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Car rental agent

Alternative titles for this job include Car rental assistant, vehicle reservation agent

Car rental agents hire out and lease vehicles to businesses and the public.

Average salary (a year)

£17,000 Starter

to

£25,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

How to become a car rental agent

You can get into this job through:

  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

Apprenticeship

You could start by doing a customer service practitioner intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

Direct Application

You could apply directly to work as a car rental agent. Employers may ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in maths and English.

Experience in customer service, office administration or sales work could give you an advantage.

More Information

Career tips

Having the right personality and good communication skills can be more important than formal qualifications.

Further information

You can find out more about working as a car rental agent through Autocity.

What it takes

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • to enjoy working with other people
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • administration skills
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • active listening skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

  • have a full driving licence

Foreign language skills could be useful if you want to work at airports, ports or tourist destinations.

What you’ll do

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day tasks you may:

  • deal with customer enquiries about the availability and cost of vehicles
  • take bookings and explain the terms of rental agreements
  • complete paperwork and take payments
  • itemise a car's condition and any existing bumps or scratches
  • explain and demonstrate any special features
  • check mileage and inspect for damage on returned vehicles
  • book vehicles for cleaning
  • provide ongoing service and sales support to regular business accounts

Working environment

You could work in an office, at an airport or at a port.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

Career path and progression

You could move into a supervisory or management post.

With experience in business leasing accounts, you could become an account manager, or move into fleet management.

Current opportunities

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Customer Service/ Advisor Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £175.00 Weekly
  • Location: Chelmsford

Caravan and Motorhome Technician/Customer Service Apprentice

  • Wage: £156.00 Weekly
  • Location: GARSTANG
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Customer Service

  • Provider: HOPWOOD HALL COLLEGE
  • Start date: 02 August 2021
  • Location:

NVQ Certificate in Customer Service Level 1

  • Provider: BEDFORDSHIRE & LUTON EDUCATION BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
  • Start date: 01 September 2021
  • Location: Bedford
Find courses near you

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