Car rental agent
Help people hire cars and vans so they can get out and about on business and holidays.
Also known as: car rental operator, car rental executive, car hire executive, car hire agent
About the job
What it's like
You would hire out cars to people for work and holidays.
You’d handle all the administration needed to rent vehicles to businesses and the public. You’d explain the arrangements and costs to the customers and you’d help with their questions or complaints.
You would:
Answer customer enquiries about what vehicles are available and what they cost to hire
Take bookings
Explain the terms of the rental or leasing agreements
Check a customer’s driving licence and address
Fill in the paperwork with the customers
Take payments
Show customers to their vehicle and point out any bumps, scrapes or special features
Check the mileage and inspect the cars for damage when a customer brings them back
Respond to customer complaints
You might work for a long time with one business which regularly rents cars or vans from you. In some jobs you may deal with international clients.
Hours
In most full-time jobs you would work 35 to 40 hours a week between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday. You may need to work shifts if you work for one of the larger car hire companies that provide a 24-hour service at major airports.
Environment
You would be based in an office, but may spend some of your time moving vehicles that have been returned. Many employers will provide a uniform.
Travel
You may take people for test drives and will need a full driving licence to do this.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- managing resources
- attention to detail
- respecting
- empathising
- verbal communication
- cooperating
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this job, however some firms ask for subjects at National 4 (SCQF level 4).
Qualifications and experience that demonstrate customer care and retail experience such as Skills for Work Retailing (SCQF level 5) or Scottish Vocational Qualifications in Customer Services (SCQF level 2/3) may also be helpful.
A full driving licence. Some employers prefer at least one year's driving experience.
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