As a frequent rental car user, I occasionally leave items behind in a vehicle. On a trip to Dallas with National Car Rental, I left a cell phone that I use as a backup. It was simple to locate the item from a Good Samaritan, but recovering the item was an expensive ordeal.
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What Happened
I left a phone in a rental car. It happens. It’s my fault and no one else’s, it was only a mistake but it was all mine. I realized my mistake almost a week later and tried to reach out to National’s office in Dallas but couldn’t get a local number despite my best efforts. I let it be and waited a few more days as I searched my bags to ensure I had not simply misplaced it. I had left my phone in a rental vehicle, it was all my fault, but National’s response was less than ideal.
A Good Samaritan
A work colleague who texted (instead of email or calling) my old phone prompted a Good Samaritan (aka the next renter) to notice the phone in front of the cupholder. He texted my colleague from his phone stating he had my device, soon enough we were in touch and I was grateful he located the phone.
To be clear, National’s customer service did not locate my phone. The gentleman offered to drop it off at FedEx Office location for me and ship it back. I declined that because I didn’t want to cause him further inconvenience. That was a mistake. He texted me once he dropped it off with National upon returning the car and gave me the name of the manager with whom he had left it. He texted me to tell me this and I waited another couple of days hoping the manager would give me a call. He didn’t.
The Process
Lost and found items are turned in by management to a lost and found service. Customers can come to the location and pick up their lost article if they are in the area. Customers can donate the item if they don’t need it back or do not want to pay the return freight, or they can have it shipped to them for a fee.
National has a website dedicated to the return of lost items which are cataloged upon collection and customers may receive notification that the item has been found. This takes the pressure off the individual rental locations to manage the process.
Exploitation
I’ll say it one more time: I lost my phone, it was my fault.
The cost of returning my item seemed high if not egregious. The service (which the rental company outsources) allows for several shipping options, all of which include signature and insurance. There were a few choices but all of them seemed really rather expensive for the service. I have shipped a device this size and weight before and it has never been anywhere near as expensive. The USPS charges less than $7 for priority for the same sized item delivered priority.
Next day business delivery with National is ten dollars more and Priority with the same one-day delivery adds another eight dollars. Delivery in 5-7 business days will save you $10. What’s been made clear is that the cost of the service has little to do with the cost of shipping. Insurance and signature were not optional (and are more than Fed Ex charges).
The markup on this shipping is at least 300% and while I do not believe that they should ship it back for free or for cost as a courtesy, adding bloated insurance and signature fees is an insult to injury.
I left a Dopp kit in a hotel and held status with SPG albeit at a lower level than my status with National. They located the item, packaged it up and sent it to me for the cost of shipping. I understand that there is some cost to doing this for the hotel, there are labor and time for the packaging and shipping of the item. But that Dopp kit was substantially larger and heavier and cost me less than $15 to receive.
Conclusion
I don’t mind National charging something to return a lost item, I am sure there is an issue with the volume of items they discover. But this one they didn’t discover, the next patron did (I wonder how thoroughly the cars are cleaned). I would have been happy to pay a more reasonable price or at least be able to drop the insurance and signature fees.
But instead of treating this as a service for their members with a reasonable markup, National has chosen (or partnered with a company) to gouge their customers, even some of their best customers for a simple mistake. National Car lost and found issues still impact customer perception of the company so they may want to reconsider their program.
What do you think? Are these fees fair?
I once left my phone charger at a DoubleTree and they shipped it back to me for the cost of first class shipping. This sort of thing would definitely leave a lasting negative impression with customers.
National, the extra few $$$ is not worth it.
Don’t blame National. blame FedEx. USPS offers services at essentially no profit. FedEx and UPS have very high list prices and offer significant discounts to corporate customers and include “premium” services like basic insurance, tracking, etc that USPS does not offer standard. While online retailers negotiate hard for delivery services, National probably does not. You are paying standard FedEx rates, or close there to. Blame FedEx.
Why don’t they use USPS? USPS doesn’t offer as many tools such as easier internal tracking, daily pickups, etc, amongst other reasons.
I always lean towards USPS for my personal needs, but most companies do not.
But even FedEx isn’t this expensive, I shopped it on FedEx two minutes ago. Two days would run $22.41, Next day is $41. USPS is remarkably cheaper still, but FedEx is only half the issue here, the service is to blame too.
Lol you’re a fool.
Unfortunately, this is the way National/Enterprise does its work. The customer is a paying inconvenience.
The rates are the “return service” company’s rates, and not necessarily FedEx or any other shipping company. The return service marks up the charges well over what they’re being charged so that they make a profit–this is actually reasonable. The hard part is that National/Enterprise, instead of helping customers who’ve forgotten something they probably need has chosen to outsource it and create a convoluted system that’s inconvenient and overpriced.
As the company I work for has National/Enterprise as a preferred vendor, I’m a regular customer. Any anomaly in the system is handled the same way–nobody’s home, and even letters to executives get no response.
But you left the phone behind, right? Why was this National’s fault?
Kyle never blamed National. He clearly said he blames himself and is saying that National are taking full advantage here. I once flew LHR-HKG-MEL on Qantas and spent 2 days in HK before continuing. After getting to my hotel in HK I realized I had left a pocketbook on the plane. I called Qantas who were able to locate it and only charged my $25 AUD to ship it from HK to Melbourne.
I agree- National gouged you, especially since they didn’t do their job & find it during cleaning. Definitely poor customer service from Natiobal. Doesn’t surprise me, since they’re part of Enterprise (which has the worst customer service from their local offices) .
Recommend calling National corp marketing office, especially since you’re a (or were) a loyal member.
I think you’re off on your comment. National and Enterpise are rated too in their industry. You should review JD Power. I would think this is not a profit Center for them. It’s not their responsibility to find you lost stuff in a car.
Thousands of items get left in rental cars. Most go unclaimed but still have to be located, accounted for and filed away. Those who actually call and claim their items are paying for the all those who don’t claim their items. It is the cost of claiming your item. You are paying for multiple people to keep track of your item (you are right that probably a 3rd party is in charge, they have to make a profit somehow) as well as package it and take it to a shipper such as Fed ex or UPS. It may seem expensive but if you think about a car rental company that see hundreds of cars come back each day how hard it actually is to track your item along with hundreds of items each day, it makes sense. Btw, I left my tablet in a Hertz car one time, and it was a similar cost to get it back.
Jon – I don’t disagree with National marking up the cost of its return. They have to account for staff, materials and make money too. No issues there. But if the USPS can do the same service with insurance and signature for $7 ($12 with more insurance), they could cut this cost in half and still come out ahead while leaving the customer more satisfied.
There’s a fair price for this service and I think this exceeds that.
As in this case, I left my handicap placard in a National rental vehicle in LGB. Called the same afternoon and was told it had not been found, but the car was out on a rental and they would check when returned. Got a call from someone a few days later that the car was inspected when returned and it was not there. C’est la vie. Off to DMV for a replacement. Several years before at LAX, I had lost some keys (don’t ask) in the car and National found and shipped them to me using MY FedEx acct. # which I thought was very kind of them.
I use National all the time and it seems like the issue at hand could have been resolved with less cost to the customer.
Don’t forget that the National employee (who they pay very well) also has to buy a box, tape, spend National’s time at the FedEx office, etc.
There’s no reason why a rental car office would have packing supplies at their office, and if you’ve ever shipped anything, you know that FedEx/UPS/USPS charge a decent price for those.
This seems like a very fair cost considering the costs, both hard and soft, to the company.
If you truly blamed yourself, Kyle, you wouldn’t have given this article a Smear Title. You come off as very unworldly and overprivledged. I’m sure National will be happy to give you to Hertz.
And by the way, to question their professionalism due to not cleaning the cars well enough is hilarious with the spelling errors in this article… I wonder how thoroughly the articles are proofread.
I agree, couldn’t have said it any better. Plus, if the item was such of value to you, why do you try to discredit the place that is being of service in sending it back to you?!! Beggars can’t be choosers! Just because you leave something somewhere by accident, does not guarantee whatsoever that you are going to have it returned back to you. People lose stuff all the time and that’s just reality. I want a brand new pair of leather gloves and left them by accident in a store one day and 10 minutes later I went back into the store and they were gone. Too bad too sad it was my fault. End of story.
@Skott – I used to work at National Car Rental, these returns are rare. I have also packaged up a phone before and thrown it in an envelope – there’s isn’t $20-30 in materials and labor, if there is, it’s time to swap that employee for one who can drop a phone in a bubble bag in under two hours. I’d welcome the correction on any spelling areas, we, of course, aim to be professional.
@Pamela – Beggar? I paid $45 for my item to be shipped 2-3 business days (it arrived in four) in a bubble bag. I’m not a beggar, that would be if they shipped it for free, I’m a customer. In fact, I have rented cars for less than that. I understand people lose things all the time, I understand that things are found all the time and I have no problem with the brand sending me the device with an added charge. But this is a little excessive.
Skott you sound like a National or Enterprise employee. .. Let Kyle vent
I have left a Dashcam mount in a rental. The car was getting taken to a maintenance shop. The shop was about assuming 35 min away.
I realized I left it when I had a swap for another. I entered back in to ask if they can open door. Reps said. The car is gone.
I am like can you please ask if they can retrieve my dash mount. $30 mount.
His answer was. Can’t car is gone. You signed it out.
I pleaded with The Hertz company.
Mind you. I paid for the car. I cleaned it myself. Take to detailers. Carwashs. Because cars are nasty inside. Stink like smoke or something.
And this is how the Hertz co treats you. I have had other stuff. They do not leave a lost and found at their rental place. Cars are not cleaned and they just do not care. No # either. But the rep. was there. Could’ve have made efforts.
When the good Samaritan dropped off your phone to the Manger I don’t understand why you waited for him yo call you. You waited TWO DAYS. What was your reason for that? You should have called and said it was your phone right away. Have they changed their lost & found system since you worked for them? Did each store used to handle, store and return/ship out their lost items themselves? Seems like you waited as a test for that manager. And he failed your test because you would have done differently. Then after waiting two extra days you are upset that expedited shipping costs incrementally more than standard. Yeah, it way more than what it should be, but obviously you didn’t need the phone back THAT quickly since you went two full days without calling when you knew where your phone was.
Yes, what they charge is a rip off, but maybe that’s the price of your “experiment” in management behavior.
I left my backpack with work 2 laptops in the trunk of a national car at LAX. Next renter turned it in. Lot attendant brought it into office for lost and found.
I returned to location 2 hours later in a panic.
They retrieved my goods from lost and found and reunited us.
I gave the lot attendant a big hug and a tip (hope that’s ok), the manager a hearty handshake and thank you, and corporate a glowing review.
I had the same thing happen, but I actually left a check in the car. The funny part was that the check didn’t even cover the cost to mail it to me after their fees. Also they have ridiculous hours that you can pick it up.
I left my second cell phone at the Holiday Inn Express in Worthington Connecticut and the wonderful people in housekeeping sent it to me overnight with no charge.
The hotel was excellent with great service as well.
My company uses almost exclusively FedEx for our shipments (both retail and wholesale), so I’m very familiar with their pricing. Those rates that they’re giving are about what the normal published rate is (standard residential 2Day not including additional insurance and signature is about $35, residential Priority Overnight not including additional insurance is about $76 based on a small 2lb non-FedEx box). Obviously, we would assume they’re getting a significant discount, but I don’t think those prices are unfair.
Sorry about that sentence structure…I’m still dealing with an eventful weekend’s hangover. 🙂
Sorry, that was from Dallas to Los Angles…I don’t think I know where you live.
I have had a similar issue with National recently. Now I agree it is yours (and my own) fault for leaving the phone in the rental car. However, looking at FedEx (who printed me a label for $10.20 + 3.50 for packaging for 7 day return and National was charging me $32.36 for a 7 day return) they took a $18 profit from sending me back my device. This is outrageous. It did not cost them $18 of labor to send me back my device. This is not a company I will choose to do business with again.
Lost a jacket in one of the rental car