Alamo Launches QuickRent, The First Complete Online Car Rental Process With ATM-Style Counter Bypass
16 January 2001
Alamo Launches QuickRent, The First Complete Online Car Rental Process With ATM-Style Counter Bypass
Business EditorsFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--Jan. 16, 2001--Alamo Rent A Car, a division of ANC Rental Corporation , today introduced QuickRent(R), the car rental industry's first product that lets customers actually rent a car online. QuickRent customers are now able to bypass the counter by choosing all their options online, electronically signing the rental agreement, and using an ATM-style kiosk at the Alamo rental location. Heralding the official beginning of the 21st century, QuickRent debuts this month in 36 U.S. cities, including: Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, San Diego and a host of other popular vacation destinations.
Since 1995, car rental companies have allowed customers to reserve a car online -- but unless customers were members of a frequent traveler club or other similar program, they were required to complete the rental transaction at the counter. QuickRent changes that. Now all renters with Internet access can experience the counter bypass benefit--a feature other car rental companies reserve for members-only, and typically fee-based, club participants.
QuickRent is a no lines, no hassle, streamlined car rental process that combines the power of alamo.com (rated the rental car industry's best Web site by Forrester Research, Inc. and ranked number one in ease-of-use by Gomez.com) with Alamo's ATM-style Quicksilver(R) kiosk network. As a result, customers can enjoy more control, flexibility and speed. The revolutionary process lets customers:
- Make all their car rental decisions online at alamo.com, in the privacy of their home or office, 24/7
- Identify and compare the costs of different car types; select options typically purchased at the rental counter; and calculate the total cost of their car rental (including fees, etc.) before they pick up the car
- Make changes as needed -- any day -- up until the car is picked up
- Sign the rental agreement online
- Bypass the counter, avoiding the line by using Alamo's Quicksilver rental kiosks.
"With QuickRent, we can leverage the significant investment we've made in the Alamo Web site not only to enhance ease-of-use for our customers, but also to provide additional operational economies to increase our shareholder value," said ANC Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Egan.
"Real creativity and innovation in the car rental industry are relatively rare," commented Karen Beard, President--North America, Alamo and National. "We believe QuickRent is one of the most significant breakthroughs this industry has seen in decades. It reinforces ANC's positioning of Alamo as our value brand, committed to delivering easy to use, hassle-free products that are available to everyone."
Any qualified driver with a valid driver's license and a credit card can complete the entire rental process -- from choosing the type of car to signing the agreement -- all on alamo.com. QuickRent also represents one of the industry's first applications of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.
ANC Rental Corporation , the parent company of Alamo and National, is one of the world's largest car rental companies with annual revenue of approximately $3.5 billion in 2000. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, the company has more than 4,000 locations in 69 countries and employs approximately 22,000 associates worldwide.