Car
rentals are a very lucrative business. They offer a world of convenience
to a traveler who has no local transport. They are more economical
than a taxi if one is aware of the roads in a new city. They are
a good means of transport to a person with no vehicle, since he
can hire a car even for a long period like a week or a month. There
are several players in the market offering car rental services.
The two major players in the car rental business are Hertz and Avis
. There are smaller companies in most cities in the US that offer
good vehicles and rental services.
Car
rental companies have been in business for almost a century
now, since the invention of the automobile itself. They are not
plain vanilla rental companies. They offer a range of services like
fleet management services for companies, car leasing, car finance,
and car insurance services. The advantage of a national chain of
Car rental companies is that
one can travel cross country and deposit the vehicle at the local
office, rather than traveling back to the home location.
One
must consider the following factors before selecting a car rental
company.
Rental options - One can hire a car for a day,
a week, a weekend or even a month. The charges vary for every duration.
Most companies give some discount on early bookings while others
throw in a free weekend rental for a full week of booking. Others
give the options airport bookings where one can leave the ca at
the airport.
Car options - One can choose from medium, intermediate
or luxury cars, depending one one’s travel needs, and budget. Medium
cars include vehicles like the Ford Taurus, Chrysler Sebring and
similar cars. These cars offer good fuel economy and are good for
long distance travel. These vehicles are equipped with the latest
safety features like air bags, automatic transmission, air conditioning
and defrosting, for a smooth comfortable ride. One can book luxury
cars like the Lincoln or SUVs for outdoor activities. Small cars
like the Hyundai Accent give great mileage and are safe.
Frequent renter benefits - Most companies reward loyal
renters with a membership to exclusive clubs. The car rental companies
have an understanding with several hotels, airlines and travel agents.
This entitles one to attractive discounts at hotels, airports and
highway motels. One can also book vacations, as there are some discounts
available at selected resorts too. Secondly, one can get the car
of one’s choice at the shortest possible notice and make reservations
on the Internet. Some rental companies have agreements with selected
airlines to exchange rental miles for frequent flyer miles. Thus,
one gets a host of advantages by becoming a member of the exclusive
clubs.
Payment options - One must find out whether the Car
rental companies take cash or accept credit card payments.
Secondly, one must check for other charges like refundable deposits,
refilling charges, taxes, airport charges and additional charges
for extra miles.
Customer services - The Car
rental companies must offer a toll free customer help line
to customers for information about rental charges, local offices,
local weather, maps of destinations and other general queries. They
must reply to e-mails and a provision for online reservations.
Other services - All the major car rentals companies have
offices all over the world. This creates a comfort value for the
customer who gets reliable service even in a foreign land. One can
make reservations in advance and have a hassle-free vacation or
business trip, if the travel plans are pre-determined. The official
website of most companies give information about the directions,
local maps, currency exchange rates and package holiday deals.
In
today’s fast paced world where people are constantly on the move,
car rental services provide an excellent service to this harried
traveler. They simplify the problem of transportation and at the
same time give one the freedom of fixing one’s schedule as per one’s
convenience. One can choose from several national and international
car rental companies as per one’s requirement and benefit from their
excellent service.
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