Survey Says Customers Would Take Their Rental Car Home With Them If They Could
Posted on May 21, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard
According to the latest research from car hire company Avis, 44% of UK renters say they are ‘slightly’ or ‘much more likely’ to add the model they have driven on holiday to their next new car shopping list.
Car hire is increasingly becoming the marketing tool of choice for leading car suppliers. In 2007 French car manufacturer Peugeot supplied Avis with 300 of their new 207 model for customers to test drive. UK drivers were then encouraged to fill in a questionnaire on their experience after dropping their rental car back.
Commenting on the test drive experiment Peugeot said: “As a manufacturer, the most important reaction for us is the one we get from the public. With an average of 105 potential drivers experiencing each of the Avis Peugeots over a six month period, thousands of drivers got behind the wheel of the 207 for the first time.”
It’s not just the motor industry that is benefitting. The customers are smiling too. One called Dave said: “Test drives can be ok but I needed to drive the car in ‘real life’, with the family, on holiday, shopping, wherever, to see if it was one for us. A week should give you a real feel for whatever you’ve chosen, and gives you the chance to find out all of its quirks. I lost money on my other two cars so I don’t begrudge the cost of the rental, and in fact I did get a very good deal.”
Paul Hainsworth, Avis Fleet director added, “For years supplying cars to the rental industry has had a negative connotation while it was always thought there were benefits to car makers of getting their product in front of new drivers, no one could prove it.”
Written by Fiona Hilliard
About the Author: Fiona likes to travel – especially to cities. Her favourites include: New York, London, Copenhagen, Madrid and Lisbon.
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