Updating Your Policies to Keep Pace With Modern Business Travel

Cooperating on Safety

Safety and security are top concerns when it comes to business travel, with 85% of these decision-makers citing it as either “extremely important” or “somewhat important” when planning business travel.

At the same time, business travelers are more likely to use their own cars than rentals for work trips, with 51% having used a personal vehicle over the past 12 months vs. 44% who used a rental car, according to the study.

This underscores something of a disconnect on safety: personal vehicles tend to be older, and with age comes wear and tear. The average age of personal vehicles has increased to 14 years in the U.S., nine years in the U.K., and 10 years in Germany**. Rental cars, by contrast, are newer, powered by the latest technology, and equipped with the latest safety features.

“A key part of our role is to work with businesses to help them do everything they can to fulfill their commitment to employees’ safety,” says Guadagnoli. “The mutual goal is to make every trip they take by car as safe as possible.”

Working Together to Lower Costs

As economic pressures intensify, the financial scrutiny on business travel is heating up, as well. In this respect, too, incorporating car rental in your travel policy makes good sense.“The convenience of having an Enterprise rental location within reach means your employees are covered,” emphasizes Schultheiss. “That peace of mind is something you can’t really put a price on.”

As noted above, personal cars are more likely to be approved than rental cars, yet rental cars can provide cost savings. Based on analysis conducted with current Enterprise clients, for business trips exceeding 100 miles, renting a car is generally less expensive than driving a personal vehicle. It also eliminates the hassle of mileage reimbursement, reducing administrative burdens on the business and employees.

Moreover, there is an Enterprise location within 15 miles of 90% of the U.S. population and within 20km of 94% of the U.K. population, giving employees the opportunity to pick up a rental car close to home and drive to their destination with minimal additional cost.

“For maximum efficiency, you need to look at all the costs, not just the upfront but the long-term and sometimes hidden costs and liabilities,” says Guadagnoli. “We work closely with each of our corporate clients to make sure the mobility portions of their travel policies are optimized for their balance sheet.”

Making Relationships a Priority

Collaborating with a trusted mobility partner who understands your business can help you adjust to an evolving business travel landscape. We’re committed to building strong, lasting relationships, so as the needs of your business change, you can call on us to consult on the best way forward.

In fact, Enterprise Rent-A-Car® and National Car Rental® consistently outperform other rental brands in the annual Business Travel News® (BTN) car rental survey for “relationship with account managers and sales reps” and “communication with buyers.” Enterprise was also named BTN Europe’s 2023 Mobility Provider Partner of the Year.