The SABRE Group Signs Information Technology Outsourcing Agreements With Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Rent A Car
9 December 1997
The SABRE Group Signs Information Technology Outsourcing Agreements With Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Rent A Car
Contracts Totaling $21.9 Million Mark Continued Expansion of
The SABRE Group's Outsourcing Business
FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 8 -- The SABRE Group
today announced two separate five-year information technology agreements
totaling $21.9 million with Tulsa, Okla.-based Dollar Rent A Car System Inc.
and Thrifty Rent A Car System Inc., both owned by Dollar Thrifty Automotive
Group, currently held by Chrysler Corp. The agreements call for the two car
rental companies to outsource their data center and systems engineering
functions to The SABRE Group.
Under terms of the agreement, The SABRE Group will also be responsible for
the management of Dollar and Thrifty's infrastructure for reservation and
additional back office systems as well as selected computer operations and
engineering. The SABRE Group will also handle scheduling systems and
availability reporting for Dollar and Thrifty, and will be responsible for
both companies' system security.
"Car rental companies face unique business challenges because they are
dealing with a commodity product that can only be differentiated through price
and customer service," said Thomas M. Cook, president of SABRE Technology
Solutions, The SABRE Group's information technology division. "By entering
into this relationship with Dollar and Thrifty, it is our goal to improve
their operating efficiencies, which will in turn enhance customer satisfaction
and help reduce technology and operating costs."
Lloyd St. Clair, Dollar's executive vice president for fleet and
technology said that The SABRE Group offers Dollar strategic advantages
positioning them above the pack when compared to other outsourcers. "Having
been associated with The SABRE Group through their electronic travel
distribution business, we're already aware of the high caliber service they
provide," St. Clair said. "For Dollar, The SABRE Group was a logical choice
as an outsourcer as they have shown us they are a diversified company that can
help us meet our business challenges in information technology."
Both the physical and geographical location of The SABRE Group's data
center, in Tulsa, Okla., was a driving factor in each company's decision
making process. The data center will house Dollar and Thrifty's network
systems and operations equipment which includes virtually all of their
existing Digital data center equipment.
"The SABRE Group's data center is virtually immune to natural disasters, a
key strength," said Jay Betz, Thrifty's executive vice president for fleet and
technology. "Their underground data center adds a level of security that very
few in the outsourcing business can provide."
Dollar Rent A Car Systems, Inc. has approximately 370 worldwide locations
in 26 countries, including 230 locations in the U.S. With suburban and on-
airport locations at all major airports throughout the United States, the
company also has significant presence in Australia, Canada, the Caribbean,
Central and South America and the Philippines.
Thrifty Car Rental is an international network of about 1,200 locations in
nearly 60 countries around the world. Thrifty serves both the airport market
and the local car rental market, and is one of the country's largest airport
parking operators with more than 14,000 spaces in 48 U.S. cities.
The SABRE Group is a world leader in the electronic distribution of travel
and travel-related services around the globe, and is a leading provider of
information technology solutions for the travel and transportation industry,
including customized software development and software products, transaction
processing, systems integration, consulting and total information technology
outsourcing.
Statements in this news release which are not purely historical facts,
including statements regarding anticipations, beliefs, expectations, hopes,
intentions or strategies for the future, may be forward looking statements
within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. All forward looking statements within this release are based upon
information available to The SABRE Group on the date of this release. Any
forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results
described in the forward looking statements, including the risk that the
transaction described will not be completed. The SABRE Group undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements.
SOURCE The SABRE Group