Working with Car Options

Introducing Car Connectors in new Concur Travel

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to manage car connector settings in new Concur Travel.

Introduction to Car Connectors in new Concur Travel

Car Direct Connects offer immediate access and full availability to all pricing, while GDS bookings sometimes experience timing delays. They also grant access to expanded Hertz and Sixt booking capabilities and benefits. This automated system supports all corporate reporting structures and improves purchasing and client reservation management.

Via direct connectors, vendors may offer more locations than are stored on the GDS side. In some destination areas, customers booking car direct-connect content will still see off-airport locations on the location map, even though those locations are not available through the GDS. SAP Concur offers a mix of GDS and Direct Connect content within the same itinerary which is why both direct-connect and off-airport results are provided. The option to distinguish between available locations only via Direct Connect, versus the others is unavailable.

Concur Travel supports two car connectors:

  • Hertz

  • Sixt

Travel Administrators can manage direct car connect settings and specify when to shop via direct connect or the GDS in Manage Car Connectors found in the Car Search Options on the travel configuration page. Use CTRL+F to search for the setting as depicted in the following graphic.

Car Search Options settings panel with allowable car types, reservation rules, delivery options, loyalty preferences, and a highlighted note directing users to Manage Car Connectors for Car Direct Connect settings.

Note

To write passive segments for car direct connects, you need to enable the option Write passive segments for non-GDS content if I have not specified a default for the specific vendor in the table below under GDS PNR Options on the Travel Configuration page.
Image depicts GDS PNR Options with two checked options for creating GDS PNRs and writing passive segments for non-GDS content. Help icons next to options.

Managing Car Connectors

To enable new car connectors, follow the steps below:

Steps

  1. From the Travel Configuration page, select Manage Car Connectors.

    Car Search Options settings panel with allowable car types, reservation rules, delivery options, loyalty preferences, and a highlighted note directing users to Manage Car Connectors for Car Direct Connect settings.

  2. Select Leave to confirm you want to leave the Travel Configuration page.

    Leave site confirmation dialog with Leave and Cancel buttons over a Car Search Options settings page.

  3. Select the Travel Configuration where you are going to enable a direct connect, if there is only one travel configuration under the company you selected you will only see one travel configuration listed.

    Car Content page with company selected and Travel Configuration list highlighting NAI DE, NAI India, and NAI US entries.

  4. Select the Content Type to be enabled for a specific vendor, specifying when to shop via direct connect versus the GDS:

    • GDS only – users will see vendor inventory and locations as available in the GDS only.
    • GDS and Car Connector Content – users will see vendor inventory and locations from both the vendors car connector and the GDS.
    Car Content page with Default car connector Content Type dropdown open showing GDS Only and GDS and Car Connector Content options.

  5. Select the Rental Car Company dropdown menu, and then select the appropriate vendor under Car Connector Options. Legacy Options is only applicable to customers on legacy Concur Travel.

    Car Content page with Rental Car Company dropdown showing Legacy Options and highlighted Car Connector Options, each listing Hertz and Sixt checkboxes.

  6. Select a GDS Fallback Option from the dropdown list.

    Additional Settings section with GDS Fallback Option dropdown open showing NEVER, ALWAYS, and selected FALLBACK.
    SettingDescription
    Never

    Only display corporate rates in car search results from vendors where a "Preference level" has been set. Never display public rates from a General Shop Request.

    Always

    Display corporate rates in car search results from vendors where a "Preference level" has been set, along with public rates for any other vendors from a General Shop Request.

    Fallback

    Display corporate rates in car search results from vendors where a "Preference level" has been set. If no results are returned with the first request, display public rates for any other vendors from a General Shop Request.

  7. Select Save to complete the car connector setup.

    Edit Car Content page for NAI DE with Content Type, Rental Car Company, and GDS Fallback Option fields, and highlighted Save button.

    Note

    There may be additional configuration steps required for each vendor, for further information please see Car Vendors Travel Guide.

Managing Car Connectors

In this video, you will explore the new interface and see how to configure car connectors to optimize your travel program.

Summary

  • Travel Administrators manage settings in Manage Car Connectors under Car Search Options on the Travel Configuration page.
  • Select Content Type: GDS only, or GDS and Car Connector Content to control shopping sources.
  • Choose vendor under Car Connector Options, then set GDS Fallback: Never, Always, or Fallback.
  • Supported car connectors: Hertz and Sixt.
  • Direct Connects offer full pricing availability, more locations than GDS, and can mix with GDS content in itineraries.
Learning

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