Do you have an upcoming business trip? Are you going to frequently move around or carry a few bags or passengers with you?
If so, then booking a car rental service is something you should consider. A car rental service is a great way to add some much-needed convenience to your business trip. It allows you to focus on the core of your business trip, not bus or train timetables.
That said, people can feel overwhelmed with the variety of car rental options around, especially in bustling cities where cars are the main mode of transportation.
The horror stories of cars breaking down, companies ghosting you last minute, and other undesirable scenarios are some things that you definitely don’t want happening to you on your business trip.
If you want to avoid these bad things from happening to you on your upcoming business trip, then you need to be picky with how you choose your car rental.
Without further ado, here are five ways you can choose the appropriate car rental service to match your needs.
1. Assess the nature of your travel
First, determine the main reason why you want to get a car for your business trip. While most people would agree that a car rental offers unbeatable convenience and time freedom, you should also consider the other specific needs of the trip.
Are you bringing a lot of luggage around? Then you may need to find a car with a large enough baggage compartment to store your items. Is an entire office department coming along? Or are there multiple people you’re expecting to drive around?
Determine the likely maximum amount of people you’d be bringing with you on this business trip and choose a car model that can snugly fit them all.
The car you are given is a significant factor that can make or break your trip experience. So choose the most suitable car model. Be sure to pick one that matches your needs from a qualified car rental service for businesses.
2. Choose based on pick-up and drop-off locations
Another crucial factor to consider before choosing a car rental service is its servicing locations, that is, where its pick-up and drop-off spots are located.
Be sure to pick an option that won’t let you go too far out of the way to pick up the car. If you’re flying in and out of one airport, then book a car rental that has cars on standby near or inside the airport grounds.
For instance, there are various car rentals available at Houston Airport to make it accessible and convenient for you. That applies to major destinations around the world as well.
If you’re coming into the city directly, then choose a car rental that has a branch near you in the city.
Look for car rental services that accept city drop-offs or are willing to send someone over to pick up the car themselves, If you don’t want to drive all the way to the airport to drop off your vehicle towards the end of your leg.
Some companies will charge extra for these services, so vet them and choose whoever has the more appealing price point.
Furthermore, if you’re going on a fun island road trip and want to drop off your car at a different destination, then find a company that accepts pick-ups and drop-offs from different states.
This is usually a very pricey option, but if your company is willing to shoulder the amount for convenience’s sake, then there are a few car rental services that do provide this option.
3. Read up on customer reviews
Another crucial consideration when getting a car rental service is its overall reputation.
You can typically find how customers perceive a car rental provider by doing a quick Google search and browsing the business’s Google or Yelp profile. You can also look at a provider’s social media page to figure out its popularity and reputation.
These reviews will give you some good insights into the quality of service and care provided by the car rental business. It’ll also help you get a glimpse of how established the company is and whether they have a long list of customers or are fairly new to the scene.
Besides these third-party websites, some car rental providers also have their own websites where past customers have written reviews. You can look at a specific car’s reviews, see the good and bad aspects of it, and determine from there whether renting the car is a good option.
4. Look into additional offerings
The car rental scene is fairly competitive, with many big names like Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise found in droves in most major cities across Australia and New Zealand. There are also many smaller company providers that take up a sizable fraction of the market share.
Considering the stiff competition, many car rental providers offer additional rewards to customers to entice customers to pick their service over the rest.
For instance, loyalty programs are fairly commonplace among big competitors, granting customers access to wider insurance coverages, a GPS device, fuel service options, and additional perks for a discount. However, do note that customers will have to pay to opt into these loyalty programs.
Smaller car rental companies may also offer one or multiple of these things for free (or as part of the package deal) as part of a single-use deal. This can be enticing if you don’t intend to get a car rental in the future.
Shop around and see which car rental strikes the perfect balance between pricing and features. You don’t want to cheap out your business car, but you don’t want to overindulge in unnecessary features either. So check around!
5. Pick the one with an acceptable pricing model
The price of a business car rental is undoubtedly one of the most influential factors in your purchasing decision. Most don’t want to spend $100 or more on a virtually similar car for no reason other than branding.
That said, be sure that what you’re paying is also equivalent to what you see on your screen. Ensure that your car rental provider isn’t charging hidden fees that may lead to unexpected charges.
For peace of mind, pick companies that have a clear pricing structure. Choose the ones that offer add-ons instead of stuffing every feature in one package, and decide for yourself whether you’re willing to pay extra for these add-ons.
Choosing a car rental company that has a clear pricing structure helps you stick to a budget during your travel. This, in turn, helps your company create and project an accurate budget with your specific needs in mind.
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