Making A Car Rental Transaction Smoother

I have been a car rental Agent at a major company for 10 years now. I know how confusing renting a car can get for those who do not travel often. Maybe this guide can help!

The first step is making a reservation. This is a pretty important step, as there may be a time when you need a car and the rental companies are sold out. Also, making a reservation ahead of time almost always insures a better rate. As with any product in the travel industry, rates are based on availability. So, chances are the earlier you book the better deal you will get.

At the time of reservation you should be prepared to answer some simple questions:

- Dates the vehicle will be needed. Times are also important as most companies base a rental on a 24 hour clock, not calender day.

- The size car you need. Keep in mind passenger comfort, luggage and weather conditions. Chances are if there are 4 of you with luggage, a compact car isn't going to be too comfortable.

- Some companies require a credit card number to hold the reservation. Have it handy, just in case!

Also at the time of reservation, you may want to ask if there are any discounts offered. These may include AAA, Airline certificates, etc. Many companies cannot enter a discount at the counter, so if you don't ask when making the reservation you will not get a discount.

At the end of the phone call you will be given a reservation number. SAVE THIS! Bring it with you to the counter. Computer glitches happen and this will help to find your reservation in that event.

Now you are ready to rent the car. Be sure to bring your driver's license and a credit card in your name to the counter with you! If that "credit card" you are using, happens to be a DEBIT card( A bank issued card tied to your checking account) make sure the company accepts them. These are not credit based and are not truly credit cards, so many companies do not accept them. And those that do, usually have stipulations for their use. Find out BEFORE you go to pick up your car!

Now things are going fine, you have a reservation, you are at the counter and the agent starts asking all these questions! Whoa, you weren't expecting all this! How do you answer? Let's see if I can help.

1. Would you like to upgrade into ..... today? This is a common practice to offer you a larger, sportier, etc vehicle. Usually these are at discounted rates as they are trying to clear an overflow of larger vehicles. Listen

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