Mobile is playing a critical role for car rental company Hertz Corp. as it looks to expand its sharing service Hertz On Demand with a strategy that includes a new mobile Web site for facilitating a faster, simpler reservation process.

On the mobile site, users can make, modify and cancel car reservations in any Hertz On Demand city. The Hertz On Demand pay-as-you-go service provides members with access to vehicles strategically located throughout their city 24-hours a day.

“Hertz on Demand members are extremely tech-savvy and have an affinity for using mobile devices,” said Paula R. Rivera, manager of public affairs at The Hertz Corp., Park Ridge, NJ. “Hertz members on the go can locate an available vehicle and make a reservation from their smartphone, a service many of our members desire.

“The goal of the Hertz On Demand mobile site is to offer a seamless user experience and to allow our members to make reservations whenever they want, utilizing the technology that they want,” she said.

On-the-go reservations
The Hertz on Demand mobile Web site was designed to enable users to book cars while on the go.

Members can log into their account, book cars, modify reservations and view their account, including upcoming and past reservations, billing history and member information. Additionally, users can access information about Hertz on Demand for those looking to find out more about the service.

The site is available at mobile.hertzondemand.com and m.hertzondemand.com.

Hertz On Demand has 130,000 members and more than 500 locations worldwide. It is available in New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Miami, San Antonio, London, Paris, Berlin and Madrid, as well as on the more than 60 college

There is no enrollment fee for the service and Hertz On Demand guarantees vehicles will be available Monday through Thursday in New York City. Members receive a smart chip-enabled membership card for keyless entry to any reserved car.

Added convenience
Mobile apps and Web sites can bring added convenience to travelers who need to change a reservation while on the go. A strong mobile strategy is also key for a service such as Hertz On Demand, because consumers who are looking to get out of the city for the day want a convenient way to make a car reservation.

The Hertz On Demand mobile site is the latest example of how Hertz is leveraging mobile to enhance the customer experience.

Last month, the company introduced My Explore iPhone travel applications for 11 different cities, including New York, Boston and San Francisco. The apps let business and leisure travelers browse customized content, explore cities and plan a trip that can be wirelessly delivered to the GPS system in their Hertz rental car (see story).

Last summer, Hertz introduced apps for Android, Nokia and BlackBerry devices to complement its iPhone app and mobile-optimized site (see story).

“The Hertz on Demand mobile site is a first phase of a much broader plan to integrate the company’s main Web site onto mobile and smartphone platforms, integrating the latest in technology to further enhance the user experience,” Ms. Rivera said.