I recently embarked on a car rental adventure with Hertz during my visit with my daughter to my parents in Sorrento . This experience taught me valuable lessons about the power of personalized upselling and empowering customers to create memorable moments.
To kick off my journey, I relied on Rentalcars.com, a trusted online platform, to handle the booking process. It efficiently took care of the transactional side, but I missed the emotional connection that can truly elevate an experience.
Arriving at the Hertz counter at Naples airport, I was pleasantly surprised to find no queue. It was a promising start. The check-in process began with the usual request for my ID, credit card, and driving license.
However, what happened next, truly made a difference. Instead of pushing insurance options, the Hertz representative presented an intriguing offer: an upgrade to a Jeep Renegade for just an additional 50 euros. While this was still 30% more than what I initially paid, the proposal instantly triggered a wave of nostalgia.
Jeep Renegade was the car I used to drive when I was working in Rome. It brought back a flood of beautiful memories. I pictured myself showing my daughter the car she had been in as a baby and the idea of driving my parents around the coast in that familiar vehicle. The emotional connection was instant. I accepted the offer without hesitation.
Now, I can't say for sure whether this was a well-planned upsell strategy based on predictive modeling by Rentalcars or Hertz. Nonetheless, it leads me to think that upselling can feel natural if it triggers the right emotions.
And empowering the people can make the difference to deliver a super human experience.
When it comes to delivering extraordinary customer experiences, as a customer I would have expected a scenario where I could have pre-checked in and provided my ID, passport, and credit card details ahead of time, allowing rentalcars.com to seamlessly transfer this information to Hertz. Not only would have saved me time, but also added a touch of personalization and convenience.
Nevertheless, this story showcased the immense impact of emotional upselling and customer empowerment on the overall experience. By understanding customers' emotions and preferences, brands can create moments that leave a lasting impression. Brands can elevate customer experiences and build stronger connections that go beyond the transaction.