Creating a New Business Model with Existing Resources:
Avis Caravan
Project Type: Corporate Entrepreneurship
Project Scope
Türkiye’s leading car rental and retail sales company, Otokoç, has pioneered a new vision to be the mobility partner for consumers nationwide. Since 2016, Otokoç has been actively working with internal startup teams to develop numerous ideas and test them with customers. From 2017 to 2021, with the support of Core Strateji, seven different projects were commercialized, generating over 10 million TL in new revenue for the company.
Since 2017, Avis Caravan, a graduate of the corporate entrepreneurship program run with Otokoç Otomotiv, one of Turkey’s leading car rental and retail sales companies, has been brought to life by an entrepreneurial team that identified the market need in the caravan rental sector.
Project Delivery
The project primarily focused on customer needs and feedback. During the Discovery phase of the corporate entrepreneurship program, the entrepreneurial team identified the market need in the caravan rental sector and leveraged Otokoç’s rental expertise to launch a caravan rental platform.
Customer interviews and market gap analyses were conducted to identify the problem. It was found that, despite high interest in the caravan concept, there was a lack of proper service and a trust issue in the market.
During solution tests, contact information was collected from individuals interested in caravan rentals but who did not own a caravan. The team confirmed the interest in the solution by collecting contact details from numerous people wanting to make reservations, even without having a caravan available, by participating in a fair.
A step-by-step solution validation was carried out for commercialization. With an initial trial investment of a maximum of two vehicles, rental operations began, reaching the relevant customers. Reservations were secured in all seasons, proving the effectiveness of the solution.
In the initial stage, high pricing and immediate payment were requested to establish the service’s value. The business model was optimized. The shortcomings in the rental service were understood, and process improvements were made accordingly, resulting in the creation of an operational model.
Project Results
During the commercialization process, the project encountered high rental demand and continues its operations today under the Avis brand. The evidence collected from the field and the tangible results obtained throughout the process helped convince management and led to the establishment of a separate unit for the caravan rental entrepreneurship project. Avis Caravan continues to support Otokoç Otomotiv’s vision with its activities as a new business model.
The corporate entrepreneurship project Avis Caravan, developed in collaboration with Core Strateji, shifted Otokoç Otomotiv’s focus from its main business area of vehicle rental to the tourism sector. This entrepreneurial project, developed with an effective innovation approach at every stage, now contributes to both employment and the company’s turnover within the organization.