Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Budget Costa Rica Uses Chatbot to Improve Digital Experience

With the help of EDNA, a technology startup focused on artificial intelligence, Budget Costa Rica has incorporated a Chatbot, which uses artificial intelligence to answer questions and take reservations in real time.

by Staff
October 12, 2017
2 min to read


Budget Car Rental Costa Rica, with the help of EDNA, has developed an artificial intelligence startup. The Chatbot will improve the digital experience by providing customers with a series of services related to frequent questions, reservations, and quotes in real time, according to the company.

Named Franco, the Chatbot will be available both on the webpage of Budge Costa Rica as well as in its Facebook Messenger. Initially, Franco will allow clients to make any frequent questions related to car rentals, and in a second phase, it will also permit car rental reservations through this chat platform.

Ad Loading...

Starting this month, Franco is available in English and Spanish.

“In Budget, our main objective is to use artificial intelligence technology to solve the needs of clients in real time, at any hour, and any day of the year by means of an automated knowledge that will allow them to find the answers to their needs in an interactive manner,” said Paulo Vargas, general manager of Budget Costa Rica.

Franco can answer several types of questions on rentals, recommend and show the available car fleet, and provide information on locations and coverages.

“With Budget we executed a special job, as there was no other Chatbot in the Costa Rican car rental industry,” said Kenneth Calderon, CEO of EDNA. “This allowed us to innovate and provide a solution that we know will improve the experience of the client. By creating a Chatbot for Facebook Messenger and its webpage, Budget will have instant access to its clients by means of a widely used and familiar platform. We built Franco using the latest artificial intelligence technology.”

With its amicable tone, instant answers, and the capacity to answer frequently asked questions, Franco sounds like a real person that is available 24/7.

Ad Loading...

“For Budget, the project aligns with the innovation initiatives portfolio that we have been working on that seeks to improve the experience of our clients with immediate answers to their questions and requests, and we are the first car rental to offer this type of solutions,” said Vargas.

More Rental Operations

Sixt H1 financial results
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 14, 2026

Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026

Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.

Read More →
Bobby Klyce in memoriam image
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 13, 2026

In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend

The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.

Read More →
Vibe coding webinar promo image
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 12, 2026

How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]

A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Globe image with Text: GBTA Business Travel Forecast

Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027

Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.

Read More →
Car rental sign with financial graph in background
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 2, 2026

Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations

Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.

Read More →
car rental booking engine on computer screen with text: Bookings aren't the whole story
Rental OperationsAugust 1, 2026

Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day

A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 31, 2026

This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See

This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.

Read More →
A counter agent chats with a customer over a rental counter
Rental OperationsJuly 21, 2026

The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns

Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.

Read More →
U-Save Mauritius team

U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius

The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Back view of a remote driver in front of a screen delivering a car to a location.

Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030

A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.

Read More →
Ad Loading...