For rental-based businesses, it’s all about the assets. While asset security is often a top priority, it can be challenging to manage the ins and outs of the many processes that ensure assets are roadworthy, properly maintained, returned on time in good condition and driven by only authorized drivers. But how can rental fleets secure their assets without creating more manual processes and labor-intensive tasks?
In parts one and two of our “Rentals in a Modern World” blog series, we uncovered several benefits rental-based businesses experience when using automation and how this modern technology helps automate processes, resulting in everything from happier customers to a healthier bottom line. In this last blog, we’ll dive into the impacts of another great technological advancement – keyless vehicle access – and its impacts on rental operations, asset security and convenience for customers and employees.
Impact #1: Increase convenience with counterless rentals
Providing counterless rental functionality has been a game changer for the rental industry. Offering the ability to use a mobile app to reserve, inspect, operate, and return an asset has increased convenience and efficiency across the board.
With the introduction of vehicle keyless access and key box integration, rental companies can offer a more seamless experience for both users and employees. At checkout, users can unlock the vehicle via mobile app or by using a company-issued ID card. Keys are kept securely in the vehicle while the app or ID badge is used to access the vehicle.
For those rental businesses who currently utilize key boxes or are looking to implement one in the future, the use of intelligent API integrations between the company’s current mobile reservation solution and the key box allows renters to seamlessly access the keys to their specific vehicle. This is a safe and secure option for rental companies who are looking to offer a counterless rental experience to their users while still using physical vehicle keys.
Impact #2: Provide access to on-demand rentals 24/7
For those rental businesses who are looking to eliminate the hassle of managing physical keys all together, implementing digital keys is the first step. Especially helpful for companies offering on-demand rentals, vehicle keyless access provides the ability for users to access a vehicle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as well as reallocate staff previously dedicated to managing counter operations to other critical tasks that better impact overall operations.
On-demand rentals are made possible through a mobile app that always stays connected. No matter the user’s location, whether in an underground parking garage or traveling within out-of-service coverage areas, the app and any NFC cards used to access the vehicle still connect directly, providing guaranteed access in the event of a lock out or theft.
Impact #3: Secure assets anytime, anywhere
The days of physical keys are quickly dwindling all thanks to, you guessed it, modern technology. By digitizing physical keys and moving them to the cloud, rental businesses can implement a keyless vehicle access solution, providing greater control over who can access their vehicles, when and where.
Through the use of a mobile app that seamlessly integrates with existing systems, rental businesses can grant access to only authorized drivers, lock or unlock the vehicle remotely and immobilize the asset in the case of a theft. Much like digital hotel key cards, rental fleets can issue digital keys using NFC (near field communication) cards to customers to simplify the locking and unlocking of rented assets while also increasing security when not in use.
Technology has brought many innovative advancements to the mobility industry with the goal of helping people move better, reduce costs, and increase productivity. Through today’s cutting-edge fleet automation solutions, rental businesses can use these technologies to help them truly modernize and monetize their operations and improve efficiencies, enhance security, and ensure happier customers.
Learn more about the impact automation has on the rental industry and how Ridecell helps meet the demand for vehicles where and when they are needed.
Author:
Stacey Papp, Director, Content, Ridecell