How does Dollar Rent A Car use the counter automation systems to interact with franchisees?
Dollar_Rent_A_Car Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
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 brand uses counter automation systems to transmit reservation information to franchisees and to collect and monitor closed rental agreement information from the franchisee's business via electronic polling. These systems, referred to as "Approved Counter Systems," must interface with Dollar Rent A Car's data transfer and acquisition systems through a dedicated telephone line modem or network connection. The franchisee may be required to cover the costs associated with ensuring this interface, whether incurred by Dollar Rent A Car or the hardware/software provider.
The Approved Counter System supports multiple offices and rental fleets, prints rental agreements, handles various deposit and payment methods, and generates reports about the franchised business's operations. Franchisees are obligated to purchase and use a counter automation system, which maintains information on car availability, manages a preferred customer database, and provides rate and rental details. The franchisee is responsible for any fees associated with third-party software agreements.
Dollar Rent A Car has the right to access and retrieve electronic data from the franchisee's computer system 24/7. This data includes information on rental transactions, vehicles, reservations, customer profiles, and general ledger data. Dollar Rent A Car has unrestricted access to this information, including the ability to electronically poll daily data and customer interaction details. All data collected from the franchisee's system, including customer data, is owned exclusively by Dollar Rent A Car, which can use the data as it deems appropriate without compensating the franchisee. The cost for the Approved Counter System is estimated to be between $11,500 to $250,000, depending on the number of systems installed.