Today I’m happy to announce the launch of our new offering for Young Drivers in the USA, we call it the Young Drivers Package Plus…

usrentacar.co.uk has been supporting under 25 drivers since 2003 offering a few ways to save young drivers money while at the same time providing a high level of insurance.

The introduction of our exclusive Young Drivers Package Plus product see’s us extend this commitment to offer the most comprehensive young drivers package in the World!

Director of Communications Frank Williams said

The launch of our Young Drivers Package Plus product is the culmination of months of hard work putting together an offering that we believe shows our commitment to drivers aged 21-24.

What is Young Drivers Package Plus?

Young Drivers Package Plus extends the usual young drivers package from its basic form, CDW, SLI, UMP to also cover some excluded items for example tyres, windscreen and undercarriage of the vehicle.

The additional insurance product is provided by usrentacar.co.uk’s UK insurance partner and is not part of the car rental companies package.

The extended protection is available on most vehicle groups and from almost every car rental location.

Our young driver package is available with our Alamo Rent A Car, National Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car suppliers. The lead driver of the vehicle must be the holder of a major credit card.

What do you think of our new product?

regards,

James,

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Yesterday saw the results of the 2011/2012 Zagat car rental survey released, Hertz very much dominated proceedings winning top ratings for vehicles, reliability, service and popularity, netting the title of  Top Overall car rental company.

National Car Rental , who were rated best value, took second position for top overall car rental company just ahead of Avis. Enterprise won top billing for Deals and Promotions, Neighborhood Rentals and Car Pick-Up Experience, while Hertz won the remaining categories.

Lets take a quick look how our suppliers did.  Each supplier overall marks below are for Vehicles, Reliability and Service rated on a 30-point scale:

0 – 9 poor to fair
10 – 15 fair to good
16 – 19 good to very good
20 – 25 very good to excellent
26 – 30 extraordinary to perfection

Cost:
I Inexpensive
M Moderate
E Expensive

Advantage Rent A Car

Typically one of the least expensive” if “not necessarily the best” is the consensus on this economy brand; views on its vehicles
vary (“clean and new” vs. “average”), ditto service, but “great deals” remain its “main advantage.

Vehicle: 18

Reliability: 20

Service: 16

Cost: I

Alamo Rent A Car

An online check-in system that lets you “pick the car you want”, “outstanding weekly and weekend specials” with discounts for
members of its Insiders program and “locations everywhere” cause customers to remember this Alamo; service can be “slow” and
some cars show a bit of “wear”, but on the whole, it’s a “reliable” bet.

Vehicle: 21

Reliability: 21

Service: 19

Cost: M

Budget Rent A Car

When you’re really on a budget”, this “no-frills” Avis sibling comes through with a “nice car selection”, “not-bad prices” and
“omnipresent locations”; faultfinders cite occasional “long” waits and say that despite the name, it’s “not always” the cheapest,
but it’s “worth checking.

Vehicle: 20

Reliability: 21

Service: 18

Cost: M

Dollar Rent A Car

If you just need a car and are not trying to impress”, this “decent” choice – one of the “cheapest of the national brands” – offers
“clean” (some say “bare-bones”) vehicles that “will get you there and back”; service is “friendly enough”, and becoming a Dollar
Express member “gets you better treatment.

Vehicle: 18

Reliability: 21

Service: 19

Cost: M

National Car Rental

Rated the No. 1 Bang for the Buck and No. 2 Overall in our Car Rental survey, this “reliable” renter provides “better-thananticipated” vehicles at “value” prices, but what you really “gotta love” is its Emerald Club loyalty program, which lets you “pick
from a lineup of cars” at many locations; “good service” further adds to a mostly “painless”, “satisfying” experience.

Vehicle: 23

Reliability: 24

Service: 22

Cost: M

Thrifty Rent A Car

When they say ‘thrifty’ they mean it” say adherents of this “solid, middle-of-the-road” outfit; fans cite “well-maintained” cars and
“great customer loyalty programs”, and though some report “slow” service from an “overworked, but nice” staff, if you’re looking
for “economical” wheels, this should “meet your needs.

Vehicle: 20

Reliability: 20

Service: 18

Cost: M

About Zagat

Started in 1979, Zagat Survey is the world’s leading provider of consumer survey-based information. With ratings and reviews based on a worldwide network of surveyors, Zagat has become the world’s most trusted source to help consumers make informed decisions about restaurants, nightspots, hotels, attractions and other leisure activities. Zagat surveyors are frequent, knowledgeable consumers in each of the categories they rate.

So congratulations to Hertz on a great set of results, with the eminent purchase of Dollar Rent A Car Hertz seem to going from strength to strength,

regards,

James

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Three weeks ago now we released a new version of the usrentacar.co.uk website, part of the redesign was the introduction of an intelligent FAQ system which allows users to rate our questions and answers by how helpful they found them, the rating system is based on a thumbs up, to indicate it was useful.

I thought it might be nice to see which of our questions has been perceived to be the most useful and popular.

Top 10 Questions ranked by votes

1. What do you rates include?
2. Does the fully inclusive policy have an excess?
3. What is the difference between Silver, Gold and Platinum?
4. I have points on my licence, can I still hire?
5. What is a voucher?
6. Can I do a one way rental and how much do they cost?
7. Are there any hidden charges?
8. Can I guarantee a specific model of car?
9. What happens if I do not have a credit card?
10. When will I receive my voucher?

As you can see insurance is always the most popular query, and it looks like our popular Platinum insurance option is helping USA car hire first timers have full peace of mind.

What do you think of the new usrentacar.co.uk F&Q system?

regards,

James,

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With the Premier League ending in such dramatic fashion I thought it only apt to mention our good news in a footballing style., hence the hat-trick reference.

Today I’m happy to announce that usrentacar.co.uk has been nominated for the 3rd year in a row for best car hire company at the British Travel Awards.

We are delighted to have been selected again and hope to make it 3rd time lucky.

About the British Travel Awards

BTA’s chief executive Lorraine Barnes Burton said: “The British Travel Awards are widely considered to be the “Oscars” of the travel industry!  It’s the largest awards programme in the UK created to reward travel companies and the winning accolade is the benchmark for excellence when it comes to finding out who really is the best in the business of travel for the UK consumer.”

Companies were nominated by travel industry professionals and a selection of the previous year’s consumer voters, and the shortlisted companies now go to the consumer voting stage. In 2010 over 120,000 votes were cast with the results scrutinized and audited by Deloitte LLP.  The winners of the 2012 British Travel Awards will be announced at a glittering ceremony on 1st November at the Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London.

I will post again to advise you all on how to vote for your favourite USA car hire site.

Until then congratulations to everyone at usrentacar.co.uk for again being recognised by the British Travel Awards.

regards,

James

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I don’t generally like writing these types of  posts as they always sound slightly like scaremongering however I just got off a call with a customer who mentioned that they were booking with us because they’d been to another company to get a quote and at first glance the quote looked cheaper however, this customer is an experienced traveller and after delving a little closer he revealed several exclusions.

I thought I’d put together just a little guide on what to check before booking your USA car hire.

How long has the company been trading for?

Now the length of time a company has been trading is not always the best way to determine quality however it does give you an indication that they have experience and have been trading successfully.

usrentacar.co.uk for instance is now in it’s 10th year of trading. Company details can be seen on the companies house website here.

Read some reviews about them, not testimonies from their own site but independent real reviews.

Using your favourite engine search for the website or company name and check a few of the results that are returned, on google for instance you can filter your search to discussions, which will give you an idea of forums and blogs currently sharing information about that company.

Another good way is to visit an independent review site such as trust pilot and read real reviews about the company. Reviews of usrentacar.co.uk can be read here – usrentacar reviews

Check their interaction on social sites

We are in the age of web 3.0 where companies are expected to have a twitter and facebook account. How brands utilise these mediums can tell you a lot about a company.

Companies with under 100 followers or likes gives the impression of a company that does interact with their customer particularly well.

usrentacar.co.uk can be found on twitter, pinterest , google plus and facebook.

Have your friends used them?

You can trust your friends that’s why they’re your friends. Recommendation from people you trust on products you want is great, plus you can tap them for information.

Check what their rates include

More specific to car hire, check what their rates include, a very basic rate should at least include Collision/Loss Damage Waiver, Supplementary Liability Insurance and Uninsured motorist protection.

usrentacar.co.uk offers a top insurance called “platinum” which covers beyond the basic to cover windscreen, undercarriage and tyres.

Make sure they don’t charge you for using a credit card

For large purchases we always recommend using a credit card, as this offers the most protection for the consumer. Any company that charges for the use of a credit card is slightly going against this ethos.

usrentacar.co.uk never charges for credit card use.

Well I think that about does it for my guide to “Is everything what it seems”…

Have I missed anything?

regards,

James

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Alamo Rent A Car have today offered usrentacar.co.uk customer’s further discount on their already low cost Florida Car Hire.

The offer which is only available to new bookings is as follows

Hi James,

We are pleased to advise we have a new offer for usrentacar.co.uk customers. Any bookings made and picked up between 10^th May and 27^th June 2012 with Alamo in Florida will be subject to a further discount.

Car types included in the offer are as follows:

Economy 2dr, Economy 4dr, Compact 2dr, Compact 4dr, Intermediate 2dr, Intermediate 4dr, Standard 2dr, Full Size 4dr on the silver rate only.

This offer will be system generated with immediate effect.

Kind regards

Alamo Rent A Car

So a great little offer for anyone looking for a late car hire deal.

The Alamo special offer is available online or via our call centre on 0845 226 8523.

regards,

James

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Hope you had a great bank holiday and aren’t suffering to much with the back to work blues.

Today we have launched in partnership with Trustpilot an automated system that allows our customer’s to review the service we offer. These reviews are different to the supplier reviews we collect after the hire as ended, as they are specifically about usrentacar.co.uk and not Alamo, Dollar etc.

How it works

7 days after you’ve made your purchase from usrentacar.co.uk you will receive an email from us asking to rank your experience on the trustpilot site via a link.

Simply click on the link provided enter your review and mark us out of 5 stars and that’s it…. all done…

Your personal details are still completely safe with usrentacar and your email will not be shared with mutliple companies.

Why?

We believe that its important to offer as transparent a service as possible which is why we’ve enlisted the help of trustpilot to be the independent gatherer of our performance. All orders will be be given the opportunity to review our service and no reviews will be edited or removed (unless abusive).

Previous customers

We don’t want you to miss out if you feel strongly about our service, you are free to visit our trustpilot page at any time and review us.

All our reviews are also available on our facebook page.

Regards,

James

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Amazing!! Two days in a row and I’m not talking about the redesign, so you know something must have caught my attention…and it has…

Yesterday we spoke about the Hertz quarter 1 results and the effect they could have on future inbound business, well buried within the full report which can be viewed here were some very direct wording in regards to Hertz’s marathon pursuit of Dollar Rent A Car

Within the forward statement to investors was this little nugget

Among other items, such factors could include: our ability to obtain regulatory approval for and to consummate an acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group; the risk that expected synergies, operational efficiencies and cost savings from a Dollar Thrifty acquisition may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; the operational and profitability impact of divestitures that may be required to be undertaken to secure regulatory approval for an acquisition of Dollar Thrifty;

So Hertz are stating to investors that the acquisition of Dollar Thrifty could have an impact on their 2012 profit as they slimline the organisation, also looking at the report you can see a substantial amount has been spent on Acquisition related costs.

So popping on my deerstalker, I’m going to assume the following

• Hertz will shortly announce an agreement with the FTC regarding the purchase of Dollar Thrifty.
• We will see a fresh Hertz bid for Dollar Thrifty this quarter.
• Hertz have found a buyer for Advantage Rent A Car (their value brand).

Now I’m no Sherlock Holmes but I’m pretty confident when I say Dollar Thrifty will become part of Hertz this year and I’m going to take a guess that either Sixt Rent A Car or Fox Rent A Car will be the new owners of Advantage Rent A Car.

What do you think?

regards,

James,

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I’m giving you a one day break from me banging on about all the great new
features we’ve introduced since our latest re-design to talk briefly about Hertz’s quarter 1 results.

Released on May 2nd, Hertz were very happy to report adjusted net income of $19.4 million, versus a loss of $14.2 million in the same period of 2011. Loss before income taxes, on a GAAP basis, was $36.8 million, versus a pre-tax loss of $158.9 million in the first quarter of 2011.

Worldwide car rental revenues for the quarter increased 9.8% year-on-year to $1.66 billion. Worldwide car rental adjusted pre-tax income for the first quarter of 2012 was $91.6 million, an increase of $30.3 million from $61.3 million in the prior year period.

Mark P. Frissora, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said,

“We are gratified by strong first quarter 2012 results, further validating our long-term, balanced approach to running global businesses, which generated double-digit revenue and profit growth despite difficult conditions in Europe.”

Looking at the report which can be seen here Hertz look to have produced such great results by

• Increased volume
• Robust residual values
• Strong cost management performance, partially offset by a decrease in rental rate revenue per transaction day (“RPD”)
• A strong showing from it’s value brand Advantage Rent A Car.
• Increased activity in City areas.
• and interestingly an increase in U.S. citizens pre-booking their hire cars!

The last point is interesting in the fact that usually U.S. citizens will roll up at the desk and look to book. The growing trend of American’s pre-booking their vehicles could have a very real negative effect on UK availability and rates, as the amount of cars reserved for our inbound market could be decreased to sustain the more profitable domestic market!!!

Hertz also are continuing their commitment to install their car sharing technology in there entire fleet!! How do you think this will effect traditional car rental models?  

regards,

James

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Both Alamo Rent A Car and Dollar Rent A Car have recently began to offer a popular service that allows customers to select the vehicle they want from their chosen category.

More information can be found here for Alamo and here for Dollar. The service works like this

• Customer goes to the car rental desk and complete’s the rental agreement.
• Instead of being given keys to a specific car, the customer is advised to go to a particular bay.
• Once at the bay the customer can select which ever vehicle they want from it. So if you particularly hate green cars for instance you can make sure you select a different colour or, and this is the biggest benefit, you can select the vehicle that fits your luggage in perfectly.

Until now its been pretty hard to work out which locations and which suppliers offer this service, that is until the usrentacar.co.uk redesign, with our search results we’ve become the first car hire company to specifically pick out these locations and display them clearly on the results page.

As you can see from the image above, all locations and supplier that has the choice product available will be indicated by the choice location button. You don’t have to do anything special or different when booking and the service is free of charge.

Have you taken advantage of the choice product?

regards,

James

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