Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has observed that demand for travel agents is set to decline precipitously over the next six years, attributing this decline directly to consumers’ ability to book a trip directly online without receiving any additional assistance from a person. A similar circumstance occurred several years ago with the advent of purchasing plane tickets only, eliminating several customer service jobs that were previously dedicated to booking flights only.
Given the increased prominence of individuals’ desire to book their own travel online, it would naturally follow that they will be booking their own lodging and transport online. This tendency represents an opportunity for car rental companies to develop a competitive advantage, namely through offering superior car booking system development that appeals strongly to end-users, or targeted customers.
Benefits for Business
From a business standpoint, the opportunities for excellent car booking systems represent a superb opportunity for capturing market share, particularly with especially effective implementation. Both consumers and businesses are busier than ever, courtesy of omnipresent technological advancements, which also necessitates faster problem resolution skills, as problems will emerge in virtually any enterprise.
Fortunately, car booking systems are especially well-suited for solving common industry problems. For instance, businesses can receive immediate updates on the availability within a given fleet, and they can also avoid natural human errors, such as overbooking, which does not always work as well for the car rental industry as the aviation industry. Furthermore, car booking systems offer superior services in terms of accounting, resource management, and overall cost reduction. As time passes, the car rental businesses with the best booking systems are likely to be those that remain the most competitive in the business.
Benefits for Consumers
Consumers will also strongly benefit from businesses who choose to implement car booking system development into their enterprise’s practices, namely due to these systems’ abilities to ensure seamless customer service. In terms of customer satisfaction, effective car booking systems provide several advantages, including enhanced self-service options for the especially busy consumer, typically a business traveler.
Specifically, specific locations of some major car rental companies have offered consumers the ability to book their cars directly online and walk straight to the cars upon arriving at a facility. For instance, National has instituted electronic agreements and rental terms, which provide consumers with the ability to go directly to their chosen car upon arrival to the rental facility, rather than waiting in lines that can be unpredictable in length. Needless to say, self-service would be advantageous for both business travelers and holidaymakers, or those who would prefer to spend more time in business negotiations or exploring their chosen destination, respectively.
Final Considerations
Ultimately, as promising as excellent car booking systems are, it is necessary to check them continuously for any bugs or security breaches that could not only stymie operations, but also risk reputational damage. Reputations are now ruined more rapidly than ever due to the omnipresence of social media and various online reviews, which is why requisite caution should always be exercised alongside the pursuit of opportunity.