MULTI-MODEL mobility is becoming increasingly important for SMEs, particularly in the short-term rental arena and the EuropcarOne mobility platform provides seamless access to a full range of solutions, from daily rental to pool car fleets and long-term rental.
That’s why Europcar Mobility Group was picked out as the winner of Business Motoring’s 2022 Best Short Term Rental category.
The Group has also used technology to make the life of the small business owner easier, as well as help them keep control on costs. Hand-held tech for vehicle delivery and collection reduces queries and SMS messaging provides drivers with prompts to get vehicles refuelled.
Another important enhancement – and very much in tune with the changed environment – has been the adoption of Europcar’s car share technology for pool car management. A small company may have invested in one or two company cars, but the new hybrid working model probably means those vehicles are sitting outside the office or in a car park; yet other employees still need to get from A to B.
In response Europcar has helped companies change the way businesses and pool cars can be accessed and used. While traditional vehicle rental may be widely used by some businesses with larger fleets, corporate car-sharing from the office car park may be a less familiar option. Yet, it is becoming a great choice for companies who need vehicles for a variety of employees for short periods of time.
Innovative new technology such as ‘Tap and go’ can be installed into pool cars with the option to either just install the technology and booking platform or to access vehicles too. Using an all-devices app, drivers can book their own rental, while allowing business owners, fleet and travel managers to oversee and monitor the use of their business fleet efficiently.
Monitoring and reporting, via the platform provides real-time updates on bookings, vehicle utilisation and even CO2 consumption. Corporate car-sharing is not only an effective method of ensuring optimum use of vehicle resources but also means that companies no longer need to rely on ‘grey fleet’ cars, which tend to be older, less reliable, more polluting and are not usually fitted with the latest safety features.
The Europcar safety programme, introduced at the start of the pandemic, continues to give small business owners confidence that their employees are using vehicles that have passed a 20-point vehicle hygiene check accredited by the RAC, carried out between each rental and using specially formulated sanitiser.
