How we built a top-class website for a car rental company (case study)

How to create a modern website for a car rental company that is at once simple to manage and robust behind the scenes? That is exactly the challenge we received from a client who wanted to move his car rental business into the online world of the 21st century. He needed a clear presentation site where a customer comfortably chooses a car, and at the same time a powerful system for managing bookings, prices and the fleet.

RAI Internacional is an established Slovak car rental company with more than 20 years of experience. Their aim is not only to provide a car but to offer customers an unforgettable experience – from premium services to a personal approach. Customers can hire vehicles in several cities, including delivery directly to airports, with a VIP service available 24/7.

Our answer?

Joining two powerful tools – WordPress with the Gutenberg editor for simple content management and October CMS (built on Laravel) as a tailor-made admin interface for all operational needs.

In this case study we will show you how we connected these two environments into a functioning whole, how we handled the client's specific challenges and everything we implemented beyond the brief so that the result would be not only functional but timeless too.

The problem

The company was using an outdated site without a responsive design and a non-existent booking system. All orders were handled manually, which was ineffective and time-consuming. So the client was looking for a partner who could create a modern, fully functional system that would simplify and automate their everyday processes.

The project's goals

A modern design and simple content management

When designing the user interface we emphasised a modern, visually attractive design that at the same time takes functionality and intuitive control into account. The result is a clean, responsive site guaranteeing a comfortable, clear experience for every user. From the first click to completing a booking. The site is available in two languages, Slovak and English, which opened the door for the client to a wider audience and to tourist clientele, who make up a considerable part of their target group.

For the client's team it also mattered that they be able to manage content without needing technical help. That is why we built the frontend on the WordPress platform with the Gutenberg editor, which allows simple adding, editing and moving of text and visual blocks. The client thus has full control over the text, the sections and the content's structure without having to touch the code:

• A modern design and an improvement in the overall user experience (UX)
• A bilingual site (SK / EN) for a wider audience
• Customisable content through WordPress and the Gutenberg editor – the option of changing text, blocks and sections
  

Why did we choose Laravel and October CMS?

Laravel in combination with October CMS gave us a high degree of customisability when developing a complex web application, which was key above all when working with dynamic data, bookings and automating processes.

Besides that we valued:

• Effective processing of large amounts of data related to customers, vehicles and booking history,
• A reliable architecture suitable for long-term maintenance and scaling too,
• The option of building our own API and task schedulers, which allow automated invoicing or assigning cars, for instance.

A powerful system for everyday operations

While the presentation site serves as a shop window, behind it runs a robust system developed on October CMS (built on Laravel) that handles the car rental company's everyday operation. We designed the backend as a scalable system that grows along with the client's business, regardless of whether it currently has 100 or 1,000 cars.

Part of the system is automating several processes the client previously handled manually. For instance generating invoices, creating contracts or assigning available vehicles to particular bookings. These steps are now carried out automatically, which saves time and minimises the risk of errors.

The client also has full control over the data and its processing. The system offers a detailed overview of bookings, customers and the state of individual vehicles. There is also the option of tracking the history of price changes, updating cars' availability, managing customer accounts and setting individual pricing conditions by season or for special offers:

• Developing a robust, scalable system for managing bookings
• Automating processes such as invoicing, generating contracts and assigning vehicles
• Full control over the data and its processing
• The option of setting prices flexibly, tracking the history of changes, managing the fleet and customers
  

How did the development process go?

We started development with an analysis of the client's needs and a series of consultations, during which we defined the main functionalities and the original system's weak points. Then we designed the site's new look with an emphasis on UX, so that it would be not only functional but pleasant to use. Once the design was approved, we moved to parallel development of the frontend and backend, which saved time and let us react flexibly to changes. Testing ran throughout development, where we put every new functionality through internal and client testing so as to catch errors before deployment to production. During the project new requirements arose too, which we worked into the development as we went. The conclusion consisted of final testing and going live.

The result - what we actually created

Having implemented all the requirements and completed testing, the new Rai.sk site became much more than a digital business card. It is a full-fledged tool for managing the business that simplifies employees' work, markedly streamlines internal processes and allows a fast reaction to customers' requirements. Automated order processing, generating contracts and invoices and managing bookings through a clear calendar save time and lower the error rate.

From customers' point of view the new system brings a clearer interface and simpler handling of bookings. Functionalities such as filtering vehicles by parameters, comprehensible car categories and a bilingual environment (Slovak + English) markedly improve the user experience and the service's availability for foreign clients too.

Technically the system is built on Laravel + October CMS (backend) and WordPress + the Gutenberg editor (frontend). The backend is designed to allow flexible management of the whole business. From managing orders, bookings, the fleet and customers to managing prices by season, a blacklist of problem clients and tracking the history of changes. Administrators can edit orders manually, add charges or discounts and manage the whole fleet with various parameters.

The frontend went through a complete redesign with an emphasis on UX and responsiveness. The site is designed to be not only visually attractive but functional on all devices too. It is ready for future extension with new sections such as a blog or news and scalable so that it can adapt further to the client's growing needs. That gives them the certainty that the investment in this solution will remain relevant in the long term too, and allows easy integration of new features as their business's needs grow.

This system brought the client a competitive advantage and at the same time created room for their business's further development. 

And what next?

The collaboration does not end with the project's launch. We are continuing with technical support and improving the system. At the same time we are working on further linked projects that will make the client's business even more effective and give them a competitive advantage.  One of them is the new site railease.sk, devoted to tailor-made operating leases and to selling vehicles once a lease ends. This project extends Rai Group's service portfolio and supports their growth in mobility.