Scot Group Ltd, which operates the Thrifty Car and Van Rental brand in the UK, is launching a new inhouse vehicle rental business to meet fast-evolving business mobility needs.
Dubbed Switch – and accompanied by a standout new logo – the new business will encompass car and van mobility solutions spanning a range of different offerings that will include short-, long-term and flexi-rentals, and will also pivot to leasing and subscription solutions in the longer term.
Scot Group, which has been trading for 50 years and is the largest privately owned UK rental company, said the new business would enable it to be more agile and proactive in how it serves customers – both in the corporate sector and small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) space.
This greater agility enables Switch to support businesses in the post-Covid environment as enterprises accommodate different employee mobility requirements – including hybrid working patterns.
Speaking to Fleet World, Martin Wilson, who joined as MD in 2017 and has near 30 years of automotive experience, said: “Most of our customers know us as Scot Group and most of our OEMs know us as Scot Group, but having a truly independent brand that we own means that we can develop, and we can remodel to the ever-changing world that is happening today.
“If we look at the last two or three years, we’ve seen corporate customers travelling a little bit less because of more Teams and Zoom meetings – the legacy of the pandemic. But we’re starting to see that change now. And customer feedback is that there’s no substitute for face to face. People are wanting to get out more and spend more time together.”
The new business runs across all channels – personal customers, SMEs and corporates – operating from existing Scot Group premises, and will serve customers from 90 nationwide locations.
The premises will be dual-branded as Switch and Thrifty, and Scot Group vehicles – which include some 7,500 vans and 14,500 cars – will also adopt the striking new logo from this month.
Wilson continued: “It’s really exciting for us because we’ve had the Thrifty brand a long time. We will continue to have the Thrifty brand for the foreseeable future. But I think what we learned through Covid is that agility is key with all businesses and whilst Thrifty has been extremely successful for us and we’ve built the brand beautifully, we don’t own that brand, it’s a Hertz brand. We thought it would be prudent and right to be agile and have our own brand and be fresh for the ever-changing requirements of the UK market.
“And there’s a lot of things changing within our space. Obviously, electrification is coming. People are curious about subscription models as well. I think subscription has been something that has been a bit of a buzzword for a long, long time. But people are now seriously looking at and seeing the benefits of that flexibility for probably a slightly increased monthly payment.”
Wilson added that Scot Group is looking at other solutions to meet changing customer needs.
“Customers talk to us about this true flexibility and what does that look like. And that’s everything from corporate car share – so having technology within the car to allow them to have a genuine pool car opportunity as people are using our vehicles more and more for ad hoc journeys – but our customers want to also talk to us about longer-term opportunities, whether that’s a leasing product as well. We will also look to have additional facilities within our subscription service, and we will look to have an insurance product.”
As time goes on, the electric offering will increase as well. Scot Group is also deploying charging infrastructure at its sites, including future-proofed charging facilities and solar installations, to ensure it provides a seamless service for EV rentals and is also partnering with firms that offer charge cards.
Technology is also a key focus for the new company, which is developing IT system to bring new capabilities for customers.
“We’ve partnered with a large software house in London that is in the process of upgrading our systems to essentially allow customers to self-serve. I think that’s the key for making customers relax, everything from the corporate sector to subscription to retail. Essentially, it’s [delivering] very few touch points through our business. The rental agreement starts at one end, and it gets invoiced at the other end. And it’s all automated, both from the customer point of view and, and for the efficiencies of our business to make sure that is seamless and safe, from booking to invoicing.”
Roger Hancock, chairman of Scot Group, said the new business provided an opportunity to extend services beyond the daily rental market.
“We intend to become leaders in all areas of mobility, while continuing to be market leaders in customer service excellence.”
He continued: “Switch signifies more than just a new name for us. It represents our commitment to autonomy and adaptability in the continuously changing market we serve. Switch not only provides us with absolute independence and flexibility, but this new brand will also empower us to navigate future opportunities with agility and confidence.”
Martin Wilson summed up: “Our mission is to continue to drive excellence in the rental industry and deliver the best possible service. Ultimately, we want to make mobility flexible and simple, and Switch will help us to achieve that.”
