SOUTHERN AFRICAN VEHICLE RENTING AND LEASING ASSOCIATION
RENTAL SECTION
MINUTES OF THE QUARTERLY MEETING
OF MEMBERS OF THE RENTAL SECTION OF
THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN VEHICLE RENTING AND LEASING ASSOCIATION
HELD AT THE JOHANNESBURG COUNTRY CLUB, NAPIER ROAD, AUCKLAND PARK
ON THURSDAY, 26 JULY 2007 AT 14H30
PRESENT :
Mr M Lydell Imperial Car Rental
Ms V van den Bergh SAVRALA
Mr P Pauwen U-Drive
Mr L Smith Avis
Mr G Tindall Hertz
Mr J Odes Hertz
Mr W Duvenage Avis
Mr A Penderis Pender
Ms S Kruger Viamax Fleet
Ms C Terbruggen National Alamo
Mr B Barritt National Alamo
Ms E Tryon Sizwe
Mr F Bissett Autostrata
Ms E McCarthy Autostrata
Ms P Scrooby Budget
Mr A Coward Budget
Ms F Tshabalala Dimela
APOLOGIES :
Ms D Jones Imperial Car Rental
Mr T Shawe Top Notch
BY INVITATION :
Ms S Fletcher Alchemy Financial Services Incorporated
Mr P Liebenberg Go-Go Car Rental
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Action
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1. NOTICE OF THE MEETING
The notice convening the meeting was taken as read.
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2. CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES
The minutes of the previous meeting of the members of the National Executive Committee, held on 19 April 2007 (copies of which had been previously circulated), were accepted and signed by the Chairman as a true reflection of the proceedings.
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3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
All matters arising from the previous minutes would be covered under the agenda.
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Action
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4. PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES
Current – Ongoing
Statistics
The new templates are available. We need a final figure that includes all surcharges, specifically collision damage and theft waivers. Most members give collision and theft except for 1 or 2 members … and we probably need to go back to 2004 to enable us to gather correct statistics. Members will be asked to submit from Jan 04. All MD have also agreed that all info would be submitted by each member. Martin showed all members the new template. Recommendation to publish T&K and waivers separately. Your submission and what the industry as whole has submitted is very confidential. Val will contact members who did not submit the info (going back to 2004). Martin asked for comments on the new template. If you keep it simple, the quality and quantity of information submitted will improve. Martin stated that info would be submitted to members … they in turn must take it up with their teams … and they need to come back with answers.
Tourism and Safety
Members were requested to share any incidents relating to tourism and safety with either Martin or Val so that these issues could be kept on record.
Infoshare
Unfortunately we have gone through a low again. The feedback from the MD’s was that this info was very valuable. Val wanted confirmation from members. The Code of Conduct is about to be signed, but needs to be revised slightly to be in line with the new Credit Act. The names of the defaulters is not put in the minutes of the meeting, but the names do appear on the database. Members need to input the defaulters otherwise the database is not worth it. Val will circulate the minutes so that the MD’s can see whether a representative from their company is in fact attending.
The benefits are great if it is done properly. This is a highly competitive industry and there are questions as to whether it will ever really be done correctly. It is a matter of trust.
Paul said it was not just bad payers … the meetings included companies like VISA / MASTERCARD and Government Agencies..
Members to go back to their teams and reiterate how important it was for them to attend these meetings. We will re-look at this again in 6 months and if members still feel that it is a waste of time then a decision will be taken. Meetings occur every 2nd month and Val van den Bergh chairs the meetings.
THETA
SAVRALA had been nominated to take part in the learnership programme. There were 43 000 unemployed graduates that could be brought into the industry. Val van den Bergh undertook to forward info on how to employ these graduates. A Chamber Meeting had been scheduled for 31 July.
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VvdB
ALL
VvdB
ALL
VvdB
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Action
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Traffic Fines
Val van den Bergh stated that the legal aspects had been dealt with, however, there are now operational issues that need to be dealt with. A workshop has been scheduled for 2 August and it was reiterated that there needed to be member participation.
With regards to IT changes … there could possibly be a solution through the ITC database. All issues will be raised on the 2nd of August and members will be given feedback in October.
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For Info
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HERTZ 3rd party claim
A car was booked from overseas. The car was picked up in South Africa and driven to Namibia. The vehicle overturned and people were killed. A claim was put in against the Road Accident Fund in France. Hertz had to review their terms and conditions and Gareth undertook to advise members of the clause that they had to change.
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For Info
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NEW PROJECTS (limited period)
Useful Guide to Car Rental
This document needed to be revised. Information on drivers licence needed to be included. All costs and fees also needed to be shown. Val would check that the website was also updated.
Tourism Plan 2010
Nobody had any finalised information. The international media have stated that they would need between 13 000 – 15 000 sedans. The question was whether members had this capacity.
Paul Pauwen was meeting with a 2010 official shortly and would give members feedback.
Salary Survey
The document has been sent out and due back on the 20th of August.
Industry Vehicle Category Project
There had only been one meeting to date and it was not very successful. SAVRALA needed to look for any synergies. More thought and input was needed to get this initiative off the ground.
New Member Criteria
It was felt that, when deciding on whether a rental company could join as a member, certain criteria could not be overlooked :
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Participation
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Submitting of statistics
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Paying annual subscriptions
According to the Code of Conduct, if a member has a certain fleet (>500), it is compulsory to submit statistics. This is currently not enforced.
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VvdB
PP
ALL
For Info
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Action
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6. STATISTICS – Jan to June 2007
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Savrala Measured Statistics & Growth Overview :
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Jan to June
07
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Jan to June
06
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% Increase
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Rentals
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1 145 794
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999 497
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14.6%
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Rental Days
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5 859 655
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5 099 821
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14.9%
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Fleet Size
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44 865
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38 788
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15.5%
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Savrala Measured Statistics & Growth Overview - Regional Rental Days
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Jan to June
07
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Jan to June
06
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% Increase
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Gauteng
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2 373 828
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2 014 837
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17.8%
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Natal
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771 544
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666 186
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15.8%
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Western Province
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1 921 153
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1 759 518
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9.2%
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Eastern Province
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510 970
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423 466
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20.6%
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Free State
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162 361
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139 020
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17.5%
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Savrala Measured Statistics & Growth Overview - Accidents
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Jan to June
07
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Jan to June
06
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% Increase
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Rentals
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1 145 794
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999 497
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14.6%
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Accidents
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52 244
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34 296
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51.9%
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Total Cost of Accidentws
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R237 mil
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R178 mil
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32.8%
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Accident / Rentals
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4.5%
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3.4%
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3.55%
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Average cost / accident
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R4543
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R5203
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-13.3%
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Savrala Measured Statistics & Growth Overview - Thefts
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Jan to June
07
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Jan to June
06
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% Increase
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Thefts
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366
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587
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-37%
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Total Cost of Theft
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R24.7 mil
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R20.4 mil
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21.2%
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Action
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7. GENERAL
Waivers
It was agreed that SAVRALA would host a media breakfast … to give the media insight into the Rental Industry.
The problem with the media was that once the article was out the damage was done. It was agreed unanimously agreed that we needed to get Nigel onto our side. Minimum car rental charge is R250 per day including waivers and insurance (for 24 hours) … can’t get a taxi to the airport for that price. If we did not respond to his allegations, the consumer would take what he said as the facts. Nigel had 40 000 subscribers.
Alan Coward stated that we needed to find somebody influential in the industry to address the media at the breakfast eg Brand Pretorius. Margie Gawith had proposed quite a wide base of journalists to attend the breakfast.
Wayne Duvanage reiterated that members needed to check all websites, paperwork … internal and external audits, and inform all staff not to refer to waivers as insurance. The Useful Guide to Car Rental also had insurance terminology. It was agreed that the NEC would look into this.
Elizabeth Tryon mentioned that there had been an article in SAWABONA a while ago, explaining all the different car rental charges. The article was very well written and extremely user friendly. Val van den Bergh would check with whether Margie Gawith had a copy of this article.
It was also felt that a letter from the FSB would go a long way to squash any queries.
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MG/VvdB
ALL
NEC
VvdB
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There being no further business to discuss, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chair.
_______________________________ ____________________________
DATE CHAIRMAN
_______________________________
PLACE
Ref : SAVRALA/Minutes – Rental – 26 July 2007 |