With the widespread issue of low rental prices, America Car Rental wants to give advice to customers on how to avoid the surprise of unexpected charges at the counter.

“We want to help the customer,” said Karla Solis, America Car Rental’s commercial manager. “We would like to give customers more confidence and knowledge about how the car rental process works.”

According to Solis, America Car Rental hopes that brokers, global distribution systems (GDS), and online travel agencies (OTA) will also become more transparent with customers.

“In our own sales channels, we try to be extremely transparent with the reservation process,” said Solis. “And a majority of our customers are happier and come back with us. Unfortunately, the majority of the problems arise when the reservation has been made through external sales channels.”

For customers, greater transparency will provide more knowledge upfront about the rental. Benefits include speeding up the car rental process at the counter and preparing the customer ahead of time so they won’t be surprised with a higher bill at the counter.

For the rental industry, benefits include avoiding stress and confrontation between the car rental company and the customer, speeding up the process of car delivery, increasing customer satisfaction, and reducing complaints.
According to Solis, greater transparency can lead to a customer having more confidence in a rental company; he or she will probably recommend that company to others.

America Car Rental plans to share this advice on several of its social media websites (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) as well as review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Trustpilot.

Here is some advice that America Car Rental will share with its customers:

1) If you are booking online, read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your reservation.

2) After making a car rental reservation online, print out all the details. Then present the printed document at the rental company to be sure it honors the original agreement.

3) Call the travel agency or car rental company where you made the reservation. Ask if there will be any extra charges. And check to see if your personal insurance policy can be applied to the car rental.

4) If renting Mexico, you need Mexican insurance. If your rental vehicle is involved in an accident, uninsured drivers may be arrested and held until any damage is paid for.

5) Check the levels of the collision-damage waiver and theft protection excesses. If they are high, it’s worth taking out zero-excess cover.

6) When you pick up the car, the rental agent will inspect it with you and mark any previous damage. Be sure to also check the headlights and windshield wipers. Also check to make sure there is a spare tire and jack in the truck.