Knowledge for rental operators
Expert knowledge on car rental.
Current figures, fraud prevention, law and digitalisation – expertly prepared for practice.
“Rent, Drive, Steal”: The scam of organised gangs with rental vehicles
Front men with forged IDs, high-value SUVs, resale during the rental period: how the scam works – and how to break it.
Misappropriation of rental cars: Why cases rose by 31% in 2024
The BKA recorded over 3,700 misappropriations in 2024 – a rise of 31.2%. What lies behind the trend and how rental operators protect themselves.
Blank documents as a security gap: Why genuine papers enable fraud in the first place
Not only forgeries are the problem – genuine blank documents in the wrong hands too. What this means for verification.
Recognising forged IDs: What car rentals must watch for at handover
A missing letter in the authority stamp can expose a fraud. Why simply copying documents is not enough.
Misappropriation is not insurable: What this means for small car rentals
Why comprehensive insurance usually does not apply to misappropriation – and how prevention becomes the most important safeguard.
Rental and leasing fraud as a growth field of vehicle crime
Why vehicles are increasingly obtained through fake identities rather than classic theft.
Car rentals buy every tenth new car: The market power of the industry
Car rentals and car-sharers take over 10% of all newly registered cars in Germany. What this reveals about the industry's significance.
Rental market 2026: Registration figures reach pre-Covid level again
The first half of 2026 was well above the previous year. A look at the current development of the German rental market.
The Federal Association of Car Rental Companies: Role, tasks and significance for the industry
Over 200 member companies, around two thirds of the market: a portrait of the BAV and why its work is relevant for rental operators.
Short-term vs. long-term rental: Which model pays off when
Short-term brings high daily rates, long-term plannable utilisation. A comparison of the two pillars of car rental.
Residual value risk in fleet planning: Why timing decides the margin
Purchase, holding period, sale: how rentals manage their residual value risk and why data quality makes the difference.
Electric cars in the rental fleet: Opportunities, hurdles and the reality at the counter
Between political pressure and customer scepticism: how rental operators approach e-mobility realistically today.
Growth market car subscription: What rentals can learn from the subscription trend
Flexible use instead of ownership: why the car subscription is growing and where the line to classic long-term rental runs.
Legally secure handover protocols: The most important proof in case of damage
Without a seamless protocol, no insurance pays. What a legally secure handover protocol must contain.
Car rental and data protection: What the GDPR means for customer data
ID data, driving licences, payment information: how rentals process sensitive data in a legally compliant way.
Inspections under control: How rentals avoid costly missed deadlines
A missed inspection appointment can get expensive. How digital reminders reliably monitor deadlines.
Billing extra kilometres correctly: Fairness and transparency at return
Included kilometres, extra kilometres, recalculation: how transparent billing avoids disputes.
Vehicle return outside business hours: How it stays legally secure
24/7 return is a service advantage – if the documentation is right. What matters here.
Digitalisation in car rental: Where small businesses save the most
Paperwork eats time and money. Where digitalisation has the greatest leverage in everyday rental.
Roles and permissions in rental software: Why each employee should only see what they need
Administrator, fleet manager, reconditioner, accounting: how a well-thought-out role concept creates security and clarity.
GPS tracking in the rental fleet: Between security and data protection
Real-time location, remote shutdown, telemetry: how GPS tracking reduces risk – deployed in a legally compliant way.
Systematic reconditioning: How a digital checklist process raises the service level
Floor mats, warning vests, AdBlue, smell: why standardised reconditioning decides customer satisfaction.
Avoiding double bookings: How smart dispatching prevents idle times and frustration
Public holidays, opening hours, availability: how a well-thought-out dispatch calendar excludes double bookings system-side.
The digital vehicle life file: Why every history is worth real money
Rentals, mileage, damage, tyres, maintenance: how a complete vehicle history helps at resale.
Automated emails in the rental process: Communication that runs by itself
From enquiry to invoice: how automated emails save time and improve the customer experience.
Recognising damage at return: New or pre-existing?
The damage comparison decides liability. How to cleanly distinguish new from existing damage.
Keeping an eye on tyres: Tread, pressure and documentation as a safety factor
Tread depth, tyre pressure, manufacturer: why tyre documentation is more than box-ticking.
Capturing optional equipment and assistance systems cleanly
Auxiliary heating, Isofix, 360-degree camera: why accurate equipment records save time and prevent misunderstandings.
Parking tickets and fines in rental: The effort behind every ticket
Who was driving? How rentals cleanly pass keeper liability on to the renter.
From enquiry to contract: The ideal booking process in car rental
How a seamless process from enquiry to contract avoids errors and saves time.
Changing models mid-rental: Flexibility that retains customers
From small car to SUV mid-term: how a clean model-change process boosts service and revenue.
Managing seasonal demand: How rentals smooth out utilisation peaks
Holidays, trade fairs, winter: how to plan seasonal demand ahead.
Renting out vans and commercial vehicles: An often underestimated segment
Moving, trades, logistics: why commercial vehicles are a stable additional business.
Customer loyalty in car rental: Why service decides returns
Price alone doesn't retain customers – a smooth experience does.
Pricing in rental: Daily rates, tiers and add-on services
How rentals structure their prices without selling themselves short.
Accessibility in the rental process
How digital processes improve access to rental services for all customers.
Measuring fleet utilisation: The key figures that really count
Utilisation rate, revenue per vehicle, idle times: which key figures rentals should steer by.
From paper contract to digital signature: Legally secure and fast
How digital contracts save time and stay legally secure.
Winter tyre obligation and rental: What rental operators must consider
Situational winter tyre obligation: how rentals equip their fleet in a legally secure way.
Key management and vehicle handover: Small details, big impact
How structured key and handover procedures avoid friction.
Reviews and reputation: How rental companies win online
Why reviews decide bookings and how to influence them positively.
Sustainability in car rental: Between ambition and profitability
How rental companies reconcile ecological responsibility and profitability.
Expanding to multiple locations: How rental companies keep central oversight
Multiple locations, one system: how central management enables growth.
Onboarding new software: How rental companies get up and running fast
Why structured onboarding decides the success of a software rollout.
Fraud prevention starts with gut feeling: Warning signs at the counter
Which warning signs during rental can point to an attempted fraud.
What an SUV theft really costs a small rental company
The true damage goes beyond the vehicle's value. A sober calculation.
Telematics and driving data: What modern vehicles reveal about themselves
Mileage, warnings, service needs: how vehicle data will flow directly into the software in future.
Why “by rental operators, for rental operators” is more than a slogan
How practical industry experience shapes the quality of rental software.
Your own website for car rentals: Booking, payment, customer account
Why a professional web presence with online booking becomes a growth lever.
Checklist: These 10 points every rental software should cover
A practical guide for choosing the right software.