53 VEHICLE RENTING 2011 ABLA YEARBOOK The use of management systems to control activities or finance is now an everyday fact of life, and when it comes to companies it is practically indispensable. In our personal lives, any finance expert makes it clear that to have an organized financial life you must list all your income and outgoings. Without doing so, a person or an entire family is completely exposed and vulnerable to everyday events, which easily leads to a loss of financial control. Thismodel must also be applied in companies in order to be successful, but in a much more detailed manner in order to provide a clearly view of the business’ financial situation. To this end, Integrated Management Systems (IMSs) have been a regular part of businesses’ operations for many years, presenting a structured view of the results achieved. It is no different for vehicle rental companies. Management systems have become essential to the overall control of the business. A rental company can easily control the basics, meaning revenues and expenses, which can be done on an Excel spreadsheet. However, when it comes to having precise control, we have to consider numerous items that are essential to the business. Never begin a business, however small it is, without using a system which in the future will represent a major differential in the control of your business. The costs of the systems vary greatly. Normally an initial fee is charged, which covers training, deployment and initial operational support. One tip is to never buy a system without being trained for at least three days. Fewer than that and the company will not get the most out of the features the tool provides. Standard practice is for a maintenance fee to be charged which varies according to the size of the fleet. • FLEET REGISTRATION: Control begins with the registration of your fleet, with the clear and precise identification of its characteristics, such as a vehicle models and groups, which will be used to generate the pricing structure. • FINANCIAL STRUCTURING: The next step is the clear establishment of financial and general business rules, including a plan for accounts receivable and payable, forms of payment, bank accounts, credit cards, and so on. • PRICES: A pricing structure for rentals, which includes the rates per day, week, weekend, month, and so on, as well as mileage charges, late returns, services and additional expenses. • REGISTRATION OF OFFICES: Smooth operation and control requires the correct information on the company, its offices and outlets and / or branches. On this basis pricing can be differentiated. Using a management system will require a clear structural definition of the business. Here we list some basic requirements and steps for structuring a company that is going to use a management system: A management system makes everyday life easier for rental companies and allows greater control of the business capital, the fleet, and all the company’s assets • One of the most important steps is to have a website in at least one other language to help international visitors. • Have an online reservations system for customers, because outside Brazil they are used to this. • Have your rental company represented at travel agencies, portals and other tools that make your company available through avenues other than your website. • Have a call center with a system that monitors and automatically manages customer needs. 2014 World Cup: not to be missed The World Cup will attract a lot of tourists to Brazil and they will certainly want rental cars. The best-prepared agencies will get a head start. By Julian Gritsch, Director, EuroIT Tecnologia
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