What functionalities does the Approved Counter System provide for a Dollar Rent A Car franchise?
Dollar_Rent_A_Car Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
e from $0 to $500 per year. You cannot deviate from the specifications without our previous written consent. (Franchise Agreement, Section 12.19.)
Your hardware and software that is part of the Computer System must be able to interface with our data transfer and acquisition systems via a dedicated telephone line modem or dedicated network connection (if we require), including any data transmission or retrieval system, capable of handling rental check-in and check-out, office administrative functions, reservations, customer profiles, intercity transactions and other pertinent information. You may be required to pay for (or the hardware or software provider may be required to pay for) any costs or expenses required by us, whether on our end or at the provider's end, to interface with our system. The hardware and software that you use in connection with the counter operations for Your Franchised Business, including your "counter automation system" software is referred to in this Disclosure Document as the "Approved Counter System." The Approved Counter System will support multiple offices and rental fleets, print rental agreements, handle multiple deposit and payment methods, and prepare numerous reports concerning the operation of Your Franchised Business, among other things.
You must purchase and utilize a "counter automation system" for Your Franchised Business. Counter automation systems are software systems that maintain "ready to rent" information of cars in each category, provide a preferred customer database to facilitate reservation and rental processing, as well as rate and rental information. You must pay any fees or expenses associated with any third-party software agreement and comply with the terms of any such agreement. We use these systems to transmit reservation information to you in a format that we require and to collect and monitor closed rental agreement information from Your Franchised Business by electronic polling.
The following counter automation software systems are currently the only software approved for use as part of your Approved Counter System:
- (i) Cars Thermeon Corporate Services, Santa Ana, California;
- (ii) Bluebird Auto Rental Systems, Dover, New Jersey;
- (iii) The System Distributors, Inc., North Andover, Massachusetts;
- (iv) Fourth Tier Solutions, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom;
- (v) Karz Systems, Inc., Evans, CA; and
- (vi) Capture (Overland West, Inc.), Ogden, Utah.
We reserve the right to change the counter automation software systems, in which case you must, at your expense, purchase new software licenses.
As of the date of this Disclosure Document, you must lease or purchase the counter automation software systems from the approved suppliers as listed in the above paragraph, or other suppliers as we may designate in the Operations Guide. You must purchase software support from the approved suppliers (if offered by them). A counter automation software system is licensed to you and the license is not transferable.
We estimate that the costs for your Approved Counter System, which consists of the hardware and software, will be between $11,500 to $250,000, depending on the number and extent of the Approved
Counter Systems that you choose to install. If you wish to have the approved supplier provide maintenance and equipment support services, you will sign an agreement with the supplier.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 61–69)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dollar Rent A Car's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Approved Counter System is the hardware and software used for counter operations within the franchised business. This system is designed to interface with Dollar Rent A Car's data transfer and acquisition systems through a dedicated telephone line modem or network connection. It is capable of handling various functions critical to the rental business.
The Approved Counter System supports multiple offices and rental fleets, enabling franchisees to manage larger operations efficiently. It can print rental agreements, which is a fundamental aspect of the rental process. The system also handles multiple deposit and payment methods, providing flexibility for customers. Furthermore, it prepares numerous reports concerning the operation of the franchised business, offering insights into performance and areas for improvement.
Dollar Rent A Car requires franchisees to purchase and use a counter automation system, which maintains real-time information on available cars in each category. This system also includes a preferred customer database to streamline reservation and rental processing, along with rate and rental information. Dollar Rent A Car uses these systems to transmit reservation information to franchisees and to collect and monitor closed rental agreement information electronically. The approved counter automation software systems include Cars Thermeon Corporate Services, Bluebird Auto Rental Systems, The System Distributors, Inc., Fourth Tier Solutions, Karz Systems, Inc., and Capture (Overland West, Inc.).
The cost for the Approved Counter System, including both hardware and software, is estimated to range from $11,500 to $250,000, depending on the number of systems installed. Franchisees may also need to purchase software support from approved suppliers, if offered. The number of computer workstations required depends on the size of the rental fleet; for example, 2, 3, and 4 workstations are estimated for fleets of up to 100, 200, and 300 rental cars, respectively.