5 Tips to Stream-Lining Your Car-Rental Business

The motor industry has used advanced technology to improve vehicle performance. But it appears that the auto rental system is still lagging behind. 

Most car rental businesses are using telematics to track their vehicles only. For this reason, they are missing out on the many other benefits and wasting good intelligence, too. Here we have FIVE tips to help you streamline your car rental business with minimal effort.

1. Record Damage Immediately

When a respectable car rental business buys a vehicle, they run checks for any visible damage. This happens before marking it up to rent. An employee will walk around and mark any scrapes, scuffs, and dents on the bodywork of the vehicle. But, if they’re not paying close attention, small damages can sometimes go unnoticed.

If the employee responsible for sorting the paperwork notes scrapes, scuffs, or dents, the driver may raise a dispute. When they return the vehicle, they may argue that they did not cause the damage. Always remember, honesty is the best policy! Even if the damage is minor, record it every time.

Some say that a picture is worth a thousand words. But with car rentals, a picture could be worth a thousand dollars, or even more! Be sure to take pictures of every rental car before handing the keys to your customers. You can use them as indisputable evidence of damage that was or was not there before the rental.

2. Fit Your Rental Cars with GPS and Dash Cams

Unfortunately, accidents and collisions do happen. But installing GPS tracking and dash cams can be a huge help if one of your rental cars is ever involved in an accident. You can use GPS to find where the collision took place. From there, the dash cam footage will help prove who was at fault for insurance purposes.

Shock is common in collisions for all drivers involved. In which case, they may not remember to catch the other drivers’ license plates. But, a dash cam is likely to pick this up, and even if it doesn’t, the footage will still help with insurance claims.

3. Thorough Maintenance Checks

Well-maintained vehicles are less likely to break down on road trips, or prove unreliable. Thorough maintenance checks are crucial when running a car rental business. At the end of the day, you are responsible for the safety of any customers renting your cars.

Without regular maintenance and inspections, cars become more expensive to run. Your customers may have to fill up on gas more often than they’d like. Underinflated tires alone can bump up fuel consumption by at least 3%!

Investing in fleet management software will help make scheduling regular maintenance checks easy. All managers can access real-time details about Diagnostic Trouble Codes. It also gives them access to things like:

■ Crucial engine data

■ Temperature of coolant and oil

■ Gas consumption

■ Odometer readings

■ Engine working hours

■ Critical thresholds

Catching problems before they turn into bigger issues will save you big bucks in the long run!

4. Stock Up with More Efficient Vehicles

Car rental businesses can see which cars are most popular across the entire fleet. Thanks to modern technology, they can make better decisions about purchasing and selling.

A fleet management software program can help you stay on top of your vehicle replacement schedule. It can also help determine when to replace your assets. Be aware of which vehicles are currently in use, which still have a few years left, and which need replacing soon.

5. Prevent Theft with GPS

Stolen cars are more often recovered using GPS fleet management software. With geofencing, fleet managers are whenever a vehicle leaves its designated area. The manager can then contact the driver or alert the authorities. It also means managers can track a car if it isn’t returned.

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