"Automotive inSIGHTS 2/2010" (PDF, 3784 KB - Roland Berger

INTERVIEW – ERICH SIXT
Nevertheless, we at Sixt also believe that it's extremely
important to build up experience in car-sharing, such as
with SIXTI Car Club in Berlin and Munich. We can invest
in this with earnings from our other services.
Quite a few automakers, like Daimler and Peugeot,
have launched their own mobility programs in the last
few years. Does this represent a threat to traditional
rental companies like Sixt?
Sixt: I sense a fear among carmakers regarding the
possible impact of electro-mobility, which in my view is
unwarranted. They feel that their value chains could be
threatened. In response, they're looking to complementary
business models and offering mobility solutions. But this
would entail a strong paradigm shift from a product-oriented
to a service-oriented culture, which has not yet proved
manageable. It will probably take many years before
anything emerges that can present any real competition
to today's mobility service providers like Sixt.
However, these projects attract enormous media attention,
and we receive free advertising for something that we can
already offer our customers today on a professional scale.
What are the major competitive advantages that a company
like Sixt has over the manufacturers' programs?
Sixt: From my perspective, two factors have to be in place
for operating successfully: infrastructure and management
know-how.
To offer mobility services, you above all need to have an
infrastructure in close proximity to your customers – ideally
with service stations just around the corner.
In addition, profitable management of mobility services
demands years of experience and great sophistication in
processes and systems. The management skills needed
to run such a business profitably are not something you
can simply buy in – they are built up and continuously
improved over decades.
What's more, business concepts based on independence
from the manufacturer have the advantage of being
neutral. The customer receives professional advice and
the product is tailored to his or her needs. The provider is
not tied to particular brands or suppliers. Our clients can
already choose from a broad product range – including
leasing, car-sharing and daily or monthly renting of all
sorts of models and vehicle types.
Do you think the government should promote mobility
programs?
Sixt: I subscribe to the ideas of Milton Friedman. The state
should leave the markets to regulate themselves. If we
succeed in developing viable ideas that generate profits,
the capital investment will ultimately be found. There
should be no politically motivated funding here.
Who is the typical target customer for innovative
mobility programs?
Sixt: He or she is young, well-educated, feels at home
with technology, and lives in a metropolitan region in
Europe. His or her job and lifestyle require being mobile
in different places. This market will be limited at first,
but it has enormous growth potential.
For this target group, we've developed "Sixt CarAbo",
a subscription-based program. Its launch has proved
very successful. Most of the demand for CarAbo is
coming from frequent travelers like consultants,
business executives and freelancers.
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