Hertz adds tiers to Gold Card scheme

Car-rental firm targets corporate clients with Five Star, President’s Circle and Platinum memberships

Hertz adds tiers to Gold Card scheme

Report by DIANESMITH

HERTZ is relaunching its Gold Card scheme with three new tiers.

It has made the move in a bid to persuade corporate clients who are keeping their options open to only book through the car-hire company.

From October 2, Hertz will start its Five Star, President’s Circle and Platinum memberships in addition to the Gold Card scheme set up in 1989.

It hopes this will do what is needed to reward loyal customers and encourage clients to concentrate on Hertz.

Sales director Mark Tristram-Walmsley said: “Our competitors had caught up. All of them launched a similar service to the Gold Card.

“Where we have shared status hopefully the product we’re now offering will be better. The question is if you have a corporate rate with two suppliers, would you want to rent an Avis or a Hertz car? We could be offering an upgrade from a Mondeo to a Merc. There will be extras like having the windscreen wiped down, the engine running, the heater on and the boot open waiting for luggage. We want to reward our most frequent users.”

Although current Gold Card members will be contacted direct by Hertz through a newsletter due to go out on October 16, the company will also be working with agents to maximise enrolment through sales training.

Hertz has also been looking at booking patterns over the past 12 months and will be contacting clients who are eligible for the upgrades to Five Star and President’s Circle. Platinum will be open to senior industry executives only and is tipped as the ultimate service for VIPs.

Research was done in both the USand Europe before the new scheme – launched in the US in July – was devised.

Tristram-Walmsley said: “We’ve seen the airlines come up with various successful reward programmes for frequency of use and we investigated a way to bring something like that to our clients.”

Criteria for entry

&#42 Five Star – eligible after 10 rentals, offers one free rental day for every 10 rentals and car upgrade subject to availability.

&#42 President’s Circle – eligible after 30 rentals, offers one free rental day for every 10 rentals, guaranteed car upgrade and designated parking bays in preferred positions at airports.

&#42 Platinum – eligible by personal invitation only, offer guaranteesbest car available and meet-and-greet service.

Tristram-Walmsley: loyal customers will be able to upgrade their cars to luxury vehicles such as Mercedes or Jaguars