ICRS Keynote Address Promises to be an Eye-opener
Delegates stand to learn plenty from Europcar Mobility Group CEO
It’s not compulsory for companies in the car rental industry to attend the International Car Rental Show being held March 22-24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. But those who’ve been there before will likely attest to the advantages being offered by the three-day conference. There’s no telling how many project partnerships and industry alliances have been formed at the event, but there’s plenty of anecdotal scuttlebutt out there to suggest that number is pretty high.
Additionally, the subject matter tackled by panel discussions and workshops are timely, running the gamut from competing against ride-sharing companies to the benefits of car connectivity, not only keeps patrons in the loop but also offer suggestions on how to tackle situations and opportunities.
Which is why the decision to have Europcar Mobility Group CEO Fabrizio Ruggiero deliver the keynote address is a wise one. Europe’s been at the forefront when it comes to changes in the transportation industry as a whole, from addressing climate change to toying with different business models.
Europcar’s been boldly examining and ramping up new alternatives that might have players on this side of the pond take notice. In Paris, its new Ubeeqo service, a “multimodality” solution, enables users to rent cars on a per-trip basis, reducing parking and mobility congestion while cutting down on emissions.
In 2019, Europcar introduced SHIFT 2023, an initiative that melds Ubeeqo, InterRent and Goldcar into a fully-integrated technical infrastructure to realize greater efficiencies in a united connectivity fleet while offering a consumer base more vehicle rental options. The company has also enjoyed a partnership with no-frills airline EasyJet to offer a bundle of conveniences and savings to travelling consumers the past 16 years.
Naturally, Europe does have a different culture and economy than what’s in North America, and some issues might be unique to the continent. That said, what Ruggiero is likely to share could be experiences also familiar to players in the North American industry. Some of those undertakings might involve services that have been in play for a while, given that Europcar has had some 70 years of experience in the industry.
Bluebird Auto Rental Systems will also have a booth (323) at ICRS, where it will display the amenities of its new RentWorks Mobile app. The company will also highlight how its integrations partners with CarCloud, CRX, GTS, RentalMatics, Worldpay and Zubie have not only helped extend the reach of Bluebird products to an expanding customer base, but will help the client with improving revenue streams.
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