Avis Rent A Car and ARDIS Win Second Annual Wireless Computing Award for ‘Wizard On Wheels’
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. — December 8, 1994 — Avis Rent A Car System Inc. and ARDIS, the nation's first and largest wireless data communications network, received the Second Annual Wireless Computing Award for their outstanding wide area mobile wireless computing solution — "Wizard on Wheels." The award, presented to representatives from Avis and ARDIS last night at the WIRELESS DATACOMM Fall '94 Exposition & Conference in Washington, D.C., was established to recognize users, VARs and manufacturers who make the most innovative use of wireless data communications products and services.
The award-winning Avis/ARDIS wireless solution, called the "Wizard on Wheels" (WOW) wireless data communications system, was developed as a result of Avis' effort to make renting a car a virtually seamless process and the company's desire to expand its Preferred service customer program.
"Avis is pleased to be recognized with ARDIS for developing and implementing technology that provides operational efficiencies that benefit our customers, the traveling public," stated David P. McNicholas, Avis executive vice president, systems marketing and development.
"We are honored to share this award with Avis," said Mary Jane Grinstead, senior vice president of marketing and sales for ARDIS. "As a wireless communications pioneer, Avis is an example of the positive impact wireless communications can have on customer service and ultimately, the bottom line."
Avis equipped 175 of its shuttle buses at 16 major airport locations with mobile data terminals running on the ARDIS wireless data communications network. The Avis courtesy bus driver utilizes the WOW system the instant a Preferred customer boards the bus. By entering the customer's Wizard identification number on the WOW terminal, the bus driver communicates via the ARDIS network to the Avis mainframe at the company's World Headquarters. Within seconds, the mainframe retrieves the customer's reservation information, selects the appropriate vehicle from the location's automated readyline and prints the rental agreement at the express facility.
Simultaneously, the bus driver receives information about the customer's car — what space the customer's car is parked in, the car's make, model and color — and delivers the customer directly to his or her vehicle, where the rental agreement is waiting.
The entire process saves the customer valuable time and eliminates the need to stop at the Avis rental counter. "ARDIS helped us to dramatically increase customer service," said Stanley Schwarz, Avis vice president, administration and yield management. "With Wizard on Wheels, the rental transaction is expedited, enhancing our customer's travel experience."
Avis is the only rent a car company that has implemented a nationwide use of mobile data communications terminals on airport courtesy buses. "WOW has enhanced the level of quality service from our employee-owners, improved our customer satisfaction and helped us increase the number of Avis Preferred customers," said McNicholas. "This wide-scale internal and external success underscores Avis' commitment and leadership role in technological innovation."
Avis is one of the largest employee-owned companies in the United States, with more than 14,000 employees. The Avis system includes approximately 4,800 locations in more than 140 countries around the world, serving both business and leisure travelers.
ARDIS operates the first and largest nationwide radio data information service enabling in-building and on-street data communications between hand-held terminals and host computers. The ARDIS network serves more than 10,700 cities and towns in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and covers more than 80 percent of the population and 90 percent of the business activity in the United States. The service enables executives and mobile workers to access their corporate information systems or to communicate instantaneously with their peers from virtually any location.
ARDIS is a registered servicemark of ARDIS Company.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth McElroy of ARDIS, 708-913-4422, or [email protected];
or
Tom Murphy or Amy Davis of Barkley & Evergreen, 913-432-2600, or [email protected]