July 3. Enterprise as a company 3 stars, but I give 5 stars to three employees who turned a frustrating experience into one that was at least manageable: AP, Cam, and Hunter. This was one of the most stressful, aggravating, and disappointing experiences I've ever had with Enterprise. However, these three employees demonstrated exceptional customer service.
AP worked the counter the entire time and never took anyone's frustration or questions personally. She handled an extremely difficult situation with patience, professionalism, and a positive attitude. No matter how many times customers—including me—asked for updates, she always did her best to help. She even called the garage repeatedly to check on the status of vehicles, even if she had just called moments before. Her calm demeanor helped keep everyone else calm.
Cam came in like Superman wearing a cape (joke) and completely changed the situation. After arriving around 3:00 p.m., he came directly into the terminal, reviewed each customer's reservation, and realized the process being used wasn't fair. Instead of simply serving people in the order they arrived, he looked at when reservations had actually been made. I had reserved my vehicle over a month in advance, while two people who arrived ahead of me had only reserved theirs the night before. Cam corrected the order based on reservation dates, which was the right thing to do. Everyone understood and accepted the decision because it was fair.
Hunter also provided outstanding customer service when I returned the vehicle. He sincerely apologized for what had happened, acknowledged that the situation should never have occurred, and adjusted my bill for the inconvenience. His concern felt genuine, and I appreciated that he took ownership of the customer experience.
Now for why Enterprise only receives 3 stars.
I reserved a vehicle at the Baton Rouge (BTR) Airport location, as I have done many times before. When I arrived around 12:47 p.m., I walked into a terminal full of customers waiting for rental cars. When I reached the counter, AP informed me they were waiting for vehicles to arrive. I honestly couldn't believe it.
The manager on duty instructed AP to create a first-come, first-served waiting list. That process made no sense to me because reservations should matter. Some customers had made reservations only the night before.
What made the situation even more frustrating was that the manager remained in the garage the entire time instead of coming into the terminal to address customers directly. While I understand he was trying to locate and wash vehicles, customers deserved an explanation and an apology. Simply staying out of sight only increased everyone's frustration.
I even went to the garage to speak with him personally. He was cordial, but I still believe the situation was handled incorrectly. Had Cam been there to review the reservations from the beginning, many of the problems could have been avoided.
I finally left the airport with my rental car at 4:17 p.m.—over three hours after I arrived. Throughout the wait, several customers, including me, even tried to lighten the mood despite the circumstances. That was largely because AP continued treating everyone with respect and professionalism.
This experience wasn't about money. It was about customer service, communication, and honoring commitments. If customers reserve vehicles weeks or months in advance, those reservations should mean something. Enterprise has an opportunity to improve how it handles situations like this. Better communication, better management during delays, and honoring reservation priority would go a long way toward restoring customer confidence. AP, Cam, and Hunter: thank you. You each demonstrated what outstanding customer service looks like. Your professionalism, patience, and genuine desire to help did not go unnoticed.
the end of the day, customer service should always come before maximizing the number of rentals. Quality service creates loyal customers, and lasts longer than short-term profits.