NEW YORK — During a period when travel agents need to scrape for
every dollar they can, the car rental industry has plenty of
vehicles to rent and is looking to agents to sell them.
“Travel agents will play a vital link in helping customers
regain confidence in traveling,” said Pamela Wright, division vice
president of travel industry and partnership sales at Hertz.
By renting different kinds of cars, selling aggressively and
using preferred arrangements, agents can milk extra dollars from
sales. Agents need to look at other types of rentals to boost their
revenues, Wright said.
Hertz, for example, is pushing two products that agents can book
for commissions. The company expanded its Hertz Local Edition
network to more than 500 locations in the U.S. Agents can book
these rentals, which offer pick up and delivery service.
Hertz also introduced its Prestige Collection earlier this year,
a group of vehicles made by Hertz parent Ford Motor Co. which go
for higher rates, and therefore pay higher commissions to
agents.
Prestige Collection models include Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover and
Lincoln.
Agents also need to be more assertive in suggesting car rentals
when booking
other travel products for their clients, according to Mary
Trenkle, executive director of national sales at Dollar Rent A
Car.
“Agents should offer car rental at every opportunity,” she said.
“You shouldn’t wait for someone to ask about a car.”
Furthermore, Trenkle said, if agents have a preferred
relationship with a supplier, then the agent might try suggesting a
vehicle from that company to the customer, and even a car
class.
She added that when business is slow, it becomes more critical
to stick with preferred suppliers — relationships that can give
agents access to additional inventory, better rates and even
overrides.
“They need to make sure they are taking advantage of everything
the preferred relationship offers,” said Trenkle.
Brenda Adair, director of travel agency marketing for ANC Rental
Corp., which owns both Alamo and National, said these preferred
relationships are essential for agents.
“The smart agency owner will continue to focus their agency on
selling preferred partners as part of their business plan,” said
Adair. “Car rental vendors are an integral component of those
plans.”
An agency with about $200,000 in car rental volume can earn
about $30,000 when commissions, incentives and overrides are
combined, Adair said, adding that research shows the average car
rental commission is about $19.
