Matching a hire car to your passengers and luggage
Tell the team how many people will travel and how many cases, buggies or bulky bags you expect. Seating and boot space are separate questions. Say whether you need an automatic or are happy with a manual, and mention any child seat request early so it can be checked before you are quoted. Include details for every driver who may take the wheel.
Finding a car to suit the trip
Start with the journey and pick the car to match it. Smaller cars are suited to city driving and short stays, automatics make local driving easier, estates and SUVs give more room for luggage, and people carriers are a better choice for families or small groups. The range available includes the Fiat 500, VW Golf, Ford Focus Estate, Ford Focus Automatic and Hyundai i10 Automatic, subject to dates, driver details and availability. The precise make, model, transmission, seating, payload and licence position are confirmed when you are quoted, so treat the vehicles listed as a guide to the kind of hire on offer rather than a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Preparing for a work trip
Start by writing down the appointments you cannot miss, with their times and addresses, and build the hire period around them. Note how many colleagues or samples will be travelling with you, since the car needs to serve the whole itinerary rather than just the driver. If meetings might overrun, consider whether the dates allow some flexibility rather than planning the tightest possible schedule. Keep the addresses of each destination to hand, along with any parking arrangements you already know about, so the day runs without guesswork. Mention the nature of the trip when you enquire, because a day of short local visits and a long motorway journey place different demands on the vehicle. A written itinerary also helps if plans change and timings need to be reworked.
Keeping a flexible day plan
A flexible plan serves business travellers better than a rigid timetable. Build in gaps between commitments so that a delayed meeting or an unplanned detour does not derail the rest of the day. Identify which appointments are fixed and which could be moved if necessary, and note this alongside each entry in your schedule. If the trip involves several days, decide in advance what you will do if an extra journey is needed, and raise the possibility when discussing the hire dates. Share the itinerary with anyone expecting to meet you, so they know when you are on the road. Keeping the plan in a note you can update on the move means adjustments can be made without starting again from scratch.
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What to confirm on the phone
Before you confirm the hire, check the key details: vehicle availability, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for, along with driver age, licence history, the deposit, the insurance excess and any travel abroad. A clear request gives the date, the length of hire, the rough route, the delivery or pickup address, the expected passengers or load, and any particular requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.