Europcar

Redefining Car Rentals for Europcar During COVID-19: During the unprecedented times of 2020, our team reimagined Europcar's rental experience. With public health measures in place, we designed a seamless, contactless journey that allowed customers to rent and pick up cars directly from the garage eliminating the need for in-person contact at kiosks.

Design Process

Design Framework and Strategy: Inspired by Jake Knapp’s Sprint: While the sprint process extended beyond the typical five days outlined in Jake Knapp’s “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems
and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days,”
we applied its core principles to design, prototype, and validate a full user journey within two weeks. The use of iterative design, rapid prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration ensured alignment between user needs and business goals.

Objectives and Challenges

  • 1. Create a fully digital, contactless rental experience.

  • 2. Enable fast verification with real-time photo uploads.

  • 3. Design an intuitive user journey for seamless pick-up and return processes.

Process and Workflow

Phase 1: Wireframing and User Flow Design
This phase mapped the core touchpoints such as ID uploads, vehicle unlocking, and return inspections ensuring every interaction was intuitive.

Wireframing and User Flow Design (Phase 1)

Wireframe at full user journey

Wireframing and User Flow Design (Phase 2)

Phase 2: UI Design and Prototyping (InVision
App)

UI Design and Prototyping (Wireframe)

The wireframes were refined into high-fidelity designs, ready for seamless developer handoff. These prototypes were built pixel-perfect, ensuring consistency.

UI Design and Prototyping (High-Fidelity UI)

A flowchartof the full user journey will be included to visually represent the end-to-end process, helping stakeholders grasp the complete flow at a glance.

Phase 2: UI Design and Prototyping (InVision App)

Phase 3: Validation and Iteration

Regular feedback loops with Europcar stakeholders enabled fast adjustments. We conducted usability testing and refined the prototypes based on real-time feedback, guaranteeing a smooth experience across
various scenarios.

Solution:

  • ID and License Verification: Customers could quickly upload photos, starting
    the rental within minutes.

  • Contactless Car Access: Real-time photo validation allowed car unlocks without
    visiting a counter.

  • Automated Return Process: Customers followed a photo-based checklist for
    transparent returns, reducing disputes.

Results and Impact

This project set a new benchmark for Europcar’s digital transformation, offering a future-ready, scalable rental model.

Key Outcomes:

  • Improved customer satisfaction: with a self-service model.

  • Reduced rental times: Reduced rental times by eliminating wait times at
    counters.

  • Scalable solution: ready for other Europcar locations.

Conclusion: A New Standard in Car Rentals

This project stands as a testament to how thoughtful UX design,
agile collaboration, and innovation can transform industries even in the most challenging times. The contactless journey we
developed not only met public health requirements but also aligned perfectly with Europcar’s goals to
enhance the user experience.

This case study exemplifies how I combine design thinking, rapid prototyping, and a user-centered approach to deliver impactful solutions that drive business success.