Case Study: Automotive

Speeding up the ERS rental car replacement process with group messaging

Innovative group messaging solution transforms both agent and customer experience

Overview

As part of their Emergency Roadside Services (ERS), an American rental car agency was experiencing inefficiencies when arranging replacement cars for stranded rental car drivers. Once a driver made the request, the agent would call multiple rental locations individually to check for car availability. If the first company had none, the agent called the next option on the list, repeating the process until an available vehicle was located. Meanwhile, the customer would remain frustrated on the side of the road, either waiting on hold or anticipating a return call.

Listening to the challenge our client and their customers were facing, HGS implemented a fully customized, award-winning group messaging solution that would make finding a replacement vehicle much faster.

797Ktotal messages exchanged

48Kunique MVAs (motor vehicle assists) handled

49%reduction in outbound hours annually

Client background

An HGS partner since 2019, this leading global provider of mobility solutions operates three major car-sharing and rental car brands. The company is based in the United States and operates in more than 11,000 locations in approximately 180 countries.

Business challenge

We learned that customer wait times could be lengthy while agents searched for a replacement vehicle. Because crucial minutes passed as agents repeated the task of contacting multiple rental car locations one by one, we resolved to find a faster solution that would improve both the agent and customer experience.

The solution

Develop a fully customized group messaging solution

To speed up the process of contacting various locations, HGS developed and implemented a fully customized group messaging solution that allows an agent to contact all area rental car locations with the same request simultaneously. The agent can then coordinate the replacement vehicle through the first location that replies with availability. Often, this task is performed while remaining on the phone with the driver, eliminating the need for a call back or leaving the driver on a long hold.

Record pertinent info for follow-up

The tool used to send the group message records pertinent information such as the rental contract number, customer name, car make and model or car type, caller ID, and requested location. This information is automatically included in the group message along with the phone number for the follow-up team to discuss options or other details.

Build text and response templates to minimize error

To further reduce agent error and effort, HGS and the client developed predefined messaging templates and automated responses to reply and follow up with locations.

Leverage analytics to provide insights

Detailed analytics, tracking and reporting at messaging, agent, and network level allow HGS and the client to manage KPIs and deliver insights back to the client for future business decision making.

Results

Before the rollout of the new solution, agents could spend up to hours manually calling locations to secure a replacement vehicle. Our innovative group messaging solution not only serves as an additional channel offering for the customer and the rental car location, but it also delivers faster available car tracing to drive positive customer satisfaction. Communication is much easier, as the agent can text the customer information, reducing effort for both parties.

797K messages exchanged with customers and agents

18%reduction in total outbound calls

48Kunique MVAs handled through group messaging solution

49%decrease in outbound hours

In summary, HGS created a fully customized proprietary platform that not only has transformed the customer experience, but has also greatly reduced the agent effort required when interacting with the entire network of rental locations, resulting in higher efficiency, less manual workforce management, and lower costs.