How does key exchange work in the Hourfleet app?

The Hourfleet app is not just an extension of your car share platform - it's the main tool your customers will use to manage their accounts and their bookings. For eligible cars that are fitted with CarKits, the lock and unlock process happens directly from the app by the customer directly.

For those clients who are not using CarKits, key exchange is required. For some organisations this will be the preferred way to manage their cars, and the Hourfleet app supports this option just as well.

This is how renting a car with manual key exchange works in the Hourfleet app.

1. Your car borrower makes a booking request via the app

2. They are then presented with your details and how to directly contact you should they need to. The app also provides you with chat tools to have a two-way chat to arrange key pick up

3. You then approve or decline the car booking request

4. When you approve the booking request, you are then free to coordinate to exchange the keys prior to the scheduled booking start time

5. The borrower starts the rental in the app when they go to pick up the car

6. When the borrower completes their booking, they return the key to you via your agreed method i.e. dropped at an office reception, or handed back in person and so on. They then mark the booking as finished on the app where they can also leave a chat message for the car owner, explaining any drop off details if required

7. You then then receive this ‘booking completed’ notification and complete the booking at your end where you will have an opportunity for a final chat message to the borrower

8. The booking is now complete and you’re ready for your next borrower to pick up the car