The concept of ride-hailing on demand by using location assistance provided by GPS might look like a very recent innovation by Uber a little over a decade ago. Ride-hailing, as we all know, is not new. It has been in existence ever since the concept of taxes and transportation was introduced. However, ride-hailing was a cumbersome process involving telephonic coordination and a lot of uncertainties.
In essence, what Uber introduced was not a new way of booking cabs but a new way of generating demand for transportation. This revolution and transportation have trickled down to every other possible vertical, including but not limited to babysitting, household services, beauty services and even dating.
Even within the realm of transportation, there are a lot of manifestations of this new technology brought in by Uber. One of them is self-driven vehicles on demand. Self-driven vehicles on-demand eliminate the need for a driver and also give the passengers a lot of flexibility. Although it might come with a few packaged disadvantages like the need for parking space and the loss of relaxation, it does provide quite a lot of advantages.
Self-driven vehicles present an interesting option for people who would like to command the terms of their own travel. It also brings quite a lot of advantages for people who play a lot of emphasis on privacy. It also eliminates the hassle involved with waiting time and also takes off the pressure of taking care of the driver’s need every now and then, like food.
Self-driven cars or rental cars are growing steadily in terms of market value. The industry is expected to breach the hundred billion dollar mark by mid-2022. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5%. One of the biggest factors contributing to the growth of these rental cars is the growing number of airport rights, the increasing number of international air travelers and tourists with an explorative mindset.
Self-driven cars hold a lot of relevance in a world where there are more backpackers than planned travelers. Given the magnitude of uncertainty, these people like to avail of the liberty of driving the car by themselves the moment they step out from the airport.
We have already seen that Uber has revolutionized the way in which we have ordered for transportation on demand. Extending this method to the realm of rental cars, it opens up avenues to an entirely new business.
It has to be agreed that flight travel is one of the most convenient and comfortable modes of getting from one place to another. People who stepped out of flight demand the same level of comfort and convenience. The introduction of new technology and the ongoing growth of digital trends are expected to bring useful solutions in the field of rental cars.
Brands like Hertz and Europcar have made the concept of rental cars relatively simple and as easy as booking an Uber. It might not be a surprise as these apps, in essence, are Uber-like apps. They are expected to deliver location-based transportation solutions on demand. There are a few ways in which Hertz and Europcar revolutionized car rentals. These solutions have given car rental start-ups some valuable lessons to learn.
The beauty of anything lies in simplicity, and the growing rage for minimalism is an apt example. The apps like Hertz and Europcar have completely eliminated the questions of car availability outside an airport and the hassles involving foreign languages and haggling over prices.
Earlier, people had to wait outside the airport for the taxi that they had probably booked over a call. They also will have to pay a lot more than a domestic traveler because of the taxes. However, with the car rental apps, a user can order a car right from their home country and have it delivered at the airport in a time when they need it. The best part is, as of today, the supply is more than the demand, and it only means that the user stands at a clear advantage of increasing the possibility of finding a self-driven car in real-time.
Nothing delights a user more than flexibility! Earlier, there were no means of changing a booked taxi. This meant that no last-minute accommodations could be made for business travel or personal travel.
Car rental apps, on the other hand, give quite a lot of flexibility. They can be used in such a way that cars can be changed even in the last minute. You can also request for a special child seating if you are traveling with the family. In addition, there might also be needs for a car with huge storage spaces just in case you plan to go on a fishing trip with a boat attached to your car. In all these cases, car rental applications provide you the flexibility.
The flexibility does not vest with just changes but also with cancellation. Car rental apps give you the option to cancel your booking even at the last minute. Car rental apps can also give passengers the flexibility of choosing their own cars, so they are likely to drive a car that they are quite accustomed to. Providing flexibility is of paramount importance when it comes to creating a car rental app out of an Uber clone.
It should not be forgotten that a person who rents a car out of your car rental app is not entirely well versed in the local amenities. Therefore, there are considerable chances that they might end up in some hassle that requires assistance. Emergency roadside assistance should be made available to your passengers through the app. The services required might include technical assistance, storing, flat tyre, fuel delivery, lockout, battery service, and extrication.
Providing roadside assistance increases the likelihood of your app being used by amateur travelers. They, in all their confidence, would also like some kind of assurance that they are covered. If the help can be provided without extra charges, it gives some muscle-power in terms of marketing credibility for your brand. In fact, one of the greatest advantages is brought about by GPS is precisely finding out the location of your rented car. This feature should be exploited constructively to the fullest, and roadside assistance is one of the best services that you can provide in this regard.
Money, as the commerce pundits say, is the biggest motivating factor. Regular rewards and discounts ensure that the users stick to your car rental app brand. Running a loyalty program and a referral program goes a great distance in ensuring a steady growth of customers. It is quite possible that travelers are network and backpackers, all the more. This implies that rewarding one backpacker spreads the news like wildfire in the community. This is one of the greatest branding and marketing exercises that you can ever do to keep up the image of your brand.
The success of an app entirely depends on how well the services of your app perform in the real world. Maybe Hertz and Europcar were immensely successful as applications, but the main reason for their success lies in the logistical strength that they have established. Never ever has been a time when they did not have cars to provide their users. They also ensured that factors like convenience, speed and time are taken into consideration to ensure their success not just as an app but as a business.
It has to be understood that at the end of the day, a car rental app is, in essence, an Uber with a different garnish of features. Instead of connecting drivers, you will need to connect cars and nothing else is different. The concept of tracking the vehicle through GPS and enabling making payments online remains the same. Therefore, all you need to do is to get in touch with a company that specializes in white-label Uber clone and ask them to customize your app in such a way that it falls in line with your requirement for car rental.