Globalisation has opened borders, markets and doors for great business opportunities. We want you to be able to seize them all and feel at home in the world with our services always within reach. Join our partners from Unidas todays in this “Alphabet around the world” to learn more about their service and the beautiful Brazil! Here we go.
Tell us a bit about your company, please. What makes Unidas special?
Unidas is the second largest car rental company in Brazil and a leader in fleet rental for companies. We offer our customers the most holistic portfolio on the Brazilian market with our various specialised units providing customers with the full spectrum of mobility. Unidas Seminovos and Unidas Seminovos Atacado have branches all throughout Brazil. Atacado in particular focuses on efficient proposals for companies. Unidas Frotas is the fleet partner with more than 2,400 corporate customers and more than 150.000 vehicles, including special vehicles, electric cars and their entire infrastructure, heavy cargo vehicles and a personalized premium service. And last but not least Unidas Livre is the Unidas subscription car with fixed monthly fees.
Driving like a local: your best tips
Brazil has a lot to offer. Can you recommend some nice spots in your area as a must-visit for drivers?
Brazil is a very large country with wide-ranging, varied tourism. From world-famous cities, such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, to coastal cities with paradisiacal beaches and year-round sunshine such as Recife, Natal and Salvador. There's also places like Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon jungle, and Balneário Camboriú, in the South that are definitely worth visiting. We especially recommend tourist routes and highways, such as the Monteiro Lobato Highway, the Estrada Real, the Vineyard Route, the Pantanal Route and the Ecological Route to get to know our beautiful country better. Have a great trip!
What is your best advice as a local on vehicles, traffic, and general customs in your country that you would give to a driver from abroad?
Drivers from other countries first need to know that there are roads that are well maintained but also others where you might encounter quite a lot of potholes and need extra attention to ensure travel safety. We recommend that you speak with someone who knows the region well about the conditions of the roads you want to travel. The use of GPS is essential, but routes suggested by applications such as Waze, especially in large cities such as Rio de Janeiro, can't always be trusted fully.
What do drivers in your region attach particular importance to?
Comfort features such as air conditioning and power steering are essential for Brazilian drivers. In some regions, 4x4 vehicles are very popular, especially in the inland and in regions of agricultural production.
The new normal: COVID-19 measures in Brazil
How has the daily business changed for you since COVID-19?
Our daily routine had to undergo major changes because of COVID-19. As soon as the official pandemic announcement was made by WHO, we at Unidas initiated a series of actions to ensure that all of our customers, employees and partners were properly informed and protected. Among these measures, we have resorted to remote work where possible since March 2020. The resumption of face-to-face work in our offices is happening gradually now but remote work remains an important part of our work routine.
What special measures did you take to protect customers?
We created an internal committee to carry out constant monitoring of the situation and create processes in line with official guidelines for reducing the spread of the virus in Brazil. We encourage the use of audio and video calls to replace face-to-face meetings, guiding and providing adequate tools to enable the service and the relationship with our customers. We also made 100% online trading viable, with several options to examine our inventory and talk to our sales team: by chat, website, WhatsApp, phone and video call.
Our already high standards of safety and hygiene in the stores and our vehicles have been further intensified. In addition to the usual cleaning, objects and vehicles that our customers come in contact with are sanitised thoroughly including the steering wheel, internal and external door handles, panels, gear shifts and other points of contact.
Mobility trends: fleet development
Which mobility services are the most important in your market?
Car rental for individuals is one of our main products, in addition to the outsourcing of corporate fleets. We also have a subscription model, Unidas Livre, which has been gaining many customers in the last year.
Our partner from Serbia, AKS Fleet Solutions, would like to know: How has COVID-19 affected Brazil and what measures did you take besides new hygiene standards and social distancing?
Besides the measures mentioned above we found that moral support for our customers was also highly valued. On the Unidas Blogs we share tips and practices to preserve the health of employees of all companies and users of corporate fleets. We also publish suggestions for activities for those who stayed at home during the time of social isolation. Plus, the main precautions for those who want to travel safely in 2020 are listed here.
Thank you for taking us through your country. See you there soon!
