Hertz to upgrade facilities and offer services via cell phone, plans to modernize logo

Hertz upgrades facilities, will unveil new logo

PARK RIDGE, N.J. — Rental car company Hertz plans to upgrade facilities and streamline its service by making rental cars reservations available through Blackberry and iPhone “smart” phone applications.

Hertz said it will introduce free apps for the mobile devices in the first quarter of next year. The applications will allow users to make reservations, find Hertz locations and receive promotions over the phone.

Hertz also is modernizing facilities, with LCD screens replacing most signs. New facilities will be unveiled this year in Atlanta, Chicago, Frankfurt and Shanghai.

Hertz also will be unveiling a new, more contemporary logo that incorporates its familiar yellow color.

Hertz didn’t say how much the rebranding efforts will cost the world’s largest general use car rental company, which has about 8,000 locations in 145 countries. The company saw revenue hurt earlier this year as the economic downturn curbed business and pleasure travel. But it raised its 2009 profit and revenue outlook in October, citing stronger-than-expected results from its global car rental business in the third quarter and solid projections for the fourth quarter.

Shares rose 13 cents to close at $10.91.