The ongoing overhaul of the Europcar online presence has taken an interesting new turn with the launch of a platform for use on Microsoft Surface in airports.
The idea was first mooted in November 2009 but now the first table with fully functioning tools is set to be installed at Munich Airport in Germany shortly.
Europcar, which has developed the system with UK-based digital agency Fortune Cookie, will equip the system at a number of major outlets elsewhere around Europe from the end of the first half of 2010.
The platform allows users to browse images and route options and then plot a trip on a Bing-enabled map. The tool is obviously completely hand-driven on on the horizontal Surface system.
Once a user has created a trip they will be able to print out a personal planning pack from the Europcar outlet.
Europcar says it will also stream hotel offers through the system.
The system is not exclusive to the Microsoft Surface table – users will also be able to use the system on any touch-screen computer.
Europcar’s global marketing director Jehan de Thé says:
“This approach fits with Europcar’s determination to innovate and facilitate journey planning whilst making car rental a constantly more practical and pleasant experience for our customers.”
I rented a vehicle (pre booked) with Europcar at Munich Airport this week. Although it didn’t take me too long (maybe 20minutes wait) to get to the front of the queue, Europcar seemed to have the longest queues and the most annoyed customers out of all the car rental counters. Maybe they would be better employing more staff than trying to elicit publicity from some technology that I doubt many will use – not many people have time to play with technology when leaving an airport.
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