Outpacing the Competition - What’s Next?

What’s Next?

Turato’s group is certainly not resting on its laurels. “Now that we have the thin clients in the field and are finalizing the user interface, we’re working on other innovations designed to improve the customer experience and reduce costs,” he says.

“We view the thin client and associated software as a platform to let us do a lot of other things. In fact, we are piloting a couple of innovations that will draw from the common services. We have not released information about all these projects yet, but we hope to introduce them in the third quarter.”

One project that Turato is able to make public is a signature capture application. The way this will work is that the customer service agent and the customer will each have a screen to view. The customer will be able to see information, such as the rental agreement, and will be able to sign the agreement on the signature capture pad.

Avis Budget Group is not letting the challenges of the 2009 economic climate put a damper on technology innovation. The company views customer satisfaction and loyalty as the foundation of its success. However, at the same time, management realizes that, in this economic environment, it must operate leaner and smarter.

“Some projects are on hold,” Turato acknowledges, “but we are moving forward with a number of strategic initiatives that will enable us to continue pleasing our customers and growing our business, while also keeping costs in line.”

The goal? To continue outpacing the competition.