Absolute Secure Access Helps Rental Car Company Hertz Get Customers Back on the Road

Customer service is critical for Hertz. To supplement fixed terminals at Local Edition counters, Hertz provides Panasonic Toughbook Tablets fitted with magnetic readers for processing credit cards. Staff members can grab a tablet from a docking station to provide service to waiting customers anywhere on the rental lot. The devices also allow staff to provide customers who are returning vehicles with curbside service, so customers can get on their way more quickly without needing to enter the office. The tablets run Windows XP and use a variety of network connections: wired connections through the dock, Wi-Fi, and AT&T cellular data service. When switching between networks, devices would often lose connectivity, requiring agents to restart applications and the devices to attempt to get online again. These extra steps frustrated staff and customers alike.

Seamless Transition From Wired to Wireless Networks

Looking for answers, Hertz deployed Absolute Secure Access to ensure its staff had reliable connections to vital applications wherever they were assisting customers. The upgrade enabled Hertz to deliver on its commitment to customer service. It also enhanced security and reduced the time and resources needed to open new Local Edition sites. They hoped Absolute Secure Access would help prevent the broken connections that were threatening Hertz’s reputation for prompt, friendly service. Absolute proved the solution could enable devices to make the transition from wired to wireless networks seamlessly without interrupting data connections or any Hertz customer service applications.

Flexible Policies Ensures the Security of Customer Data

However, resilient connections were not the only advantage of deploying Absolute Secure Access. The solution’s encryption ensured the security of customer credit card data while in transit across the network. The Hertz team began using the solution’s flexible security policies to help detect and block prohibited traffic within the device before it can traverse any external networks. They also found that they can set up various access policies based on the type of connection. For example, Hertz allows more permissive policies while the device is in the dock and wired to the Hertz internal network but enforces more restrictive policies for internal Wi-Fi and cellular network connections.

Simplify the Management of Devices in Distributed Locations

With Absolute Secure Access, Hertz is now able to rely solely on cellular service for new locations rather than installing and maintaining local Wi-Fi access points just to handle a few devices. This also allows Hertz to consolidate and simplify the management of devices at all of its locations nationwide through a single data center.