrieved on August 18, 2009.
  6. ^ http://aboutus.enterprise.com/
  7. ^ a b c Volkman, Kelsey (21 Nov 2011), "Enterprise to buy Citer, enter France and Spain", St. Louis Business Journal, bizjournals.com, retrieved 21 Dec 2011
  8. ^ "Enterprise Rent-A-Car ranks highest on J.D. Power survey" - St. Louis Business Journal
  9. ^ "Customer Service Champs" - Business Week - March 5, 2007
  10. ^ "The Customer Service Elite" - Business Week - March 5, 2007
  11. ^ a b c "No. 5 Enterprise: A clear road to the top". Business Week. September 18, 2006.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Investigation finds Enterprise Rent-A-Car sold Chevy Impalas without standard side air bags". The Kansas City Star. August 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
  13. ^ a b "USF joins Enterprise WeCar sharing program". Tampa Bay Business Journal. July 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
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