Kaye Gitibin of Go Rentals: How Shifting Focus to Private Aviation Transformed a Local Van Rental Startup Into an Elite National Brand

As a part of our series about the five things a business should do to create a Wow! customer experience, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kaye Gitibin.

Kaye Gitibin is Cofounder and CEO of Go Rentals, an elite vehicle rental service for discerning business and leisure travelers. As CEO, Kaye’s primary focus is on aligning the company’s unique business model with the day-to-day operations. He has almost 30 years of experience building a brand that caters to high net-worth individuals and successful families across the U.S. He is based in Newport Beach, California.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

My brother Kavous and I started in 1995 renting vans, because at that time, the legacy car rental companies could not confirm or guarantee them. We opened a small, 700-square-foot office, put the sign up, and within a few days, all our vans were rented. With the money we were making, we kept adding vans to the fleet. Soon, we had over 100 vans.

We started working with all kinds of groups: universities, youth and adult ministries, athletic departments. Our pitch was very effective: Why rent a bus, when you can save money by renting a 15-passenger van and using your own driver?

Although we were constantly going above and beyond to provide a memorable experience, the guests we were working with didn’t put much emphasis on the service part of it. So we started researching what we could do to bring our unique approach to a clientele that would truly appreciate it. That’s when we saw the opportunity in private aviation.

We built a relationship with a private airport right across the street from us. Because they didn’t need vans, we brought in SUVs and luxury cars. Eventually they brought us on as a preferred, on-site, car rental company. We made a lot of mistakes because we didn’t really understand the world of private aviation. But as we learned more about the business, we were able to establish a culture that would create a “wow” factor every time.

From one terminal, we started growing. We learned the language of our partners: charter company flight departments and FBOs (Fixed Base Operators). We learned the needs of the passengers as well as the flight crew. That’s how we became the only car rental company specializing in servicing private aviation clients across the country.

Since then, we have expanded our customer base to all elite business and leisure travelers looking for a first-class rental experience. In the end, we decided that we didn’t want to be just a car rental company. We were striving to become a memorable part of our guests’ entire travel experience.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

I wouldn’t call this a mistake, but it does show our mindset when we first started out. When we opened our business, we were very protective of the seven vans that comprised our fleet. We had put our life savings into buying those vehicles; they became our babies. Every time I gave a key to a guest, it felt like I was giving my child away. And when the car was returned, my brother and I would run out and look at the car to see if there was any damage. If there was even the smallest scratch, we felt like we were going to cry.

We became so attached to our vans, we wanted to ensure they stayed in mint condition. We knew every mile on every vehicle. We knew when someone had driven extra miles. One time, a group of musicians rented a 15-passenger van from us. They drove the van across the country and racked up something like 10,000 miles!

I don’t believe it was a mistake to be so emotionally invested in the most valuable asset we had — our vans. Still, you could say our reaction to the slightest damage or blemish was a bit overdramatic.

None of us is able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I can’t narrow it down to one person. There are two people who had such a profound impact on me, both personally and professionally, it would be wrong to exclude either one.

The first was my mentor, Tom Denny. A former president of Century 21 Real Estate, he showed me how to care, how to go above and beyond. He taught me that because people rely on you, you need to be dependable. More importantly, he impressed upon me the value of commitment. When you shake hands with your guests, that’s your commitment to them. This approach needs to extend beyond your guests: you have a commitment to your entire team to create an environment in which they can grow and flourish.

In terms of a person who actually helped us grow our business, that would be Lou Pepper, the former CEO of Atlantic Aviation. A dear friend who is now retired, Lou gave me my first FBO chain, which was instrumental in catalyzing our growth in aviation. Lou saw something in us; even though we were a small company with only one location, he believed we were capable of doing so much more. I am confident that we justified his faith in us.

Thank you for that. Let’s now pivot to the main focus of our interview. This might be intuitive, but I think it’s helpful to specifically articulate it. In your words, can you share a few reasons why great customer service and a great customer experience is essential for success in business?

Great customer service and a “wow” customer experience can become major differentiating factors between you and your competition. This is particularly true for our business, where our guests are not coming in simply to rent a vehicle. They’re coming because of the strong relationships we have with them and the exceptional treatment they receive.

Our guests shouldn’t have to worry about whether their car is going to be there. They shouldn’t be concerned about whether they’ll get the car they asked for, or whether it has low mileage. Providing this level of attention becomes a way to separate your business from the pack. The opportunities in this regard have increased post-Covid, as large numbers of businesses have walked away from customer service. In fact, according to multiple surveys, it’s gotten much worse.

Of course, for service to be a long-term differentiator, it must be an integral part of your business culture, not just a series of one-time actions. Whether you have a few employees or hundreds, whether Covid happened or didn’t happen, creating memorable customer interactions needs to be one of your company’s cornerstones. If your business is providing white-glove, high-touch service like we do, you find a way to offer it, even in the toughest times.

It all comes down to why we are here: we are here to be nice, to be kind, and to care. Those are the three things we always talk about that are essential to our success.

We have all had times either in a store, or online, when we’ve had a very poor experience as a customer or user. If the importance of a good customer experience is so intuitive, and apparent, where is the disconnect? How is it that so many companies do not make this a priority?

It starts with a strong leader who is laser-focused on the customer experience. When that culture is firmly implanted in your business by top management, you talk about it constantly — not just once in a while, not just once a day, but multiple times every day. An effective leader does this as an integral part of building their corporate culture.

I have made a practice of sending a service excellence email out to our team, citing our “hero stories.” These are examples of how our team members provided outstanding customer care. Because ultimately, it all starts with the way we treat our own people. We give them respect, focus on their needs, and create a work environment in which they can flourish. By being exposed to this kind of treatment firsthand, our team is better prepared to provide it to our guests.

Put another way, top-level customer service isn’t an add-on item or an accessory for us; it has been baked into our culture. Companies without leaders who take this holistic approach to service are at a great disadvantage.

Do you think that more competition helps force companies to improve the customer experience they offer? Are there other external pressures that can force a company to improve the customer experience?

It’s not about more competition. Improving your level of customer service is about understanding what your clientele really want — and your competition can certainly help you do that.

In our business, the competition offers car rental service to the masses. Come stand in line, get a car, get in a shuttle that takes you to a remote parking lot, and finally pick up your car. We studied this model and decided to develop our service based on doing the opposite of what our competitors were doing. The competition was not providing high-touch, white-glove service to people who rent cars, and that’s the primary reason we adopted it.

An analogy would be a sandwich shop that goes above and beyond, creating a five-star experience where you not only get a terrific sandwich, but you can eat in a nice, comfortable setting and interact with friendly servers and staff. It costs a bit more, but to many people, it’s worth it.

Then there’s a sandwich place that will offer customers an ordinary sandwich, where you stand in a long line and deal with staff who may or may not be helpful. There are clientele for both establishments. But the question is, which one do you want to be? What is your vision?

So it’s not really about the volume of competition; it’s finding the “gaps” in what they provide to their customer base and capitalizing on that.

Can you share with us a story from your experience about a customer who was “wowed” by the experience you provided?

For us, the “wow” stories happen on a daily basis. Every day, we go above and beyond to make sure that our guests’ needs are not only met but exceeded.

One time, a guest called me and said that he was flying into town with his date that same day. He wanted the nicest car because he was going to the most well-appointed hotel in the area. He also asked me if I could pick up a dozen roses for him, as he wouldn’t have the time. So I went out and bought the most amazing red roses I could find and put them on the car’s passenger seat.

When the couple arrived in town, my guest was not sure what I had bought for him. He assumed I had purchased the flowers from a mini-mart or convenience store, so he called me and asked about them. After telling him they were on the passenger’s seat, he excused himself from his date to secretly go look at them, as he hadn’t been to the car yet. He was absolutely blown away.

He later said to me, “I never thought I could get these roses. In fact, as soon as I asked you about doing it, I was expecting you to say, ‘No, we are not a florist.’ But then you absolutely exceeded my expectations.” This story illustrates one of our company’s guiding philosophies: whenever you can, try to offer something that guests don’t even know they can get. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, just something that was unexpected.

Did that Wow! experience have any long-term ripple effects? Can you share the story?

While I enjoyed the roses story, I’d like to focus on a different incident, a perfect example of the ripple effect your question poses.

I was at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. At the table next to me, one couple was telling another couple about the amazing experience they had in Palm Springs. Because I’m a service “junkie,” I’m always interested in finding out who is providing the best service, regardless of the industry.

I heard one of the couples talking about this company at the Palm Springs airport called “Go Rentals,” from whom they had rented a vehicle. This couple was telling their fellow diners what an amazing experience they had and advised them that when they travel, they need to use this company. I was just sitting there, listening to this and beaming with pride.

It shows that our dedication and commitment to providing a memorable guest experience is being recognized. People talk about it, and we become a part of the lifestyle of our guests. Other folks have told us directly that when they travel, if there is no Go Rentals service available at a particular location, they simply won’t rent a car; they’ll just find other ways to get around.

There are two important things we do as part of our effort to create a “wow” experience. We have a “meet and greet” with guests upon arrival and departure. We want to make sure that we are the first encounter our guests have when they arrive, in order to get their trip off to a great start. Then, when they depart, we are the last people they see before they board their flight. Since they’re likely going to talk about the memorable experiences they had during their stay, we want to make sure their interaction with us is top of mind.

Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should know in order to create a Wow! Customer Experience.

1. Understand Your Guests’ Needs: This is number one by far. You need to provide what your guests want and need, not what you want to offer. If you understand their needs, you’ve already met one of the most vital criteria of the customer- service experience.
2. Provide Service Excellence. Provide the service you know your team is capable of. To ensure that happens, talk about service multiple times a day to your team and your leaders. Address it until your team is sick of hearing it, then talk about it some more.
3. Focus on Training. It’s not just the training itself that is so vital, but that it is offered continuously; it should never stop. What’s more, it’s about practicing the basics, over and over. Some companies walk away from the fundamentals; instead, embrace them.
4. Build Relationships: These days, too many companies are going for the hard sell. But if you build sincere, meaningful relationships with your guests, you won’t need to sell. They will come to you.
5. Honor Your Commitment. When you make a commitment to “underpromise and overdeliver,” make sure you stick to it. The commitment you make to your guests is non-negotiable. If you want loyalty from your guests, be prepared to give it to them.

Are there a few things that can be done so that when a customer or client has a Wow! experience, they inspire others to reach out to you as well?

We have many instances of guests referring us to their friends and business associates based on their positive experiences. But we’ve also had situations where guests inspired themselves.

One morning, I got a call from the owner of an NBA basketball team who personally uses our service all across the country. He told me that he wanted to sign a contract for us to become the official vehicle rental service for his team. He said that nobody in the country is doing what Go Rentals does. He talked about the value we bring and how much time we would save for him and his team.

This was a case of a guest inspiring himself to reach out to us. He was already using our services on his own and was so satisfied, he gave us an even bigger piece of business.

By the way, the other part of this story is that his call came in at 8:00 am Eastern Time; he thought I was in New York, but I was in California, so the call actually came in at 5:00 a.m. I could have rolled over and gone back to sleep. He probably would have left a message. Still, when opportunity knocks — or rings, in this case — you have to be ready to answer.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I’ve talked to some of our political leaders, and I’ve also had the opportunity to meet with them in person. Our conversations were about respect and peace. And that’s something that’s missing around the world — look at the countries that are engaged in conflicts, whether it’s the Middle East, South America, Ukraine, wherever. Respect, peace, understanding, and listening to each other are becoming the exception instead of the norm.

In anything you do, whether it’s a real estate deal, a business transaction, or a political discussion, there has to be a “win-win” outcome for both parties. There are far too many people who not only want to win, but they also want to ensure that the other side loses. When I purchase real estate, I never want the seller to lose; I want to make sure that each of us has a profitable outcome.

Why? Because if you make your counterpart lose, they’re not going to do business with you again; they will remember what you did to them. This is what I try to impress upon our team members: always have that win-win situation in mind, that it has to be beneficial to both parties, then you can continue doing business.

I’m not quite sure how to translate that into a movement. But I would enjoy being involved in an endeavor that ultimately brings respect, collaboration, and understanding to any type of negotiation or human interaction.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

We have multiple platforms where your readers can find us. They can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gorentalsusa, and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gorentals/. Lastly, we’re on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-rentals-inc-/.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!