PREDICTING AND MANAGING CUSTOMER RETURN TIME UNCERTAINTY IN CAR RENTAL FIRMS: THE ROLE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY

Objective: This study investigates how customer return time uncertainty affects operational efficiency in car rental firms and examines the role of digital communication and operational flexibility as predictive and managerial strategies for addressing this uncertainty. Customer return time uncertainty ,  defined as the deviation of actual vehicle return times from agreed schedules due to traffic congestion, recreational activities, oversleeping, changes in travel plans, or unexpected personal events ,  generates overtime costs, workflow disruptions, and reduced fleet utilization that collectively impair operational efficiency.
Methodology: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design is proposed. Phase 1 employs a structured survey administered to a minimum of 200 customers of car rental firms, analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and Structural Equation Modeling. Phase 2 conducts semi-structured qualitative interviews with 12 to 20 operations managers and vehicle collection officers, analyzed using thematic analysis. Theoretical grounding draws on the Theory of Planned Behavior, Contingency Theory, and Dynamic Capability Theory.
Anticipated Results: The study expects to confirm that return time uncertainty is negatively associated with operational efficiency and that digital communication tools, including mobile app notifications, GPS tracking, and automated reminders, and operational flexibility measures, including flexible staffing and dynamic scheduling, each independently and interactively moderate this negative relationship.
Conclusion: The study will produce the first empirically validated framework for predicting and managing customer return time uncertainty in car rental firms, contributing to service operations management theory and generating practical tools for industry practitioners.