Dollar Rent A Car 2011 Annual Report Download - page 13

Thrifty Car Sales
Thrifty Car Sales provides an opportunity to franchised rental service providers to enhance or build their used car operations under a well-recognized national
brand name. In addition to the use of the brand name, dealers have access to a variety of products and services offered by Thrifty Car Sales. These products
and services include participation in a full service business development center, a nationally supported Internet strategy and Web site, operational and
marketing support, vehicle supply services and customized retail and wholesale financing programs, as well as national accounts and supply programs. At
December 31, 2011, Thrifty Car Sales had 32 franchise locations.
Other Services
 – Dollar and Thrifty make available loss damage waivers and insurance products related to the vehicle
rental, subject to availability and applicable local law, rent global positioning system (GPS) equipment, ski racks, infant and child seats and other
supplemental equipment, offer a Rent-a-Toll product for electronic toll payments, and sell pre-paid gasoline and roadside emergency benefit programs (Road
Safe and TripSaver).
Airport parking operations are a natural complement to vehicle rental operations. The Company operates 10 corporate parking operations.
 – The Company makes bulk purchases of items used by its franchisees, which it sells to franchisees at prices
that are often lower than they could obtain on their own. The Company also negotiates national account programs to allow its franchisees to take advantage of
volume discounts for many products or services such as tires, glass and long distance telephone and overnight mail services.
Reservations
The Internet is the primary source of reservations for the Company. For the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 76% of the Company’s total non-
tour reservations came through the Internet, slightly increasing from approximately 75% in 2010. During 2011, the Company’s Internet Web sites (dollar.com
and thrifty.com) provided approximately 42% of total non-tour reservations. Third-party Internet sites provided 34% of non-tour reservations, with no third-
party site providing more than 10% of total non-tour reservations. The remaining non-tour reservations were primarily provided by reservation call centers and
travel agents. Dollar and Thrifty reservation systems are linked to all major airline reservation systems and to travel agencies in the U.S., Canada and
abroad.
Marketing
Dollar and Thrifty are positioned as value car rental companies in the travel industry, providing on-airport convenience with low rates on quality
vehicles. Customers who rent from Dollar and Thrifty are cost-conscious leisure, government and business travelers who want to save money on car rentals
without compromising the quality of car rental products and services.
Dollar and Thrifty acquire these value-oriented customers through a multi-faceted marketing approach that involves traditional and Internet advertising,
Internet search marketing, sales teams, strategic marketing partners, and investments in traditional and emerging distribution channels. Each of these
disciplines has a specific focus on selected customer segment opportunities.
Strategic Marketing Partners
Dollar and Thrifty have aligned themselves with certain strategic marketing partners to facilitate the growth of their business.
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