Managing rental agreements and vehicle check forms has traditionally been a tedious and expensive process for the vehicle rental industry. If you are used to the traditional paperwork method, you know the headaches it can cause: mountains of documents, hours spent filing and retrieving them, and the constant risk of non-compliance with data regulations. But what if there was a way to digitise these processes, saving you time, space, and money? Digitally managing these tasks can transform your workflow, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
With many businesses still using traditional and lengthy processes, we decided to speak with Rachael Blakey, the Rental Manager at Motorent, to highlight the benefits of implementing a modern approach while explaining how smooth this transition was.
Time-Consuming Processes
As Rachael points out, manually managing rental agreements and vehicle check forms is “time-consuming”. In her previous post as Rental Supervisor, Rachael “witnessed firsthand the extensive effort required to handle all aspects of our paper-based processes. Preparing rental agreements and related documentation was time-consuming. Each rental required printing all documents, obtaining customer signatures, and making multiple copies for our records and the customer. On average, this process could take up to 15 minutes per transaction, which quickly added up during busy periods.”
Filling out forms by hand, ensuring all necessary details are captured accurately, and then filing these documents appropriately is laborious. When a past document needs to be retrieved, it often involves sifting through file cabinets, which can take valuable time away from more critical business operations and is, in Rachael’s experience, “prone to human error, which could lead to misplaced or lost documents.”
High Costs and Storage Issues
Physical storage of documents is not only expensive but also requires considerable space. Rental offices often must allocate large areas for file cabinets, which could be better utilised for other business purposes. Rachael notes that “storing and organising these documents was another challenge we had as a business. We had dedicated storage areas filled with filing cabinets to keep track of rental agreements, inspection checklists, and maintenance records.” Additionally, the cost of paper, printing, and maintaining storage facilities adds up, impacting the bottom line.
Compliance and Security Risks
With regulations like GDPR, ensuring compliance with data retention and security requirements is crucial. Paper documents are susceptible to damage, loss, and unauthorised access, posing significant compliance risks. Manually managing the retention periods of these documents is another layer of complexity that rental businesses must navigate to avoid penalties.
Rachael notes that these challenges significantly motivated a switch to Prohire’s simpler and increasingly efficient solution. “Handling paper documents was a major drain on our time and resources. The promise of streamlining our processes, from vehicle inspections to rental agreements, was very appealing. The ability to quickly and accurately document vehicle conditions, process rentals, and retrieve records electronically offered a clear path to improving our operational efficiency.”
What is Prohire Companion?
Prohire Companion is a cutting-edge digital solution tailored for the vehicle rental industry. It digitises and securely stores rental agreements and vehicle check forms in the cloud, making these documents easily retrievable and manageable.
Key Features and Benefits
- Digital Storage: All rental agreements and check forms are stored in the cloud, eliminating the need for physical storage.
- Easy Retrieval and Classification: Documents are classified under the appropriate client, booking, and vehicle, ensuring quick access.
- Secure Access: Only authorised personnel can access the stored documents, enhancing security.
- Compliance Support: Each document type can be removed based on its retention period, aiding in adherence to regulations like GDPR.
How Prohire Companion Addresses Industry Pain Points
Streamlined Processes and Time Savings
With Prohire Companion, the entire process of managing rental agreements and check forms is digitised. This eliminates the need for manual entry and filing, significantly reducing the time spent on these tasks. Retrieving documents takes a few clicks, allowing staff to focus on more critical customer-facing activities.
Rachael states that, since using Prohire Companion, “One of the most noticeable improvements has been the dramatic increase in efficiency for our rental staff. Tasks that previously took considerable time, such as filling out rental agreements and conducting vehicle inspections, are now completed much faster. The digital processes have streamlined our workflow, allowing us to serve more customers in less time … which has led to higher satisfaction levels and positive feedback.”
Cost Reduction and Space Optimisation
By digitising documents, Prohire Companion removes the need for extensive physical storage, freeing up valuable office space for other uses. The costs associated with paper, printing, and maintaining storage facilities are also drastically reduced, positively impacting the business’s profitability.
Motorent has experienced such benefits, with Rachael explaining how “We’ve saved money on paper resources and reduced administrative costs.”
Enhanced Compliance and Security
Prohire Companion ensures that all documents are stored securely in the cloud, accessible only to those with the necessary authorisations. This reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorised access. The ability to automatically manage document retention periods ensures compliance with regulations like GDPR, minimising the risk of penalties.
With these number of advantages, Rachael believes that “overall, Prohire Companion has empowered us to serve our customers better and achieve our business goals more effectively.”
Make the move from paperwork to a dynamic and efficient system
The switch from paper to a digitised system can be daunting. Rachael states, “One of my primary concerns was the learning curve associated with adopting a new technology. I worried about how quickly our delivery drivers and rental staff would be able to adapt to the new system, especially those who were used to the traditional ways of doing things.”
However, Prohire Companion is easy to implement with the fantastic help of the support team. Rachel believes that the support team were particularly crucial to Motorent’s smooth shift to Prohire Companion; although her company had “many concerns and questions” when they first went digital, “Whenever we had a question, no matter how small, Prohire were fantastic! Their support was instrumental in making the transition smooth and successful.”
Motorent is seeing a number of benefits from their shift to Prohire Companion. Rachael particularly highlights two areas. Firstly, “The customer benefits to others as customers are at the heart of what we do! Faster processing times and accurate documentation enhance the overall customer experience. Prohire Companion helps us deliver a smoother, more professional service, leading to higher customer satisfaction and positive reviews.”
She also believes it’s important to recognise “the enhanced accuracy, the app minimises the risk of errors by allowing for precise digital documentation. This leads to more accurate records, better damage reporting, and fewer discrepancies than traditional paper-based methods.”
Overall, as Rachael states, “The shift to Prohire Companion has drastically reduced inefficiencies, allowing us to reallocate our time and resources to more productive activities and enhance our overall service quality.”
For those in the vehicle rental industry still relying on traditional paperwork, Prohire Companion offers a transformative solution. Digitising and securely storing rental agreements and vehicle check forms not only saves time and reduces costs but also enhances compliance and security. Embrace the future of document management with Prohire Companion and experience a more efficient, secure, and cost-effective way of running your rental business.
