Above: (left to right) BBT editor Paul Revel, Avis commercial director Louisa Bell and Avis UK head of sales Simon Bower. Right: the Royal Automobile Club
BBT Editor’s Lunch in partnership with global car-rental company Avis
BUYING BUSINESS TRAVEL HOSTED INFLUENTIAL BUYERS representing a range of sectors at an Editor’s Lunch, in partnership with Avis. The event took place at the exclu-
sive Royal Automobile Club in central London, where buyers discussed car rental and the challenges of building a successful ground transport programme. BBT editor Paul Revel opened the discussion by highlighting some of the key issues affecting ground transport programmes. These included: mobile tools; seamless processes; tackling fragmentation and ‘grey fleet’; aligning policies with risk management; and the ‘sharing economy’. Simon Bower, UK head of sales at
Avis, spoke about the shift towards buyers wanting more flexibility in their car rental programmes. “We are starting to get more enquiries from businesses that are typically offered a company car where they tie themselves up for a one-year lease. They’re coming to
44 BBT MAY/JUNE 2016
us saying: ‘We’re thinking about having a more flexible programme...’ so with our flex product, you can keep the car for as long as you want past 28 days,” he said. Avis commercial director Louisa Bell talked about the shift in attitudes to car ownership, with an increasing number of millennials in the workplace. “Car ownership isn’t that sign of adulthood that it used to be,” said Bell. “More people have access to cars and there’s a real shift happening in people’s relationship with them – and we see that as a huge opportunity,” she said.
ECO-FRIENDLY SHIFT One buyer asked about the types of cars businesses are booking, such as trends away from larger 4x4 vehicles to eco-friendly options. Avis’s Bower said: “In our recent
quarterly reviews with our customers, we noticed they’re very motivated about reducing CO2 emissions by using electric
and hybrid vehicles, but as soon as you mention it will cost a premium, they decide against it. “We could go out and buy standard
Ford Focuses or Vauxhall Astras with a discount which enables us to offer those to customers at a really low price. If we go to BMW and ask how much they are selling their hybrid vehicles for... and believe me, you won’t get much of a discount.” He added: “While there is definitely an appetite for low CO2 and energy-efficient vehicles, there isn’t one to pay for it.” One buyer responded by saying
it is up to the travel manager to find ways
around this and present a business case to their board if they and their travellers want to use more eco- friendly vehicles.
CAR-SHARING SOLUTIONS Avis’s Bell spoke about its partnership with car-sharing firm Zipcar, which it purchased in 2013 for US$500 million.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
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