Getting To Know Avis Rent A Car
Avis Rent A Car got started in the car rental business early, they did it right, and they grew very fast. It is safe to say that they were one of the first car rental companies ever, they were one of the most innovative companies in their industry, and they were one of the first companies to take the concept of car rental international. Avis Rent A Car started their history with an aggressive policy of success while completely serving the customer and that policy remains in effect today. Avis Rent A Car maintains its status as one of the best in the business while using its status to keep its edge on the competition.
Company Beginnings
Avis Rent A Car was founded by Warren Avis way back in 1946. Warren Avis had an idea to base a rental car company at the Willow Run Airport in Detroit, Michigan. He took $85,000, a huge sum of money for those days, and started the first ever car rental company located at an airport. He put his name on the sign and Avis Rent A Car was born. It did not take long for Warren Avis' concept to catch on and soon he was opening a facility in the Miami International Airport. By 1953, the concept of rental cars at airports became so popular that Avis Rent A Car soon began selling franchises to companies in Europe, Mexico, and Canada. Warren Avis had created a pioneering business and it was not long before he decided to let others run it and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Avis Gets Bigger
In 1954, Warren Avis sold his business to a Boston man named Richard S Robie for the staggering sum of $8 million. Warren Avis had taken an idea that was revolutionary for its time and turned it into a multi million dollar fortune in only 8 years. When he sold the company, Warren Avis had not only established his company name in the United States but he had done so in locations all over the world. Because of his hard work in establishing the Avis Rent A Car brand, the company still keeps his name to this day even though it has been bought and sold numerous times.
In 1960 the Avis Rent A Car European headquarters were established in Britain. Avis was now truly an international company that was owned by a large holding company and had developed many other business interests. Today Avis Rent A Car stands as one of the premier car rental companies in the world and their "We Try Harder" ad campaign -- going since 1963 -- has become one of the most recognized slogans in the car rental business.
