"Our mobile devices are changing how we live, have made new things possible and created a new market place where customers now want us to come to them. We have therefore decided to shift our service forward into the future, making what we do easier, smarter and simpler,” says Paulette McGhee, CEO of Bidvest Car Rental.
“Most often, car rental happens at the end of an arduous travel process. With Snappdrive, we eliminate any further hassle or waiting, with the traveller’s phone leading them straight to their waiting vehicle,” she continues.
The app will allow users to locate their car via their phone's built-in GPS, as well as unlock and start their vehicles without a physical key. Once customers have found their vehicle, they press the ‘unlock’ button on the app and to start the engine, they simply press the Start button. Users receive an SMS prior to when the car is due back – this provides an opportunity for the customers to extend their rental period should they wish to do so.
“It really is as simple as arrive, unlock and drive,” says Gaynor Von Loggenburg, executive for sales and marketing.
Telematics will also allow the rental company to track the vehicles and collect real-time data on speed, mileage and fuel usage, allowing real-time fleet management for both Bidvest and their customers.
The Snappdrive app will be rolled out in two phases. For the first phase, the product will be available only to Bidvest’s Car Rental Corporate customers and deployed in a separate vehicle group at the four major locations: OR Tambo, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and King Shaka airports.
Phase two will be introduced to premium vehicle groups and other markets with added functionality to Bidvest customers. The date for phase two is still to be announced.
“We have opted to launch with basic functionality and then roll out in quick phase updates,” says McGhee.
Snappdrive is available from Apple's App Store and the Google Play store.
