Monday, May 28, 2007

Rental Cars, Building a Business that Never Goes Out of Style

Why start a car rental business? Well a rental car company makes a lot of sense for many reasons, not the least of which is because rental cars are utilized by many companies for their employees, and for pick-up and drop-off services.

In order to start a rental cars business, carefully examine and analyze the viability of the idea. Research and study of your car rentals competition can help you decide whether your venture is a wise one or not. Is there a demand for rental cars in a particular location? Are people out looking for rent a car deals? Are they looking for cheap car rentals? If there is a demand for rental cars, what is the extent of the demand? Who rents cars, individuals or businesses? So many questions, it's crucial to ask them all and more!

Your car rental company, like any other business, must start with a legal structure. Name and register this business, and obtain ample insurance coverage. Look around for the best coverage at the best price. It is also necessary to consult an attorney for information on obtaining the proper permits and licenses to operate a rental car company.

Before you start your rent a car business, you must be appropriately capitalized. Most businesses that are unable to survive, go under for lack of funding. Make sure that doesn't happen to you by estimating start-up costs and carrying costs. Don't expect to be completely rented out at first, as it will take time for your business name to get known and for people to come looking to rent a car from you. You need to be able to pay the bills in the meantime, as well as maintenance on your rental cars.

An ideal location for your rental car business may be in or near an airport. Airport car rentals are always in high demand! You may want to target heavily visited airports where there is space available for your new business. If the site is away from the airport, it will be necessary to provide shuttle service to and from the rental car lot. Take that into consideration when budgeting for costs. You will also need shuttle drivers, staff to service the desk, and someone to review the cars upon return. Expect to pay for advertising as well, in the yellow pages, travel brochures, and websites.

Cheap car rentals are enormously popular. If you can provide great car rental deals in good locations, your business can be a huge success!

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