Vanguard modernizes and streamlines airport car rentals

Vanguard, the US operator and owner of both National and

Alamo car rentals, has won a distinction for modernizing and streamlining its car rental facilities at American airports. Rather than having to endure another endless line-up at an airport, jetlagged and exhausted passengers will now be able to rent their vehicle without any further fuss or waiting. Vanguard has introduced electronic, self-service kiosks at a number of US airports.

Thus far, there are 262 self-service kiosks and this number is constantly increasing after what Susan Palazzese, Vanguard vice president in charge of business development, has argued is a successful project. The kiosks are not only cost effective and helpful in marketing the National and

Alamo brands, but they are also credited with having cut customer transaction times by approximately 25%, making car hires a much speedier process. Palazzese does not think that self-service kiosks will cause a backlash by customers who would prefer to deal with service representatives, because most people are already accustomed to self-check-in machines, as well as ATMs.

Vanguard is, indeed, a trailblazer when it comes to electronic, self-service kiosks, as it is the first company to successfully replace customer service representatives and manned counters with these machines. Yet this does seem to be the direction that other car hire companies will be taking as well in the very near future. Hertz, for example, is expected to follow suit and introduce self-service kiosks by the beginning of next year. According to Palazzese, this new method of renting a car will differentiate Vanguard as the company that offers the most efficient and fastest service.

www.nationalcar.co.uk