BUDGET CAR and Van Rental is in the process of simplifying its product range to make it easier for people to understand and to increase sales among agents.
Key to the process is the introduction of inclusive pricing and easy-to-use brochures which spell out the range of products on offer.
Budget is also investing in technology improvements so that bookings made by agents using global distribution systems can be done more quickly and easily.
In addition, Budget has made a concerted effort to increase its sales among leisure agents over the past 16 months. Marketing director Roddy Graham said it had increased its leisure sales by 30% in that period but there is strong potential for agents to sell more.
“Car rental is available but it is not being pushed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the company is looking at providing agents with links to its Web site and the ability to allow business travellers to book directly over the Internet – both as a result of requests.
Graham said:”If I had a pound for every agent asking why they didn’t have a hot link to our site, I would certainly be a rich man. And corporate agents have long been asking us for the ability to make bookings over the Internet, so we are investigating this option.”
But he stressed that this would not be a threat to agents.
He said: “I think inevitably you will have a proportion of people wanting to book over the Internet. But there will always be a place for travel management. People are still looking for the one-stop shop with sound advice.”