Μake us preferred on Google The mobility market in Greece is changing radically, gradually leaving behind the traditional model of ownership and embracing the philosophy of use and access (usership).
The needs of consumers and businesses are shifting faster than ever, with flexibility, digitalization and sustainability emerging as the new pillars of mobility.
Vangelis Atherinos, Chief Growth Officer of AVIS Greece, talks to “ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ” about the transition to the new “access economy” (Car-as-a-Service) and explains how technology, telematics and the green transition are redefining our relationship with the car.
Through the presentation of innovative, 100% digital services such as Switch by Avis and Avis Go Now, Atherinos analyzes the profile of today’s driver, highlights the competitive advantage of combining a digital experience with strong physical infrastructure, and shares AVIS’s vision for simple, sustainable and personalized mobility without commitments.
For decades, the car was exclusively an owned means of transportation and, for many, a status symbol. Today, we are seeing a shift toward the “access” model or, as your industry describes it, “Car-as-a-Service.” How do you see this change in mindset among individuals and businesses in Greece, and to what extent does it reshape the way you plan AVIS’s growth? Do you think this shift is the result of financial reasoning (TCO, Total Cost of Ownership) or a change in mindset among the new generation of drivers?
The transition from ownership to usership is, in my opinion, one of the most important changes taking place in the mobility market today. The car still holds emotional value for a large share of Greek drivers, but more and more individuals and businesses now see mobility primarily as a service: they want access to the right car, when they need it, without taking on the cost and obligations that come with owning it.
I don’t think this is purely financial reasoning or a change in mindset. It is a combination of the two. Consumers now have a better understanding of the Total Cost of Ownership. Financing, insurance, maintenance, resale value and technological obsolescence are factors that are taken into account much more than in the past.
At the same time, younger generations are more familiar with the model of access instead of ownership and place greater value on flexibility.
For Avis, this change substantially broadens our role. We no longer design only rental or leasing products. We design different ways of accessing mobility, depending on the duration, the use and the real needs of each driver or business.
Today’s consumers and businesses demand flexibility, convenience and personalized solutions, without long-term commitments and high down payments. How do innovative services such as Switch by Avis and flexible leasing meet this need? From your experience, what is the profile of the user who chooses a 100% digital monthly car subscription?
Flexibility is becoming a key requirement of modern mobility, as people’s lives and needs now change much faster. Drivers change habits, jobs, places of residence or their overall lifestyle more often than in the past.
Similarly, businesses want to be able to adjust their fleet to their real needs at any time, without unnecessary commitments. Solutions such as car subscription and flexible leasing respond exactly to this need.
Switch by Avis was created on this basis. It is a 100% online monthly subscription service, with no down payment and no long-term commitment, and with the option to change car category even from month to month. It was designed with transparency and simplicity in mind, without “fine print” that limits flexibility in practice.
At the same time, with Avis Easy Leasing, we offer a fast and 100% online leasing solution that allows customers to set key parameters of their contract, such as the lease term, the mileage and the down payment.
In essence, we give customers the ability to choose not only the car, but also the level of commitment that best fits their life or business.
The profile of the users of these services is defined less by their age and more by their mindset. They are drivers and businesses that are comfortable with digital services, understand the value of convenience and cost transparency, and do not want getting a car to be a complex decision involving a multi-year commitment.
In the new mobility ecosystem, we see car manufacturers (OEMs), technology platforms, mobility aggregators (such as Big Tech, MaaS apps and digital marketplaces) and traditional mobility providers competing for attention and, often, direct control of the relationship with the driver. Who do you think will ultimately win the customer’s trust, and what is the competitive advantage of a specialized provider like AVIS in this new digital environment? Is a good app enough, or is the edge ultimately decided by after-sales infrastructure, maintenance and in-person service?
I believe that in the new mobility ecosystem, the most critical question is not who “owns” the customer, but who manages to earn and keep their trust. Technology has drastically lowered the barriers to entry. A good app and a user-friendly interface are now essential, but they are not enough.
Mobility remains a service with a strong physical dimension. Behind every digital transaction there is a car that must be available, properly maintained and safe.
There is also a network that must operate efficiently and a customer who must be served immediately, both in everyday situations and when something unexpected happens. That, I believe, is where the competitive advantage of an organization like Avis lies: in the ability to combine the digital experience with a strong and reliable operational infrastructure. As we like to tell our customers: “With the new MyAvis app, you probably won’t ever want to talk to us, but if you need to, we are here for you.”
Avis today has a fleet of more than 60,000 cars and an extensive service network in Greece. This scale creates capabilities that go beyond the digital interface: fleet management, maintenance, after-sales support, physical presence and deep knowledge of customer behavior and needs over the long term.
The competition of the future will not be decided by the “digital or physical” divide. It will be decided by an organization’s ability to integrate both dimensions into a single, consistent and seamless experience.
Given that connected vehicles generate a large volume of telematics data every day, how does AVIS use this data both to optimize fleet management and to offer truly tailor-made, personalized solutions for the unique needs of each driver or corporate client?
Telematics is fundamentally changing the way we manage mobility, as it allows us to make decisions based on real usage data and not just on estimates.
At the fleet level, data helps us better understand how and to what extent each car is used, plan maintenance more effectively and make better use of our entire fleet. Preventive maintenance is a prime example: when you can identify a need early, before it becomes a problem, you improve safety, reliability and operating costs at the same time.
Data also allows us to better understand the customer’s real needs. In the case of a corporate fleet, for example, we can assess whether the selected cars actually match the way they are used and propose more suitable solutions in terms of vehicle type, duration of use or even a switch to electric models. For us, that is the essence of personalization: not simply collecting more data, but providing services tailored to the needs of each customer.
What is most interesting, however, is that telematics opens the door to a new generation of self-service mobility services, such as Avis Go Now. Through the app, users can quickly and easily locate the service’s cars, unlock them, drive them even for just a few minutes, and end their trip by parking them in one of the available spots. The service, which operates successfully in many cities abroad, has already taken its first steps in Athens and is gradually winning over a new audience that may never have used mobility services before.
There is, of course, a clear condition: data must be used with transparency, a specific purpose and full respect for user privacy. For us, technology has real value only when it strengthens trust and meaningfully improves the customer experience.
Finally, what is the next major milestone for AVIS in the domestic mobility market over the next five years?
I would not describe Avis’s next major milestone as a specific product or a single investment. Over the next five years, I believe three forces will shape the direction of the market: greater flexibility in usage models, the use of technology and data, and, of course, the transition to a more sustainable mobility model.
For us, growth does not simply mean a bigger fleet. It means better understanding what customers need, offering them more and better-suited options, and removing as much complexity as possible from how they get around.
