Avis South Africa was voted the World’s Leading Business Car Rental Company at the World Travel Awards in 2010.

Here Breaking Travel News catches up with chief executive Wayne Duvenage to see how the organisation is faring in 2010.

Breaking Travel News: You were voted World’s Leading Business Car Rental Company at the 2010 World Travel Awards. What have you done this year to win the recognition of the corporate market?

Wayne Duvenage: Avis South Africa has remained highly competitive and driven the variable pricing model deeper into the car rental industry.

We have also led the way in the area of sustainable business practise which had made us one of South Africa’s greenest companies and certainly a leader in our industry, whereby we recycle over 75 million litres per annum, are reducing our energy use and were the first Carbon Neutral company in South Africa. 

Our approach to customer service with our rigorous customer satisfaction index is unique to Avis SA, whereby we conduct over 3,500 interviews with customers every month and is at the highest levels achieved.

BTN: What have you in the pipeline that will insure you remain the world’s leading business car hire company?

WD: Continued innovation in the area of CRM and communication with our customer. 

Innovative electronic tools to connect with Avis in the on-line “direct connect” and mobile device space has received up to date intervention by Avis South Africa.

BTN:How would you describe the current climate of the car rental business?

WD: Fiercely competitive with a drive for efficient processes and high service standards, all of which encompasses a lot of the energy and focus at Avis. 

The industry is in a consolidation mode and will see brands combining as they have in the past for greater efficiency.

BTN: And how is this influencing how you operate as a business in the long-term?

WD: It makes us leaner and far more efficient in the long run, enabling us to remain highly competitive without compromising quality and standards.

BTN: What plans do you have to reduce your carbon footprint?

WD: Avis SA is a Carbon Neutral company (Scope 1 & 2 Emissions), through an offset program, combined with energy use reduction strategies in place.  We are also engaging with vehicle importers and manufacturers to introduce greener technology to reduce vehicle emissions.

BTN: How would you like the Avis brand to evolve?

To maintain its leadership position, not only in competitive car rental services, but as a responsible global citizen, service standards and through additional transport solutions.