FORT LAUDERDALE -- Vanguard Car Rental USA, parent of the National
and Alamo car rental brands, rolled out an enhanced version of
Emerald Club, its frequent-renter program for National customers.
Targeting road warriors, Emerald Club was the car rental
industry's first frequent-renter program when it debuted in 1987.
It offered business customers paperless transactions and enabled
them to choose cars off the lot.
The revamped Emerald Club offers three membership levels --
Emerald Club, Emerald Club Executive and Emerald Club Executive
Elite -- based on the number of rentals made in a calendar year.
Supporting the upgraded program is a Web site at
www.emeraldclub.com.
Renters in higher categories earn free rentals quicker and
qualify for guaranteed car upgrades. Executive and Executive Elite
renters who book a car in the full-size-through-luxury-car
categories will pay a rate below the category they reserve.
In addition, Executive Elite members can request vehicle pick-up
and delivery to a noncommercial airport terminal.
William Lobeck, CEO of Vanguard, said the upgraded Emerald Club
is part of the company's plans to re-create distinction between the
two brands, promoting National to business clients and Alamo to
leisure travelers.
ANC Rental Corp., National and Alamo's former owner,
consolidated the two brands at more than 175 airports as part of
its bankruptcy reorganization.
Last year, when ANC was acquired by Cerberus Capital Management,
a New York-based private investment group, Cerberus decided to
promote each brand separately. Cerberus runs National and Alamo
under the name Vanguard.
To contact reporter Jorge Sidron, send e-mail to [email protected].