Rental Car Customer Loyalty Hinges on Trust, J.D. Power Finds

Overly Complicated Vehicles Strain Customer Experience

Customers who give their rental car companies the highest scores for trust are also most likely to reuse that brand for their next rental. However, according to the J.D. Power 2024 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study,^SM released today, overly complicated vehicles, problems experienced during the rental car experience and the inability to choose a specific vehicle can negatively affect trust, thereby damaging customer loyalty. Overall, just more than half (53%) of rental car customers say it was very easy to operate the features and amenities in their vehicle, an issue rental car companies will need to start addressing as in-car technologies grow increasingly complex.¹

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J.D. Power 2024 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study (Graphic: Business Wire)

“When customers feel that a company is genuinely focused on their needs and provides a seamless experience, they are more likely to trust that brand and choose it repeatedly,” said Azari Jones, rental car practice lead at J.D. Power. “Trust fosters loyalty, enhances the company’s reputation and differentiates it in a competitive market. This leads to higher customer retention and positive word-of-mouth. Without this trust, even a well-known brand may struggle to maintain long-term relationships with customers.”

Study Ranking

National ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction with a score of 736. Enterprise (729) ranks second and Sixt (708) ranks third. Overall customer satisfaction for the industry is 688.

The J.D. Power North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study has been redesigned for 2024. Scores are not comparable year over year with previous studies. The study examines customer experience with rental car companies in North America across seven core dimensions (in order of importance): ease of rental; pick-up/drop-off; level of trust; vehicle; staff; value for price paid; and digital tools. It is based on responses gathered from 8,379 business and leisure travelers who rented a vehicle at an airport location during the past year. The study was fielded from August 2023 through July 2024.

For more information about the North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/resource/north-america-rental-car-satisfaction-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2024118.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

¹ J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study

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