Study:
Avis and Hertz Rank Highest in
Airport Rental Car Satisfaction
Sharp
increases in rental car pricing has changed the way consumers view their experiences
with rental car companies, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Domestic
Airport Rental Car Customer Satisfaction Study released in June. The two largest
rental car companies located at airports, Avis and Hertz, tie for the top spot
in overall satisfaction and are followed by National and Enterprise. The
study, which measures customer satisfaction among business and leisure consumers
who rented a car at or near an airport, finds that for the first time in eight
years, rental car rates and value has become the most influential factor affecting
customer satisfaction. Rates for business renters increased dramatically in 2003,
with an average reported increase of 10.3 percent over 2002. Leisure rates, which
had always been a more competitive segment of the market, are up a reported 7.5
percent. "It's
unusual for price to have the largest effect on customer satisfaction," said
Mike Taylor, senior director of travel services for J.D. Power and Associates.
"In the past, renters were most concerned about getting into the rental car
as quickly and easily as possible. But since 9/11, we've seen dramatic changes
in prices and fees, and these changes have caught the attention of renters. There
is also an increase in reported billing errors, no doubt tied to surprising price
increases." The
post-9/11 reduction in air travel has reduced the congestion seen at the largest
airport rental car companies. Avis and Hertz renters have benefited from the reduced
traffic as they report better pick-up and return experiences than in 2002. Renters
report less crowded shuttle buses, better rental car counter help and speedier
returns at Avis and Hertz. Avis also improved services to renters in every factor,
while Hertz improved its performance with leisure travelers. However,
rental car fleets have been getting older in 2003. There is a widespread decrease
in satisfaction with the rental car itself across most of the rental car companies.
Rental car companies have trimmed their fleets to reduce costs, which has resulted
in renters encountering cars with more wear and tear. Use
of the Internet continues to be a strong trend in car rental. Among leisure renters,
44 percent use the Web to book their rental - up 8 percent from a year ago. Among
business renters, 39 percent report checking the Web - up 9 percent over 2002.
Renters report checking Web sites of rental car companies more often than independent
travel-related Web sites. The
2003 Domestic Airport Rental Car Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses
from more than 2,800 business and leisure rental car customers. For
more information: www.jdpa.com |