Cars and corporate mobility

Nlt, the figure of the broker is increasingly strategic

Chelazzi (Amina): 'In today's complex scenario, relying on a professional helps to avoid making mistakes'

3 June 2025

3' min read

A translator, a mediator, a facilitator: there are several terms that long-term rental brokers use to describe the filtering role they play between companies in the sector and companies seeking mobility: all, however, express well the function of one who is called upon to bring together worlds that may find it difficult to talk to each other. There is the signing of the rental contract, which is only an intermediate step. But first there is consulting, which has never been as important as it is today, between electrification and new taxation. And then the after-sales, which is no less important. "Yet the big rental companies most often neglect it," emphasises Iacopo Chelazzi, president of Amina, the national association of car rental brokers, which represents some of the most important brokers operating in Italy. "The customer interfaces with workshops, body shops, tyre shops. The possibility of error is always just around the corner. That is why it is important to have a figure capable of accompanying him through the entire contract cycle'.

Speaking of Amina, last year new car registrations attributable at an aggregate level to member companies were around 20,000, a particularly high level, achieved despite the slowdown in the rental market suffered last year after the record results recorded in 2023. In the meantime, this market is becoming increasingly concentrated, with a few large players resulting from recent mergers and tending to offer standardised solutions, with competitive fees thanks to economies of scale, but which tend to neglect customisation and ongoing support.

This trend gives rise to new opportunities for brokers to distinguish themselves as even more flexible and attentive partners. Training is crucial. "It is one of the aspects we care about most," confirms Chelazzi. "We have created the figure of the Amina Mobility Consultant, a certification that is obtained through regular training courses, to show how it is possible to conduct an intelligent sales process."

Having put behind them the crisis of the pandemic years that hit the automotive sector, with obvious repercussions also for the rental sector, today the figure of the broker is called upon to operate in a complex scenario. Companies have increasingly ambitious sustainability and cost containment goals, the European Union has set stringent electrification targets that involve fleets at the forefront, and regulatory changes are the order of the day. Acting as an intermediary between the customer - in many cases companies, but also private individuals and VAT numbers - and the companies in the sector, the long-term rental broker knows that he must offer comprehensive assistance and that he cannot neglect any aspect.

As brokers, today the aim of brokers is to make customers aware when they choose long-term rental. It all starts with advice and accompaniment in the illustrative phase to choose the most suitable contract, services, taxation, type of car and motorisation. A philosophy that must be coordinated with the logic of multinational rental companies. Having overcome delivery delays, which have marked the last few years, the focus is on electrification. Electric cars, with high costs and uncertain residual values, are incentivised by a complex taxation system that initially generated confusion and was an obstacle to the market.

Therefore, brokers are redefining their role with strategies that focus on putting the real needs of customers at the centre. The approach is based on highly personalised advice, which does not simply propose a vehicle, but starts with an in-depth analysis of mobility needs. This involves understanding a customer's budget, mileage, contract duration and even sustainability goals, in order to build tailor-made solutions, such as suggesting an electric car to an environmentally-conscious company or a conventional vehicle for those who travel long distances.

Rather than simply passing on standard offers, brokers must act as skilful negotiators, engaging in an in-depth comparison of the proposals offered by rental companies in order to identify the most advantageous and customised solution. "Our work," Chelazzi emphasises, "goes beyond the simple monthly fee: we negotiate better conditions, such as the inclusion of additional services, greater contractual flexibility to adapt to customers' changing needs or customised mileage options, thus guaranteeing maximum economic and operational value.

This intermediary role also extends to bureaucratic management, which results in the simplification of complex processes such as filling out documents, handling registration paperwork or checking regulatory compliance. This support is particularly important for small and medium-sized companies, which often have limited resources and may find the administrative complexities associated with long-term leasing burdensome, allowing them to concentrate on their core business without other concerns.