To be a pioneer one must be innovative and engaging, two attributes that The Hertz Corporation has become known for. With locations in 150 countries around the world and 800,000 vehicles globally, the 100-year-old company has long since Friday Five, we chat with Bob Stuart, Executive Vice President of Global Sales about the company’s growth, how it builds loyalty among its customers, and what travel agents can look forward to this year and next.

1. At last count, how many locations does Hertz have around the world, and how many vehicles are in your fleet? Are there plans for expansion?

The Hertz Corporation operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands in approximately 10,200 company-owned, licensee and franchisee locations in 150 countries worldwide. We are always monitoring the market and we add new locations where we can continually serve customers. For example, in Canada, we recently opened several new suburban locations, including North Bay, Kincardine, Calgary downtown, Peterborough, Hamilton, Burlington, Kelowna and Sault Ste. Marie.

Our car rental fleet consists of approximately 800,000 vehicles globally, including a rich mix of top-rated vehicles with higher trim levels, advanced safety features and technology that customers prefer.

2. How do you garner Customer Loyalty? Does Hertz have a loyalty program? If so, how does it work?

We know that customers want speed, reliability and convenience at every point of the rental experience. With that in mind, we are committed to providing an excellent experience through a variety of service offerings.

Our Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program has been consistently voted the most rewarding program in the car rental industry. There is no cost to join, and members enjoy a faster and more rewarding car rental experience – from pick up to drop off.

Additionally, with Hertz Ultimate Choice, Gold Plus Rewards members can select the vehicle they want to drive, including a diverse range of premium and luxury vehicles equipped with the latest technology features. Ultimate Choice is designed to truly enhance the Hertz customer experience and provide travelers with more choice, faster service, ease and value.

3. Tell us about your new app.

In April, we introduced our refreshed app, which offers travellers a faster and more personalized rental experience with easy access to reservations, rewards and receipts. The new app allows customers to quickly login with facial recognition or Touch ID; view current rentals and modify future reservations; view member number, status and point balance in one view; pay for reservations with points easily; modify profile, preferences and payment options and more exclusive member benefits.

Together with our loyalty program, these offerings allow our customers to pick the car they want and get on their way faster than ever at all stages of the rental process.

4. Beyond commission, what other agent incentives do you or will you offer in 2019-2020?

We have the Agent Gold Rewards program, our loyalty program designed to reward travel advisors for booking Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rentals. We have thousands of loyal travel advisors and we want to thank them – and reward them – for choosing our brands.

After enrolling in the program at agentgoldrewards.com, travel advisors can earn points that can be used for merchandise, electronics, designer handbags, gift cards and more. You can earn points with all three of our rental car brands, so the point accumulation can really add up. The reward options for Canadian travel agents are tailored to include things like Cineplex gift cards and dining option gift cards like Montana’s, Milestones or Earls.

5. What can we look forward to with Hertz in the future?

Hertz pioneered the car rental industry 100 years ago, and we’re excited to continue that legacy for the next 100 years with the best innovation and service to meet our customers’ needs.