Loading ...Avis has announced that it will be expanding its operations in South Africa, a country that represents important growth potential for the international car hire giant. One of Avis’s first steps was the establishment of a new and improved reservations call centre, which employs about 120 people and will likely take around 80,000 calls and booking requests each month. Although the new reservations centre only recently got off the ground, Avis is quick to point out that already, the investment appears to have been a wise decision. Since its opening, the car rental firm has noticed an increase in customer traffic, as well more effective frontline service for renters.
While this new call centre has reportedly cost Avis more than R 5 million (approximately $650,000), the rental giant is expecting to invest another R 250 million ($32 million) during the next two to three years. Most of this money is being set aside to expand existing rental facilities in South Africa, as well as build new ones, whenever necessary. Some of the larger projects include new turn-around facilities in Cape Town, as well as new outlets in a range of cities, including Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London. Some of the new facilities will boast top of the line car wash machines, which are seen as far more environmentally friendly than previous versions.
Avis is also adding new cars to its South African fleet. By late June 2008, the car rental firm will likely operate more than 20,000 rental vehicles in this African country. Some of the new cars also aim to address increasingly prominent environmental concerns, especially those involving carbon emissions. As such, some of the newest vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, are considered to be especially fuel efficient.
