PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 26, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR ) has invested in a series of enhancements to its website infrastructure to provide customers of Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental with a host of new mobile options and features, delivered at significantly faster speeds — even for people using older devices with lower bandwidth.
"As in many other sectors, our customers are increasingly using handheld mobile devices to manage their travel, and they expect the websites they use to perform at a very high level," said Gerard Insall, senior vice president and chief information officer, Avis Budget Group. "Given that our mobile channels are our fastest growing channels, this investment makes sense both for our customers as well as our shareholders."
The new enhancements deliver faster response times on the four currently available mobile platforms — iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry — and also improve the speed and performance of Avis.com and Budget.com, the Company's primary consumer web sites.
In addition to creating and managing reservations, travelers can now use their mobile devices to take advantage of coupons and special discounts, including their Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) and Budget Customer Discount (BCD) codes. Other new features of the Avis and Budget mobile websites include:
- An enhanced menu of cars available at specific Avis and Budget locations;
- The ability to include ancillary products in reservations, including Loss Damage Waiver and other coverages, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, Fuel Service Option, child safety seats and satellite radio;
- The ability to use the mobile device's GPS function to identify the closest Avis or Budget location anywhere in the world; and
- Special offers and deals exclusively for mobile customers, including travel and affinity partner pages to enable customers to get the best deals and prices on Avis and Budget rentals.
"The customer experience is at the core of everything we do, and enhancing our mobile website is no exception," said Jeannine Haas, chief marketing officer, North America, Avis Budget Group. "Partnering with our technology team to bring these state of the art mobile experiences to life is one way we ensure we deliver premium customer service."
The new mobile infrastructure has been enhanced to improve device recognition, with a fluid web design approach that builds web pages that detect the user's screen size and orientation, and delivers a layout designed to fit that exact shape and size.
"There's no such thing as too fast when it comes to delivering online content," said Insall, "and this also goes for people who are using older mobile devices that operate at slower transmission speeds. Everyone will find that it's now easier than ever to rent from Avis and Budget, with greater ability to manage all facets of your rental from your handheld device, all while requiring less user time to complete the arrangements."
About Avis Budget Group
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of vehicle rental services, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 10,000 rental locations in approximately 175 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the world's leading car sharing network, with more than 850,000 members. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com .
Alice Pereira (973) 496-6113
