GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- Avis Rent a Car will roll out an
Internet-based system later this year which will enable its
corporate customers to better track car rental expenses and
utilization.
The system, Avis InterActive, is based on the PHH InterActive
system of Avis' parent Avis Group.
Avis Group obtained the technology from a firm it acquired last
year, PHH Vehicle Management Services, a fleet management company.
Avis claims it is the first such system in the car rental
industry.
Corporate travel managers can take advantage of Avis InterActive
via the Internet. Users can search the Avis database for
information on car rental expenses and usage, and even renter
preferences.
Users need a password to run the application; the data can be
read through a typical desktop computer.
"Managers are going to be able to get their information a lot
quicker than ever before," said a spokesman for Avis.
"Decisions can be made about whether corporate policy is being
followed, such as: is an employee renting a full-size rather than a
midsize [car]? It depends on how deep the corporate manager wants
to go."
The car rental firm is now offering the system to select
corporate customers and said it expects to expand the service to
all of its corporate accounts by early summer.
The spokesman said the application would give Avis a competitive
edge with corporate clients, but he added that other rental
companies would likely develop similar systems.