How to get the best corporate car rental deals
Organisations that rely on business travel often look to reduce their outgoings by taking advantage of corporate flight discounts. However, if your employees are regularly using car rentals, you should also be looking for the best corporate car rental deals.Most car rental companies offer corporate car rental rates and corporate discounts to help them retain loyal customers, while companies like yours can enjoy lower rates while knowing that you have a reliable business car rental partnership.Whether your next business trip takes your employees to New York, Canada, or somewhere in Europe, we’ve got the lowdown on the best tips to help you get the best corporate car rental rates for your business travel needs.How corporate car rental rates work
Car rental companies often offer excellent savings opportunities and special offers to companies with employees who are regular business travellers.Most car rental companies offer corporate car rental deals, discounted rates, and corporate codes to regular business travel customers. Rental companies also often offer corporate customers a variety of car rental packages that include different levels of service and varied corporate car rental rates.Usually, corporate car rental packages or programmes are customised for each company and their transportation needs. Some even offer reporting tools to help companies fulfil their duty of care obligations.Companies can also access corporate car rental discounts by participating in car rental company loyalty schemes. In addition to lower corporate car rental rates, and depending on the level of loyalty programme chosen, companies can earn credits for free rental days, customised checkout processes, free upgrades, access to a wider range of car locations and pick-up and drop-off terms, unlimited mileage, and guaranteed vehicles when they need them.How to land great corporate car rental rates
Accessing corporate car rental rates helps you keep costs low. Here, we explore some of the ways companies — from small businesses to enterprises — can take advantage of corporate car rental deals when employees rent a car.1. Use a travel management platform
A comprehensive travel management platform helps your organisation’s travel manager book and track business travel. Some of these platforms will have a travel inventory of car rental companies, and since they’ve already formed strategic partnerships with car rental companies, will have access to various corporate car rental deals.TravelPerk, for example, has a huge, global inventory of corporate rentals and rates from leading providers like Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National, and Sixt. Plus, to make the entire travel management process easier, you can streamline travel, itinerary, and expense management within the same platform, receive VAT-friendly invoices from various car rental companies, and save up to 25% of your annual travel budget with our VAT recovery solution.2. Choose the best corporate credit card
When choosing a corporate credit card for your organisation, take a look at what kind of renters' insurance and coverage applies to any corporate cars your employees will hire.This can reduce the amount you spend on insurance, but many corporate credit cards also offer corporate rates and perks on accommodation for business travel, corporate flight tickets, and travellers' insurance, so it’s worth checking out which provider can lower your overall travel costs.Here are some credit card options that offer car rental discounts and perks:- Chase Sapphire Reserve: offers members a primary collision damage waiver (CDW) and special benefits from Avis, National and Silvercar
- Capital One Venture X: offers members primary rental car insurance and Hertz President’s Circle status for guaranteed upgrades
- Platinum card (American Express): offers members elite status with Avis, Hertz and National for upgrades and discounts
3. Be loyal to your rental company
Car rental companies will more often than not offer loyalty schemes, discount programmes, points, lower rates, and a better selection of rental locations to companies who frequently hire cars from them. These points can be used for future bookings and used as a way to get better corporate car rental pricing.Here are some examples of car rental rewards programmes and associated perks:- Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program: members earn one point per pound spent to be redeemed on free rental cars, airline rewards and hotel stays
- Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards: members earn a 10% discount on the base rate on all rentals
- National Emerald Club: members earn credits for free rental days
4. Compare car rental companies and rates
Don’t give up after your first search -- compare car rental companies and their car rental programmes before making a final decision. It’s good practice to reach out to multiple car rental companies and explain your needs. Often, they will try to price match or go lower than the companies who have already given you quotes.Plus, many car rental companies offer special promotional deals for new customers, such as lower rates for six months, additional drivers and savings off base rates.5. Don’t shy away from negotiating
Negotiating, haggling -- whatever you want to call it -- sometimes this is one of the most effective ways of getting better corporate car rental deals or access to better service conditions (think improved car class options, free day rentals, and discounted add-ons).Make a list of the rental car companies that offer the type of service you need. Call them, and emphasise how much business you can offer, which will let them know how beneficial it would be to have a corporate account with you.Any deal you’re offered should be compliant with your corporate travel policy, and you’ll need to check that there aren’t any hidden service costs, including waivers, driver fees, or cancellation or change fees before entering into any formal agreement.To take this burden off your shoulders, TravelPerk can negotiate on your behalf. We use the combined buying power of our customers to negotiate rates on car rentals, and pass these savings on to you.How to use TravelPerk for optimised corporate car rental management
When you use TravelPerk as your corporate travel management platform, you don’t need to worry about coupon codes or promo codes: you’ll have access to an stellar inventory for renting cars for business travel.We have partnered with leading providers like Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National, and Sixt, and you can compare each provider within the platform. If you want to choose any other car rental company, you can submit a booking request via our Concierge service.This reduces the amount of time you spend platform-hopping to compare prices on corporate car rentals, but it also helps you narrow down favourable corporate car rental deals. You can also select long-term car rental for over 28 days, and select VAT-friendly car rentals (car rental options with deductible VAT). Plus, TravelPerk offers a VAT recovery service. Businesses lose billions each year due to unclaimed VAT on travel costs, but our VAT recovery service can help you save up to 25% of your annual travel budget with our VAT calculator that offers an accurate VAT refund estimate.?)
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