How would you define the Athlon Rent solution?
Frank Braband: “Many of our customers operate in a changing and volatile environment. Athlon Rent responds with highly personalised solutions that support our customers’ needs. In particular, we provide flexible mobility options to cope with uncertain economic outlooks, spot demands or shorter periods of use. Our customers count on us to provide cars and vans for short and medium-term use – from one day to 24 months – without a binding contractual period. What is more, we aim to provide premium services for existing leasing customers and are opening up to new customer groups. In some countries, we have expanded our range to include corporate car-sharing solutions.”
Why is rental an attractive option in B2B fleet & mobility management?
“Companies often find it difficult to meet spot demands or provide vehicles for periods of less than 24 months. Athlon Rent fills this gap. That enables our customers to keep their employees mobile in periods of economic instability, alongside their long-term contracts in the traditional leasing segment. Our flexible rental options enable them to scale their fleet up or down easily without the risk associated with binding contracts over longer periods. We ensure that a wide variety of vehicles can join their fleet at very short notice, building on our excellent relationships with OEMs. As part of our subscription-based plan, Athlon Flex, we have launched innovative solutions focusing on the end-user, the drivers themselves.”
What developments do you predict in the rental business in general and Athlon Rent in particular?
“In general, we expect to see more flexible solutions for vehicle use, especially as economic uncertainty increases. We can see that both leasing and rental companies are expanding their ranges and focusing on medium-term solutions as well as the short term. Rental and subscription products will be extended to cover the private consumer market. Athlon is in an excellent position to do this, as our fully integrated portfolio is available for long, medium and short term usage. Within this range, Athlon discusses the best possible options with its customers, allowing them to select their products according to their needs without changing suppliers.”
Will Covid-19 impact the rental market?
“The Covid-19 crisis has hit the rental market very hard, especially rental companies that had a strong focus on tourism centred around airports. Although this business is recovering, the crisis has accelerated the trend towards less volatile rental business, with less of a focus on tourism. In particular, medium-term rental solutions for cars and vans serving B2B customers have proven to be more robust and offer a second income stream for rental companies. Traditional short-term rental companies have launched new products for commercial and private customers very fast, whereas leasing companies have expanded their offering towards more flexible medium-term rental solutions.”
Why should customers that want to add rental solutions to their fleet & mobility policy choose Athlon as their partner?
“Athlon Rent offers a portfolio of flexible rental solutions, integrated with our leasing and fleet management solutions. Our customers’ business needs are becoming increasingly volatile, so we are working with our teams to provide even more flexible solutions and integrate them completely into one central customer interface. Customers expect a broad portfolio of integrated, flexible and long-term mobility solutions, a consistent level of service across solutions, and powerful digital interfaces to manage their needs. In a changing environment, Athlon is a strong partner that helps customers adapt their mobility to ever-changing economic situations. In other words, they can scale the fleet up and down flexibly. Our key account managers help to optimize cost by finding the best solution for both fleet managers and drivers. As a full-line supplier, we provide one-stop shopping and integrated solutions. We keep on innovating by listening to our customers’ needs, and we implement flexible and pragmatic new solutions.”