Car rental “no-shows” cost the industry millions each year. And yet, the industry has struggled to implement a uniform reservations policy such as those in the hotel and airline industries. With guaranteed reservations off the table, could prepaid reservations help car rental companies to better manage inventory and satisfy the customer?

This year’s Car Rental Show will close with a panel that will analyze this issue from the perspectives of operations, IT, OTA and GDS connectivity, revenue management, customer service, card policies and more. The seminar, titled “Prepaid Reservations: A Path Forward,” will examine the growth of the prepaid model, its hurdles to implementation and where progress can be made.

The seminar will use real case studies and on-the-ground data, along an insider’s analysis of hotel and airline revenue management and pricing strategies.

“Though still a small percentage of overall revenue, prepaid is catching on,” says Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News. “We’re pleased to have a blue-ribbon panel that will delve into this issue from all sides.”

Bob Barton, vice president of franchising for Hertz Corp., will moderate the panel. The panel consists of Bobby Healy, chief technology officer of CarTrawler, an online global car rental platform; Nick DiPrima, senior strategic account manager for TSD; Kevin Stutz, business manager for ACE Rent A Car Reservations.

In addition, the Car Rental Show welcomes to the panel Dr. Stowe Shoemaker, dean of the Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Shoemaker is an expert in revenue management in both the hotel and airlines industries and has worked with British Airways to develop its pricing strategy.

“Dean Shoemaker will bring a fresh perspective to the panel,” Brown says. “Our audience will be eager to hear his insights into pricing philosophies found in other travel sectors to be able to connect the dots to car rental.”

The closing keynote panel will take place on Tuesday, April 8 at 4 p.m. The 2014 Car Rental Show takes place April 7-8 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Visit www.carrentalshow.com for more information.

For a blog on issues regarding prepaid reservations, click here.