Who Tries Harder? Avis Customers Confirm That Avis Employees Do!

Customers Shared Their Real-Life "We Try Harder" Stories for the Chance to Win a Free SUV

Visitors Can Log Onto www.wetryharder.com to Read the 40 Winning Customer Testimonials

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 12 -- Why would an Avis employee drive a desperate customer to the local Western Union office before even renting him a car? The answer lies in a 40-year old slogan that has gradually become the company's operating manual: We Try Harder.

As the finale to its yearlong celebration of the 40th anniversary of the We Try Harder tagline, Avis Rent a Car System, Inc. announced today the winners of its 2003 'Who Tries Harder' contest. The contest asked customers to share their experiences about an Avis employee who truly exemplified the We Try Harder spirit. Among the nearly 2,000 inspiring entries submitted by customers to avis.com, Avis employees Bettina Woodberry, Helen Mateychuk and Latoya Dell of Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, shared the employee Grand Prize for being the subject of the most exemplary 'Who Tries Harder' story.

The story, submitted by Christopher Kinsman of Santa Monica, CA, was a testament to Avis employees who provided above-and-beyond service for a customer, even at the risk of giving the business to a rival rental car company. Mr. Kinsman had a family medical emergency in Massachusetts for which he had to travel. Upon arriving to pick up his rental car, he realized he had only a debit card available for payment, which is generally not accepted by Avis and other car rental companies. Sympathizing with Mr. Kinsman, Ms. Woodberry and Ms. Dell called other area rental car companies to try and secure Mr. Kinsman a reservation using a debit card, to no avail. Just when it looked like Mr. Kinsman was out of luck, Ms. Mateychuk located a nearby Western Union office to which Avis employees drove him. Mr. Kinsman was able to transfer funds so that he could charge the rental on his credit card. Ultimately, because of the quick thinking and extraordinary service by Avis employees, Mr. Kinsman was able to arrive in Massachusetts on time. (Mr. Kinsman's complete story and other winning 'Who Tries Harder' stories can be viewed at www.wetryharder.com.)

Such proactive customer service explains why Avis continues to receive acclaim as a service leader and recognition for outstanding customer loyalty. Recently Avis earned a ranking as the number one rental car brand in the 2003 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Awards and held the top spot in the 2003 J.D. Power & Associates rental car customer satisfaction study.

"At Avis we know our employees in the field try harder every day to make every customer's experience stress-free and positive," said Scott Deaver, executive vice president of marketing for the Cendant Car Rental Group, parent company of Avis. "The Who Tries Harder Contest was a great way for us to confirm the extra effort our employees put into their job and reward them for making Avis a leader in customer service."

In addition to employee awards, 39 Avis customers received a free weeklong car rental, while Mr. Kinsman received the grand prize: the use of a new Chevrolet Trailblazer for one year.

Winners were selected based on pre-determined criteria by Brand Keys(R). Brand Keys, Inc., is a leader in measuring customer loyalty and annually publishes the Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Awards, which honors companies that are most single-mindedly devoted to creating loyal customers.

About Avis

Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate the world's second largest general-use car rental brand, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 1,700 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one rental car brand in the 2003 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Awards and tying for number one in the 2003 J.D. Power & Associates rental car customer satisfaction study. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cendant Corporation , a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within the real estate and travel sectors. For more information visit www.avis.com or www.cendant.com/media.