Pros
*This is not a Pros list*
If there was one feeling to sum up my 5 years with Enterprise it would be: cold, wet socks. Now before you think I’m some washed up former employee who just “couldn’t cut it” - please understand that I was a consistent top performer both in my area/region and on the group level throughout my career. I worked in several cities, managed all the way up to a flagship, worked at all 3 brands including at the airport, and also in Car Sales. Not only that, but I also worked in two different groups after transferring and was promoted multiple times in both. I say all this because if there is one thing I know: Enterprise loves to character assassinate any dissenters. I bled green, and I sipped the ERAC Koolaid with the best of them. Then I finally saw the light. I realized I had spent the last 5 years of my life wearing myself ragged: long hours, poor work conditions, brutal customer base, all while keeping a smile and making sure everyone was “comp sat.” Years passed by and I missed living - I spent all of my time either at work and barely getting paid or at home answering endless work calls on my personal cell phone that the company never paid a dime for. If my hard work had felt appreciated even for one moment, I’m not sure I would have left, though I am glad I did. I had finally washed my 5,000th car (as crazy as that sounds it’s probably not an exaggeration if you were to tally all of the cars I washed due to never having proper staffing). I had worked my last 55+ hr week and I finally saw it for what it was: an elaborate pyramid scheme where the promise of “NFL-like money” (as an old GRM described it to me once) keeps you distracted enough not to fully take in that you’re wasting your life for a company that will replace you with no regard for the next cheapest clone.
If you’re considering a career at Enterprise: please, do not fall for the mirage of possible success. Enterprise loves to hire young and somewhat naive fresh college grads so that they can use them up as much as possible before replacing them with a newer employee. If you don’t believe me, look at any branch in any area - for the most part, you will find eager young people who are mostly under 30. So in summary, perhaps you found this review after speaking with a recruiter and you are doing some research to see if it’s the best fit for you. I can tell you that you won’t make it to the top at Enterprise. Why? Because the only people who do are the ones who don’t ask questions and the ones who certainly don’t do their own research.
If you’re already in the Green Machine, just know that it does look good on a resume so that’s good, right? You will be able to find another job, and leaving is not failing so just do it already. For a silver lining: you’ll probably meet some of your future best friends at this place so it’s not all bad I guess.
Overall: Somewhat dissatisfied, would not work there again. Thanks for attending my Ted Talk.
Cons
work-life balance, short sighted management, never enough cars but encouraged to book book book (no look book), crazy customers, unprofessional, shady business practices, favoritism and collusion
