Thermeon Worldwide plc announced that it has signed a global, ten year service agreement with Hertz Corporation for the use of its CARS+ Internet product, a world leading independent vehicle rental software service.
Hertz will deploy CARS+ Internet at the heart of its Hertz Integrated Licensee Transaction System (HILTS), a leading-edge car rental and automation system designed for Hertz franchise partners (licensees) worldwide.
HILTS features comprehensive functions for front and back office, operations, fleet management and systems, enabling Hertz franchises to further improve performance, enhance customer delivery and reduce operational costs.
HILTS will interface with other Hertz internal systems, helping to streamline operations and reduce development costs to the advantage of licensees, the Hertz Corporation, and ultimately, Hertz customers.
The deal cements a long running relationship developed between the two companies over the past 25 years. The agreement follows the successful deployment of the Thermeon product at three hundred Hertz corporate locations in Canada, Brazil and Australia, together with six hundred franchise locations in the USA, Latin America, Europe and elsewhere.
Under the new agreement, the entire operation of the CARS+ Internet service component of HILTS is managed by Thermeon Worldwide through their offices in London and Dublin, California and Sydney (Australia) against strict service level agreements. Hertz will provide first tier support to users through their worldwide helpdesk.
Joseph F. Eckroth, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Hertz Corporation said: "This is an exciting development for Hertz and our extended franchise community. We are confident that Thermeon Worldwide is the right business partner to allow us to bring customers, franchises and Hertz closer together."
Scott Sampson, President, Thermeon Worldwide plc added: "Hertz is the first company in the vehicle rental industry to undertake a global, common platform of such magnitude. We are delighted to play a key role in delivering the benefits of HILTS to Hertz licensees around the world, while supporting Hertz' mission to be the most customer focused and cost efficient player of its kind."
Hertz, the world's largest general use car rental brand, operates from approximately 7,700 locations in 145 countries worldwide. Hertz is the number one airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 69 major airports in Europe, operating both corporate and licensee locations in cities and airports in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, the Company has licensee locations in cities and airports in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Operating one of the youngest fleets in the industry, Hertz is committed to offering its customers the most innovative products and services available that set it apart from its competition, including Hertz #1 Club Gold©, Hertz NeverLost© customized, in-car navigation system, SIRIUS Satellite Radio*, and unique cars and SUVs offered through the company's Prestige, Fun and Green Collections.
Hertz also operates one of the world's largest equipment rental businesses, Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, offering a diverse line of equipment to customers ranging from major industrial companies to local contractors and consumers through more than 360 branches in the United States, Canada, France and Spain.
To make car rental reservations or for more information, customers can call their travel agent, or call Hertz toll-free at 1-800-654-3131. Information and reservations are also available on the web at www.hertz.com.
Thermeon Corporation was founded in 1967 and moved from developing rocket science projects to car rental software in 1974. Corporate customers have included Ford Motor company, Thrifty, Dollar, Hertz and major franchisees of those same organisations together with Budget, Avis, National, Europcar, Advantage, Discount and Sixt and many other non franchise independent operators around the world.
Thermeon Worldwide plc is now the global organisation handling operations on behalf of the three territorial offices in Tustin, California; London, England and Sydney, Australia.
Thermeon creates vehicle rental software, nothing else, and provides a global service via Internet hosted servers. Thermeon was the first in the industry to utilise the Internet for software delivery being one of the early pioneers of the ASP (Application Service Provider) model. It was first again with its CARS+WebRES product, the first fullyintegrated web reservation system for car rental companies and yet again first with it's CARS+WebRENT browser-based car rental counter system.
CARS+WebXG is the latest, ground-breaking technology the company has developed. This is an SOA (service-oriented architecture) capable of communicating with infinite back-end (external) systems and delivering unified data to and from an integrated range of CARS+ front end systems.