MAIL management firm Pitney Bowes has signed a deal with rental company Avis that will lead to 50,000 rental days a year.

The contract involves both cars and vans, with 85% of rentals likely to be for more than 28 days.

Avis has set up a dedicated Pitney Bowes microsite, allowing employees to book vehicles online in just a couple of minutes.

While the rentals will be predominantly for business use, Pitney Bowes foresees a rise in leisure rentals thanks to roadshows and internal communications raising awareness of Avis’ services.

Steve McLellan, commodity manager for international procurement at Pitney Bowes, said: ‘The reasons for selecting Avis were many and varied, from quality of service, cost, improved service level agreements and Avis’ proactivity throughout the tendering process.

‘Also, its ability to provide a bespoke microsite prior to winning the business was particularly impressive.

‘The proposed implementation plan, coupled with their proactivity, ensured a very smooth transition.’

Penny Stoolman, Avis UK’s director of sales and marketing, said: ‘To win this very important contract is excellent news but to hear the reasons Pitney Bowes chose Avis speaks volumes. We work hard to get it right for our customers and Pitney Bowes’ testimony proves it’s all worthwhile.’