Dealership Streamlines Getting Rental Cars for Customers

Surroz Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Visalia, CA, one of the largest dealerships in the state's Central Valley, lowered its rental-car costs for service loaners by as much as 30% while improving service to customers.

Service Manager Jim Steelman credits Enterprise Rent-A-Car's software system that integrates with a dealership's own technology system.

Called Automated Rental Management System, or ARMS, the two-way application is intended to streamline invoicing and better manage costs by sending electronic authorizations directly from the dealership to Enterprise, including the number of rental days authorized.

Steelman's service department writes 500 to 700 repair orders a month. He estimates one in three customers requests a rental car when making a service appointment.

“The ARMS application makes it faster and easier to provide rental cars for our customers,” says Steelman. “We also are able to better analyze and manage the rental activity on every level.”

Service advisors create an electronic order for a rental car at the same time they are initiating a repair order for service. Because all of the renter's information, along with the number of days authorized, is sent to Enterprise electronically, the rental car is ready when the customer arrives.

Steelman says that even if the customer shows up without an appointment, it takes only 10 to 15 minutes to have a rental car available.