2024 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference – September 15 – 18, 2024
Planning is well underway for the 2024 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference in September. The conference is set for Sunday through Wednesday, September 15 – 18, 2024. Click here to review the draft schedule (2024 ACRA DC Conference Draft Schedule).
The Conference’s Tuesday policy education sessions on Capitol Hill will shift from the Capitol Visitors Center to the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building due to the increased registration at the 2024 Conference – we simply outgrew the CVC conference rooms! For those of you with a love of history, the Kennedy Caucus Room has been the location of some of the most famous congressional hearings in the last 120 years – from the inquiry into the sinking of the Titanic to the Watergate hearings to the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Thomas. While ACRA’s policy discussions may not make the front pages of the New York Times or the Washington Post in September, the Kennedy Room will be a great place to hear from legislators, congressional staff, and stakeholders on the policy issues of importance to the U.S. car rental industry.
To register for the 2024 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference, click here: Registration for 2024 ACRA D.C. Conference. To reserve your room at the Westin in Arlington, please follow this link to secure the ACRA conference rate: Book your group rate for American Car Rental Association 2024. The deadline for the room block is August 19, 2024.
Remember, the 2022 and 2023 ACRA D.C. Conferences sold out and the hotel ran out of rooms for attendees. So, please jump on these registration and room opportunities now so you are not excluded from the conference in 2024!
ACRA Releases Vehicle Data Access Academic Cybersecurity Papers
ACRA on June 10, 2024 released two academic papers by cybersecurity experts that both support the conclusion that there is no additional cybersecurity risk to providing vehicle owners with direct, real-time access to the data being generated by their vehicles (Dempsey Paper & Hoffman Paper). ACRA shared the studies with the media, as well as with legislators and their staff on Capitol Hill. Some stakeholders have argued that maintaining direct and real-time access to a vehicle’s data would pose a cybersecurity risk. ACRA commissioned these papers to offer definitive independent conclusions that such arguments do not stand up to academic scrutiny.
House Vehicle Data Access Legislation
A new draft of “right to repair” legislation approved by a House subcommittee in 2023 is being circulated on Capitol Hill (H.R. 906 Redline) and – from ACRA’s perspective, the bill is getting worse, not better. This new draft would allow vehicle manufacturers to charge vehicle owners (whether individuals or fleets) for access to their owner vehicles’ data, and potentially withhold access altogether to data unrelated to repair and maintenance data. It has been rumored that the House Energy and Commerce Committee may take up the new draft in July. ACRA and its vehicle data access allies have already registered our objections to the new draft and will oppose all efforts to move the current draft bill forward.
Other Federal Legislative and Regulatory Updates
- Tax Bill – Unfortunately, the legislative news with respect to extending 100% full expensing for personal property is non-existent. There is a slim possibility that Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) will schedule Senate floor time for the bill in the coming weeks and in essence dare Senate Republicans to vote against a bill supported by a broad coalition of business interests. If that doesn’t happen, then a federal tax bill will have to wait until the “lame duck” session after the 2024 elections or until 2025 when many of the tax provisions in the 2018 federal tax reform bill expire.
- Data Privacy – One of the more surprising events – at least on Capitol Hill – of June 2024 was the last-minute decision by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to cancel, at the last minute, committee consideration of a compromise data privacy bill. On June 26th, McMorris Rodgers unveiled a revised data privacy bill that enjoyed the support of the ranking Democrats on the E&C Committee — Reps. Pallone (D-NJ) and Schakowsky (D-IL). However, on June 27th, minutes before convening committee consideration of the new bill, the session was cancelled due to objections to the new bill from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who apparently had heard substantial objections from some members of the business community.It remains to be seen whether the revised bill – the “American Data Privacy Act of 2024” (H.R. 8818)( HR 8818 Text) will be slated for further consideration in the House in the near future or is dead for this Congress. There has been no movement on a Senate version of a data privacy bill in 2024.
- OSHA “Heat” Rule – The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has sent a proposed rule entitled “Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings” to the White House for review before publication. ACRA members may be interested in following this proposal as many industry employees are engaged in activities outside of offices (https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking).
- Groups Sue Over ZEV Mandates – A broad cross-section of stakeholders – including gasoline and biofuel manufacturers, as well as motor fuel marketers – sued EPA over its 2024 “tailpipe” regulations that would require a majority of light duty vehicles sold in the country to be zero emissions vehicles by 2035 (AFPM AAC I Release). The lawsuit will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, likely sometime in early 2025.
Guest Column by Jon Dill, Director of Operations, NPN Auto Group (jon.dill@npfranchisegroup.com)
The Hilarious Guide to Hiring Right: Personality Assessments to the Rescue!
Do you often find yourself scratching your head while hiring, wondering if you’ve accidentally brought in a unicorn instead of a team player? Do you wish you could motivate your staff with something more inspiring than free coffee and motivational posters? And hey, who wouldn’t want to save a buck or two while improving customer service? If you’re nodding along like a bobblehead on steroids, then my friend, personality assessments might just be your ticket to workplace nirvana.
Let’s start with hiring, shall we? Picture this: you’re on the hunt for a counter agent, someone who can charm the pants off even the grumpiest of customers. But instead, you end up with a candidate who avoids human contact like it’s a contagious disease. Cue the long lines and poor add-ons penetration. Enter personality assessments! They’re like the Sherlock Holmes of the HR world, sniffing out the introverts from the extroverts faster than you can say “awkward handshake.”
And what about those service agents? You know, the ones who should be rolling up their sleeves and diving into manual labor like it’s an Olympic sport? Forget about hiring someone who breaks into a cold sweat at the sight of a bucket and brush. With personality assessments, you can pinpoint the folks who actually enjoy getting their hands dirty. It’s like having a crystal ball that tells you whether your candidate is more at home with computers or a hose.
But wait, there’s more! Once you’ve assembled your dream team, personality assessments can help you crack the code of motivation. No more generic pep talks or fruitless attempts at team-building exercises. Now you can tailor your approach to each individual, like a motivational ninja armed with personalized high-fives and fist bumps. Because let’s face it, what gets Susan fired up might leave Dave scrolling through cat memes.
And let’s not forget the sweet sound of cha-ching echoing through the corridors. By hiring the right people for the right job and keeping them happy and motivated, you’ll be saving more dough than a coupon-clipping grandma at a yard sale. Say goodbye to costly turnovers and hello to a workforce that’s so content, they practically do cartwheels to work every morning.
Oh, and did I mention the cherry on top? Improved customer service! With the right people in the right positions, your customers will be treated to a level of service so delightful, they’ll start spreading the word faster than gossip at a family reunion. And when your staff stick around long enough to become bona fide experts in their field, well, that’s when the magic really happens.
So, there you have it, folks. Personality assessments: the not-so-secret ingredient to hiring, motivating, and retaining the best darn workforce you’ve ever seen. It’s time to wave goodbye to wrong hires and say hello to better customer service, lower expenses, and a more efficient and effective operation.
My suggestions for vendors to consult with for personality assessments: DISC (https://discpersonalitytesting.com/free-disc-test/), Wonderlic (https://wonderlictestpractice.com/), and Myers Briggs (https://www.mbtionline.com/). Neither I or NPN have any connection to these vendors – just some ideas to get you started if you are so inclined.
Guest Column by Natasha Sonawane Berry, Head of Marketing, Coastr (natasha@coastr.com)
How SEO Supercharges Your Car Rental Business?
This column is designed to educate car rental operators in the USA about the benefits of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for their business. By understanding and implementing SEO, you can significantly increase customer acquisition and stay ahead of the competition.
The car rental industry is highly competitive, with numerous businesses vying for the same customer base. Here are some key statistics to consider:
- The global car rental market was valued at $92.92 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $141.93 billion by 2028 (source).
- In the US alone, the car rental market generated approximately $28 billion in revenue in 2020 (source).
- There are over 200,000 monthly searches on Google for terms like “cars for rent near me” (source).
Given this competitive landscape, it’s crucial to ensure your business stands out online. This is where SEO comes into play.
What is SEO and How Does It Help Car Rental Companies?
Optimizing a website for search engines (SERPs) is known as search engine optimization (SEO). In simpler terms, it means making changes to your website and content to make it more attractive to search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. This increases the chances of your website appearing higher in search results when users search for relevant keywords or phrases.
How Does Google Rank Your Website?
Google ranks webpages using an intricate algorithm that takes into account hundreds of variables. Some of the key factors include:
- Relevance: Google evaluates how well your website content matches the search query.
- Quality: High-quality content that provides value to users is prioritized.
- User Experience: Websites that are easy to navigate and mobile-friendly rank higher.
- Backlinks: Links from other reputable websites to yours signal trust and authority.
- Page Speed: Faster loading pages are favored by Google.
By focusing on these elements, you can improve your website’s ranking and visibility on search engines.
What Are the Benefits of SEO for Car Rental Companies?
- Increased Visibility: SEO boosts the online visibility of car rental businesses, ensuring they appear prominently in search results and are easily found by potential customers.
- Enhanced Credibility: High search engine rankings imply trustworthiness, enhancing the credibility of car rental brands.
- Competitive Advantage: Effective SEO strategies can outperform competitors in search rankings, attracting more customers and gaining market share.
- Cost-Effectiveness: SEO is a cost-effective marketing solution, generating organic traffic without continuous advertising expenses.
- Targeted Traffic: SEO draws in highly relevant traffic by focusing on particular keywords, which raises the possibility of conversions..
- Improved User Experience: Optimizing website structure and content improves the user experience, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention.
What Are the Key Strategies for Improving SEO Ranking?
Here are some elements to focus on for the best SEO strategies for car rental services in 2024.
1. Understanding and Addressing Search Intent –
Every search online has an intent behind it. Search intent, also known as user intent, originates from a search query, and the material that shows up on Google’s top few pages ensures that users are getting what they’re looking for. Typically, there are four types of user intent:
- Informational: Users seek to learn more about a topic. For instance, customers frequently inquire, “How much does a car rental cost?”
- Navigational: Users search for a specific webpage or physical location. For instance, users can take to Google to find “cars on rent near me.”
- Commercial: Users research before making a purchase. An example would be a client looking for “reviews of XY car rental company” before renting a car.
- Transactional: Users intend to complete an action or purchase. To provide an example, clients would search for “car rental software pricing.”
2. Strategic Use of Primary Keywords –
Primary keywords are basically target keywords that should be strategically placed on your car rental website. These keywords are the primary keywords that are included in title tags, headers, introductions and URLs that help with ranking in Google.
For instance, when optimizing for car rental services, identify popular keywords such as “car rental,” “bike rental,” or “car-sharing.” To find high-volume keywords for their car rental businesses, companies can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
3. On-Page Optimization –
Make sure that the title tags, meta descriptions, header tags (H1, H2, H3), and image alt attributes on every page of your website contain pertinent keywords. Maintain a natural incorporation of keywords while prioritizing readability and relevance. For example, optimize title tags and meta descriptions with phrases like “Car Hire USA” or “Long-term business car hire” to enhance search visibility.
4. Content Marketing –
Car rental companies should also create a content marketing strategy that focuses on sharing information related to car rentals, best practices, safety tips, and city and destination guides. Car rental businesses can do content marketing in the form of blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos using targeted keywords.5. Mobile Optimization –
According to a study by the Pew Research Center in 2015, 86% of people in the US have a smartphone and prefer using it over their PCs and laptops. Since then, there have undoubtedly been more users, and considering how common mobile phones are now, practically all users utilize them to search for services and answers to questions. For this reason, it’s important to optimize your website in a way that is mobile and user-friendly so that it ranks on Google.
6. User-Generated Content and Reviews –
Encourage your customers to leave reviews and comments on your services. Organic and fresh reviews will help car rental companies optimize their visibility on search engine results pages.
7. Local SEO for Car Rental Businesses –
Improving your local presence begins with setting up your Google Business Profile properly. Make sure all your business info is there, so customers can find you easily. It is advisable to solicit positive feedback from satisfied clients in order to increase your online visibility and build greater confidence for your mobility company.
It’s crucial to list your company in local directories and to maintain consistency with your business’s name, address, and phone number across all platforms. This helps more people find you online.
8. Backlink Building –
When it comes to ranking on search results, Google always prioritises websites with good authority. To build the authority of your website, get other reputable sites to add quality backlinks to it. To break it down for car rental companies, if you have other reputable websites linking to yours, search engines will treat these links as recommendations for being trustworthy and important.
As a car rental company, you can look for quality backlinks from well-respected websites in domains such as transportation, travel, and urban mobility. Some ways in which you can increase backlinks are through guest postings and collaborations. However, it’s important to employ only proven and genuine strategies for SEO and avoid any black hat techniques.
9. Image Optimization –
Optimize the picture that you add to your car rental website by compressing its size and reducing its loading size. Add alt texts to the images for SEO.
10. Page Loading Speed –
Improve your site’s loading speed, especially on mobile devices, to enhance the user experience and SEO performance. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to improve and optimize loading times.
11. Regular Website Audits and Maintenance –
Regularly audit your website for issues like broken links, duplicate content, and slow loading times. Stay updated on search engine trends to adapt your website for better performance and competitiveness.
_____________
By implementing these SEO strategies tailored to the unique needs of car rental companies, you can effectively expand your business reach, attract more customers, and establish a strong online presence in this dynamic industry.
ACRAPAC D.C. Congressional Reception
ACRAPAC’s Congressional Reception at the D.C. Car Rental Conference in September will be on the evening of September 17, 2024 on Capitol Hill. Attendees are limited to 2024 ACRAPAC contributors. Plans are to invite a select and senior group of House and Senate legislators to join ACRA members for another successful D.C. PAC reception. If you have questions about ACRAPAC, please contact Sharon or Greg.
ACRA Membership Activity
New Regular/Operator Member
- Neo Van Rentals, Dundee, OH
New Associate/Supplier Member
- Hemly Insurance Group, Greenville, SC
Renewed Associate/Supplier Member
- Safo US Inc. Orlando, FL