Digitally driving improvement PROJECT SPONSOR
Digitally driving improvement Written by James Henderson Produced by Andrew Lloyd
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Avis Budget Group is in the midst of a significant digital transformation programme that is helping staff and customers alike. Neal Sunners, CIO (International Markets) and Senior VP of Innovation, picks up the story ...
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he model of mobility for the last 100 years had been “pay to own” – people owned a car and they drove it when and where they wanted. It was a defining possession. However, the mobility landscape is evolving, thanks in part to millennials as well as an overall change in behavior across generations as technology has ushered in an era of on-demand access. Consumer attitudes are influencing a shift into a pay-to-use world; people are increasingly consuming transportation like they consume data on a cell phone. All are opting for flexibility and control over the kind of transportation solution they are looking for, at the time they are looking for it. And how will this happen? Neal Sunners, Senior Vice president of Innovation at Avis Budget Group, a leading global provider of mobility solutions, has been hard at work overseeing a large-scale digital transformation programme to achieve optimal levels of customer satisfaction. In fact, he states: “We are always looking up the road at our company, investing and
managing for tomorrow as we work to delight our customers today.” In order to do this, it meant listening to, and working with, customers as never before, to understand the how’s, why’s and when’s of their ground transportation needs, and then evolving the Company’s offerings to best serve those needs. Avis Budget Group’s acquisition of Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, with more than one million members, was an early outcome of that process. The next step in the process after listening closely was and continues to be ‘creating together’. This includes enlisting customers deeply in the process of designing the very products and services they will consume and experience. To that effect, the company launched new websites for both Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental and a new Avis Car Rental mobile application that enhances the customer experience by giving them control of the entire rental experience from the palm of their hand. This collaborative mentality also led the company to invest in other areas of technology.
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For example, Avis Budget Group rolled out tools to further empower its employees at rental locations so as to better serve Avis and Budget Car Rental customers. Pronto, one of these solutions, provides employees with tablets so that they can assist customers when they are on shuttle buses or waiting in line at rental locations at peak times, for example, in an effort to expedite the rental pickup process. Another tool is the company’s Maintenance and Damage Management System (MDMS), a quicker and easier way to manage maintenance and damage. “The smartphone app developed for our team provides a simple, single integrated process to capture damage images, customer signature and vehicle exchanges,” said Sunners. The company’s commitment to innovation is also driving its business relationships and is curating new partnerships around the world. For example, the company has formed a strategic partnership with Didi Chuxing, the world’s largest mobile transportation platform. Avis Budget Group provides Didi Chuxing’s over 300 million registered users with access to Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental vehicles when traveling outbound from China with easy
“We are always looking up the road at our company, investing and managing for tomorrow as we work to delight our customers today” NEAL SUNNERS, SVP Innovation and CIO International 8
Neal Sunners - Senior Vice President Innovation and Chief Information Officer - International Neal is a member of the Executive Team for International Markets, responsible for the performance and delivery of all applications, infrastructure, and technology services in International Markets. As a member of our Global Technology Leadership Team he works on Strategy, Performance and Delivery of our Global Solutions. Additionally Neal is a member of our Global Senior Leadership team for Innovation with responsibility for key strategic initiatives such as Connected Car, Chauffeur Drive, our evolving Mobility Services platforms and is our Executive lead for our Accelerator programmes such as Rocketspace. Neal has a successful career at board level (roles such as CIO, COO and Managing Director) across a variety of industries from start-ups (Rubicon, Travelnet, Aerotech) to established global organisations (AT&T, Capita, Travelport). He is highly experienced in shaping and delivering major business and technology-driven change programmes within the ecommerce sector, specialising in both b2b and b2c. Neal has led global and pan-European programmes encompassing: mergers and acquisitions, application development, technical operations, data centre management, product management, product strategy, product development, business operations and customer service operations, all incorporating both captive and outsourced delivery mechanisms.
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‘With Avis Budget Group’s acquisition of Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, it has teamed up with Uber. Uber’s driver partners in Boston, and those who want to make money driving with Uber, are supplied with cars through Zipcar’
and convenient car rental service up with Waymo to provide fleet — right from Didi Chuxing’s mobile support and maintenance services application. Registered users can for their vehicles. This partnership book Avis and Budget rentals paves the way for Avis Budget to use at airports and neighborhood its existing services and expertise to locations around the globe. expand into serving the nascent selfIt has also partnered with driving car industry. “By working with RocketSpace, a leading technology Waymo, we will gain important insights campus for start-ups and and hands-on experience corporate innovators, in servicing self-driving to identify market cars and developing opportunities best practices,” and fuel crosssays Sunners. industry innovation, He adds: “In terms while investing in of fleet management, The number of AVIS artificial intelligence there are very few BUDGET GROUP employees capabilities. In North companies in the America, Avis Car Rental world that can manage is now integrated with Amazon mega fleets – and we are Alexa and Google Home so that one of them. With approximately travelers have another easy and 580,000 vehicles in our fleet, we convenient way to reserve a car. are a premier provider of fleet In addition, it has teamed up support and supply chain services. with Uber. Avis Budget Group is We know how to purchase cars, supplying Uber’s driver partners register them, maintain them, and in Boston, and those who want to ultimately sell them – all this at scale. make money driving with Uber, “We move our fleet to accommodate with cars through Zipcar. demand – business and leisure, Avis Budget Group has also teamed on-airport and off-airport – so, whether
30,000
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TECHNOLOGY
“In terms of fleet management, there are very few companies in the world that can manage mega fleets – and we are one of them” NEAL SUNNERS, SVP Innovation and CIO International
it’s for a business meeting, trade show or conference, peak summer travel, disaster-relief recovery efforts, etc., we know how to get the right cars in the right places. “We have unparalleled mobility capabilities, in terms of the customers’ journey and in the supply chain. And with Avis, Budget and Zipcar, three household name brands known the world over, we are well-positioned for this future and are already addressing the fullrange of consumer needs, including that of the evolving millennial market and beyond. “By implementing the latest in technology, having access to reliable ground transportation means simply tapping an app. The future of mobility puts the power in one’s pocket… and the experience is only enhanced by the opportunities made available with connected and autonomous cars.”
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