Magazine for the professional car and truck rental industry.
Issue link: https://autorentalnews.epubxp.com/i/97296
Tom Diaz from the Frontline Performance Group (left), Leslie Saunders (center) of Leslie Saunders: Insurance, Benefts and Training, and Jim Schalberg (right) of Auto Rental Solutions give the fnal presentation. (Above) Edward Crespo (left) from TSD is with Edward Velez (center) from Argentina and Juan Carlos Zuniga (right), who was there to represent Easy Rent-A-Car from Nicaragua. (Left) The three winners were announced and presented with these premium trophies to display at their locations. through countless ���thank you��� letters from customers. The letters range from thanking her on her thoroughness in going over the charges with the customer, to clearly explaining fees and other rental options to how she in general goes the ���extra mile.��� One letter even suggested that she get a pay raise because ���people like her are why customers are satisfed far beyond normal parameters.��� ���Every customer is different,��� Milliken says. ���You���ve got the ones that are in a hurry, the ones that are already mad because they just came off a terrible fight or had a long day of traveling and they just want to get their things and go. But I still fnd a way to make that rapport with them and make a connection with them to turn it around.��� Milliken has also received ���Employee of the Month��� at her location, as well as ���Employee of the Year.��� CORPORATE Veronica Weston, director of vehicle damage claims at Avis Budget Group, is the winner of the 2012 Professional of the Year for the corporate category. Weston has been Bob Barton (left) is president of ACRA and Sharon Faulkner (right) is the executive director. Barton was one of the show���s keynote speakers. One of the event sponsors was Frontline Performance Group. Pictured (from left to right) is Ken Stellon, who spoke at the event, Geoff Toffetti and Ziad Khoury, who was one of the judges for the Professional of the Year awards. with Avis Budget for 11 years and has won seven CEO awards from her department. ���Employees can���t underestimate the impact they have on the customer,��� Weston says. ���Every interaction, every minute of every day can drive the experience from ordinary to extraordinary.��� Weston took the lead on many company initiatives, such as sending monthly customer surveys, implementing a FAQ section on the website and participating in the company���s mentoring program. She also established a ���Department Wall of Fame.��� ���When we go above and beyond just renting a car and provide a positive experience for our customers, we create a customer who will be loyal but also infuential,��� Weston says. ���In our organization we call them ���customer enthusiasts.��� Recognizing the impact employees can have on the customer���s transformation is contagious and inspiring.��� Weston has also worked with nonprofts in partnership with Avis, such as organizing a ���Dress for Success��� clothing drive to provide business attire for disadvantaged women. And in 2011, she was selected by Avis Budget Group as one of 29 women to attend the Women���s Leadership Institute. Chris Brown shakes hand with David Kairalla, who has operations in West Palm Beach, Fla., Datura Auto Rental. (Above) Another keynote speaker was Stuart Greif from J.D. Power and Associates. Greif is the VP and general manager of the global travel and hospitality division and went over the company���s Rental Car Satisfaction Index study. (Right) Nissan took interested attendees outside to check out its new Nissan NV. ABOUT THE AWARDS Auto Rental News received submissions from car rental operators around the globe. To preserve the anonymity of the entrants, references to company and nominee names and locations were removed from each submission before they were evaluated by the judges. Five judges reviewed the entries: Leslie Pujo, attorney/owner of LaPlaca Pujo P.C.; Ziad Khoury, founder and CEO of Frontline Performance Group; Sharon Faulkner, executive director of the American Car Rental Association; Diane Clancy, secretariat of the Association of Car Rental Industry System Standards; and Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News. Submissions were scored on a scale of 0-10 in the following criteria: customer service, operations management, sales, leadership, and industry and community involvement. The nominees with the highest overall score in each of the independent, franchise and corporate categories were named 2012 Professional of the Year. Learn more about the event and awards at www.autorentalsummit.com. AUTO R ENTAL N EWS Fact Book 2013 21