Avis India
In today’s time, people are more focused on a business that is mobile friendly following the new-age preference. The mobility solutions help businesses in reaching their height.
An Overview
Avis India is a leading mobility solutions provider especially focusing on the new-age Indians with a robust network that extends across 50 conveniently-located stations in 19 cities. They leverage their fleet of more than 7500 premium cars across the country to provide:
- Chauffeur-drive and self-drive cars
- Cars on operating lease
- Ridesharing/pooling services
- Ground transportation services for weddings and
MICE - Fleet management services
Avis India is the only mobility services provider in India that not only offers mobility services to its customers in India but also offers chauffeur-drive and self-drive car rentals in over 110 countries abroad through their Avis India website and mobile app.
The Inception Story of the Company
Avis India started over two decades ago with 9 offices in 9 different cities. Today, it is proud of its services through 50 rental stations in 19 major business and leisure cities across the country. From the beginning, the challenge was to deliver a consistently higher quality service in an industry with low entry barriers at a compelling price to its customers. The challenge was met through industry-leading technological innovations, highly engaged employees who hold the customer at the center of their existence and leading change in the industry.
With the passage of time, it has been successful in expanding its service portfolio which provides mobility solutions across various segments. These include chauffeur-driven and self-drive cars on rent, vehicles on operating lease and ground transportation & fleet management services. The goal is to cater to the evolving requirements of corporate and retail customers across the country while delivering high-quality customer experience.To stay in step with the evolving needs of its customers, Avis India has launched various initiatives and products that include Avis CARe (a subscription-based fleet management product), employee carpooling or ridesharing with ICVs and EVs, Avis Secure Shuttle for daily commuters, Avis Flexi12 – a short duration lease, e-auction of used vehicles, etc as the future drivers of growth.
The customer-centric approach aided by technological innovations has propelled the company’s revenue 6-fold in the past 10 years.
The Professional Background
Mr. Sunil Gupta (MD & CEO) – He is a B-Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT-Varanasi and PGDM from the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta, followed by management development programs in Leadership and Strategy at Hult Business School, Ashridge, UK and INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.
He has worked with leading MNCs in India across financial, consumers & business services and FMCG such as Hindustan Unilever, Thomas Cook, and Kuoni. His skills in the areas of brand building, new business development and business re-structuring have helped in the creation and execution of strategies that have delivered high growth and profitability to diverse businesses.
For the past couple of years, he has been passionate about the development and deployment of unique IT solutions for customer management and automation of business processes. In the 10 years that he has led Avis, the company’s revenue has grown six-fold, IT solutions have transformed the company and Avis has become a leader in mobility solutions in India, being the No. 1 car rentals and No. 3 operating lease Company.
Coping up with the latest Technology
Technology is driving innovation in almost every sector in the world including travel, which is increasingly becoming a technology-driven activity. Players in this space are leveraging advancements like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to enhance the experience of the travelers. For a smooth technological transition, Avis has been consistently innovating to improve its product and services portfolio and make customer access and processes seamless and smooth.
Avis India has built a safe and scalable business model with technology as the main pillar. It offers unique features in its mobile app that powers all types of bookings worldwide, an e-Rental Agreement provides real-time and GPS-based capture of time and mileage to ensure transparent invoicing to customers and a special focus on women safety is provided through an in-use call-in protocol for all its lady guests through its24X7 Avis Secure Desk. Besides, all their cars come equipped with 2 levels of GPS for real-time tracking and a dedicated assistance button for personalized travel experiences.
Inspiration for the company and how can they inspire others
There are many commendable leaders from whom one can get inspiration for their diverse competencies. The one name that comes forward is Satya Nadela, who was pivotal in helping to shift the image of Microsoft from a dominant tech company to a collaborative workplace that listens to customers and engage positively with regulators worldwide. The transformation of Microsoft from a “closed” provider of operating systems to a giant in the cloud through Azure is truly inspiring.
Remaining true to one’s values, beliefs and convictions are important. And what is equally important is to be seen consistently following them in diverse scenarios and situations, at work and outside work. This is the only way to ingrain values in the company’s culture.
Future Prospects of the company
It has already achieved leadership in the mobility space in India. The customer’s expectations and preferences are changing and the mobility industry is undergoing huge disruption. Thanks to its customer-centric approach, adaptability to change and the leveraging of technological innovations, it is well-placed to stay in step with its evolving customers. This will not only sustain but strengthen its leadership position in the mobility space.
Achievements and Milestones of the company
In the past 10 years, their revenue has grown six-fold on the back of rapid growth in the car rental business, the acquisition of new businesses like the chauffeur-driven service for Emirates First Class and Business Class passengers and the launch of operating lease, fleet management, and employee ridesharing services.
A significant development came after the launch of their Avis Mobile App. It provides digital access to customers seeking its mobility services and is designed to seamlessly deliver a holistic mobility solution to its users across the globe.
Both in 2019 and in 2020, Avis India has been ranked as India’s No 1 car rental company by World Travel Awards.
CSR Initiative
Avis India has taken a CSR Initiative named “Go Green”, to protect the environment through the plantation. Its employees are also encouraged to give back to society by volunteering their time for some charitable activities. In 2019, the total number of manhours spent in such voluntary activities exceeded 2000.
A message to the readers of Business Connect Magazine
As a leader in mobility, its first appeal to the readers is to give the highest priority to personal safety on the road. On a more general note, being adaptable and open to change, having a bias for action over endless data analysis, and having employees who keep the customer at the centre of all their actions is a recipe for success.
