Millennials Pick Hertz As Car Rental Company Of Choice
Survey results indicate Gen-Z is still more fickle than ever
With millennials outnumbering the boomer set, one of the biggest demographics most likely to lease vehicles on a short-term basis, car rental companies might still remain at odds over how to attract this rather fickle lot.
Tuesday’s results of the Trazees Awards, an annual survey-based contest held by youth-oriented travel ezine trazeetravel.com, offers some clues over what draws the latest crop of young professionals, although customer retention is still another matter.
Millennials polled over this year’s Trazees picked Hertz as the top car rental company over Sixt, last year’s winner, which placed second. The rest of the top five was rounded out by National, Avis and Enterprise. Hertz pointed out that it was the company’s fleet quality and high-caliber customer service that won them over, although those seem to be values that would be endearing to any demographic.
“Travelers of all ages have many transportation options today and we’re honored that Millennials have chosen Hertz as their favorite car rental provider,” said Jayesh Patel, Hertz Senior Vice President of Brand. “This recognition shows that we’re focused on the right things – providing exceptional service, top-rated vehicles and innovations that speed up their travels such as our redesigned mobile app and Hertz Fast Lane powered by CLEAR.”
Contrast that with the reasoning given by Sixt over why that company won the Trazees in 2018, which stated that its non-conforming public image made them stand out enough to win millennials over.
“This generation can be hard to reach, but in general, we know they look for brands that are different, open-minded and socially engaged,’ said Daniel Florence, Sixt’s Chief Operations Officer at the awards last year. “At Sixt, we try to be just that, and anyone who has walked into one of our bright-orange locations knows we are unique.”
At least one element remains consistent. Millennials aren’t exactly folks known for brand loyalty, especially when it comes to giant corporations. Hertz and Sixt are small compared to car rental behemoth Enterprise, which placed fifth and was actually beaten by National, a smaller subsidiary owned by the industry giant.
That said, there’s no doubt that Hertz’s speediness, underscored by the recent introduction of its Fast Lane program at major airports worldwide, played a huge factor in the ballots cast by an audience also not known for its patience. Whether that element will continue to be a determinant in millennial choices remains to be seen, at least until the Trazees announce its winner in 2020. Meanwhile, companies will continue to seek ways for their car rentals to attract millennials.