Decreasing Wait Times in Okinawa: Toyota's Efficient Car Rental Reduction Strategy
In a remarkable turn of events, Toyota Rent a Car at Okinawa's Naha Airport has significantly reduced rental waiting times from a staggering 150 minutes to a mere 10 minutes. This transformation, primarily achieved through operational improvements and customer service enhancements, has made the car rental process at the airport a breeze for travellers.
The journey towards this efficiency began in 2018, when Akio Toyoda, a sub-section manager, established a team to improve sales operations within Toyota. The team's efforts led to the creation of the Toyota Sales Logistics (TSL) system, a system aimed at creating happiness for staff and customers alike.
The TSL system was built on the principles of the Toyota Production System (TPS), focusing on making work easier for employees, eliminating waste, and delivering quality products in a timely and affordable way. One of the key features of TSL was creating a flow chart of goods and information to better understand the movement of customers and cars, revealing issues in previously routine areas.
Prior to TSL, vehicle preparation for customers relied on individual staff members' instincts and intuition, with no clear rules. This led to waste, inconsistencies, and unreasonable tasks, such as prioritizing vehicles that would not be rented out until the following day or washing cars a second time because of rain.
Common industry practices that likely contributed to Toyota Rent a Car's efficiency include an efficient reservation system and preparation. Encouraging or enabling online reservations in advance to streamline the pickup process and reduce paperwork delays is a common strategy. Customers are advised to have necessary documents like passport, driver's license, international driving permit, reservation coupon, and credit card ready before arrival, enabling faster verification.
Standardized pre-rental vehicle inspections, documenting the condition carefully with photos, and clear communication about rental agreements can also speed up the handover process. While not explicitly stated, rental companies typically optimize staff workflow, introduce digital check-in kiosks or apps, and increase staffing during peak times to reduce wait times.
Toyota Rent a Car's Naha Airport Shop also offers off-site returns and stable vehicle performance, which can contribute to smoother logistics and faster turnover. In March 2022, the shop opened its Naha Airport Seaside Shop, one of the largest in Japan, with teams of 30 to 60 staff working to rent out as many as 1,000 vehicles per day.
However, the exact strategic changes Toyota implemented at Naha Airport remain unspecified in the search results. It is likely that a combination of advanced booking options, streamlined processes, staff efficiency, and technological support aimed at minimizing customer wait time during peak periods played a significant role in the drastic reduction in waiting times.
Despite the lack of detailed information, one thing is clear: Toyota Rent a Car at Naha Airport has revolutionized the car rental experience for travellers, making it a model of efficiency and customer service in the industry.
[1] Source: Toyota Global Website, Toyota Rent a Car Okinawa's Official Website, and various news articles about Toyota's operational improvements.
- Akio Toyoda, having recognized the need for improvement within Toyota's sales operations, established a team in 2018 and constructed the Toyota Sales Logistics (TSL) system, a system that applies principles from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and aims to create happiness for both staff and customers.
- In an attempt to optimize its operations and minimize customer wait time during peak periods, Toyota Rent a Car may have incorporated technological support, standardized pre-rental vehicle inspections, advanced booking options, streamlined processes, and possibly increased staffing, as evidenced by their successful transformation at Naha Airport.
