Avis Budget Group has launched a self-serve, pay-per-kilometre mobility brand in Italy called Smile Rent, targeting budget-conscious and tech-savvy travellers.
Initially launching at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa airports this summer, Smile Rent allows customers to access their rental vehicles via their smartphones. Keys are left inside the cars, which are located in dedicated parking spots near the airport that are reachable by the shuttle service, with the vehicles locked and unlocked using the brand’s app, which is free to download on Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Customers pay per kilometre, meaning they only pay for the actual kilometres covered during the rental period, according to Avis Budget Group. The brand’s fully self-service model and mobile app allow travellers to manage their bookings, costs and any modifications such as an upgrade through their smartphone 24/7.
Commenting on the new brand, Katie Mille, director of strategy – international at Avis Budget Group, said: “This is an exciting step for us as we continue to look at ways to reinvent rental for the present and future needs of different customers and partners. The launch of Smile Rent represents a further step in the path taken by Avis Budget Group to generate innovative mobility solutions. With this launch we are making the rental experience more simple, transparent and on-demand – allowing customers to manage the entire process with complete freedom and autonomy.”
The new brand launch follows Avis Budget Group added keyless technology to its mobile app.
smilerent.com