Give customers a loaner or lose business - 1car1

Why maintain your own loaner fleet, at a substantial cost to your business, when you can use a company that will provide a free-of-charge car to the customer providing the accident is the fault of another party?

That's the question asked by 1car1 director James Frape, who estimates that, on average, a car is in a workshop from between 12-14 days.

"Based on 150 such accidents, the commission paid to bodyshop clients, by 1car1, for loan vehicle usage will cover the cost of an apprentice for 12 months. Higher commissions are paid for longer periods and in some cases those funds will cover the cost of a fully qualified tradesman," Frape added.

"If a customer has been involved in a car accident, that was not their fault and the bodyshop is a 1car1 client, the company does most of the paperwork to put the client back into the driving seat of a car that is the equivalent of the vehicle they are having repaired.

"This is at no cost to the not-at-fault driver. The cost is claimed back from the at-fault driver's insurance company by 1car1."

North Sydney-based 1car1 Car Rentals Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of the Uk's largest independent car rental company.
It controls a 150-car fleet that is expanding throughout the eastern states and beyond.

Frape said it is natural that bodyshops want to take care of their customers but giving them out-of-date, marginally safe, older cars to get around in, is not the answer to loan car arrangements.

"We already have many bodyshop customers who are using our service and we are adding customers every week.

"Bodyshops throughout the industry are learning that with a company like ours they can have a fleet car, in a very short time for a customer, that will make them mobile.

"The shop won't have to maintain any vehicles, that's done by 1car1 and they earn a commission by doing it.

"It's a no-brainer.".