Avis introduces radical new approach to corporate car rental

Avis has introduced a range of ground breaking initiatives which transform the clarity and speed of its corporate rental and business travel offering.

Seen as the most radical step change for the car rental industry over the past 20 years, it follows research undertaken by Avis with nearly 13,000 customers across Europe to find out exactly what they need and expect from a car rental company.

Six key changes are being adopted by the UK and other key European countries where Avis has a presence to improve the company car driver and business renter’s experience of car rental.

Avis has adopted a new easy to read and understand rental agreement addressing car rental customer’s major issue of perceived ‘hidden charges’. The new agreement gives price clarity to the cost of the car and any insurance options taken and contains the final fuel level and damage report all on a single piece of paper. 98% of renters have already agreed it is clear exactly how much they are paying for their rental car.

Customers said they wanted a clearer understanding of the type of car they are renting and Avis has responded by releasing a new vehicle guide featuring Small, Medium and Large cars with a choice of Manual or Automatic, Petrol or Diesel. The new guide also provides information on how many people each vehicle can accommodate and the amount of luggage it carries. Out goes the traditional Group A, B, C approach.

Avis is confident the new system will enable customers to end up with the car they really want, rather than realising it won’t accommodate their needs at the last minute.

Avis direct customers can now guarantee the exact make and model of car they rent, thanks to the new Avis Choice fleet available at all major UK airports. It believes this is the first time this approach has ever been adopted on this scale.

The first recruits to the Avis Choice fleet are VW Golfs, Passats and Tourans and Peugeot 307CCs, all of which Avis customers have said they want to drive.

Most corporate renters said the speed at which they can pickup and return their car was very important to them and Avis has introduced a range of options which address this issue.

A new Fuel Up Front service has been launched which is designed to give customers a fair and convenient refuelling option for when they return their hire car. This is available at all Avis UK locations from May and is being extended across Europe in the late Spring of 2006.

Customers can now choose to pre-pay for a full tank of fuel when they collect their car and then return it empty, without worrying about paying over the odds for the service. Avis charges less than the local pump price per litre for the tank, and if the customer returns the car full, the charge is refunded, so they can be assured of a fair service.

All of the above have been adopted alongside a new insurance guide. The new insurance guide spells out in a straight forward and jargon-free language exactly what options are available and the relevant charges involved.

Rapid Return has now been adopted at all UK rental stations, which enables the processing component of car return to be completed in around 60 seconds. The car is checked for damage car-side in the presence of the driver, who is then given an electronic receipt to confirm mileage, fuel and any damage charges incurred. This process guarantees that the customer will not receive any further charges after completion of their rental, previously a major cause of anxiety and irritation for all rental customers.

"The rental industry has been stagnant for years with very little innovation amongst the key players, even though customer needs have changed. Avis has spent time and effort asking corporate and retail customers what they want and we have reacted accordingly with a host of new initiatives," explained Stuart Gent, Avis UK Managing Director.

"The corporate renter will see greater transparency and speed across all aspects of the rental, which should help improve administrative efficiencies and control cost. It follows our principle of Total Rental Cost Management which looks at controlling or reducing cost across all areas of the rental, rather than just concentrating on front end price," he added.