Based on the car rental company's process model, here are the steps to return a rented car:
Car Return Process Steps
| Step | Customer Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fill Up Gas | Refuel tank | Fill up the gas tank according to the rental policy (typically Full-to-Full) |
| 2. Empty Car | Remove belongings | Empty all personal belongings from cabin, trunk, and glovebox |
| 3. Return Key | Hand over key | Return the key to the depot agent or use secure drop-box if after hours |
| 4. Inspection | Wait for check | The rental company inspects the vehicle (tires, windshield, bodywork) |
| 5. Confirmation | Receive receipt | Get a return confirmation receipt via email |
Process Diagrams
The customer's perspective of the return process is shown in the Return Car diagram, which demonstrates the customer's actions including filling up gas, emptying the car, and returning the key.
The rental company's perspective is shown in the Take back Car diagram, showing the company's process of confirming the return and issuing the confirmation receipt.
The overall rental process context, including the Car Return process, is illustrated in the Rental processes diagram.
Important Notes
- Fuel Policy: Avoid extra refuelling service charges by keeping your gas receipt and refilling to the agreed level (typically Full-to-Full)
- Damage Check: If you have not taken out fully-comprehensive cover, the car must be checked for damages and a damage report will be filled out
- Key Identification: The key's ID is used to identify the rental car in the system
- Confirmation: You will receive a return confirmation email as soon as the contract is finalized and closed
Process Flow
The return process involves interaction between the Renter (customer) and the Lender (rental company), as illustrated in the Rental processes diagram. The two sides are coupled by two main messages:
- Key (Physical) - The physical handover of the key triggers the company-side process
- Confirmation - The confirmation message lets the customer process continue and finish
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Condition for Required Damage Check
A damage check is required when the customer has not taken out fully-comprehensive cover (comprehensive insurance) with the rental contract.
This condition is explicitly documented in the process model as a branching point in the car return workflow:
Branching for optional damage check. Two outgoing flows. The conditional flow "No Fully-Comprehensive Cover" leads into the damage check and is weighted with a probability of 20 percent; its condition is held as the reusable logical expression "No Fully-Comprehensive Cover". The second flow is the default flow, weighted 80 percent, and skips the check by leading straight to the merge. The business rule behind this is the functional requirement "Contract without fully-comprehensive cover requires damage check".
Process Details
| Condition | Damage Check Required | Process Path |
|---|---|---|
| No Fully-Comprehensive Cover | Yes (20% probability) | Damage check → Contract settlement → Confirmation |
| Fully-Comprehensive Cover | No (80% probability) | Direct to contract settlement → Confirmation |
Damage Check Process
When the damage check is required, the rental company carries out an inspection that includes:
- Check for Stone Chips - The technician checks the car for stone chips, particularly on the windshield.
- Check for Damages to Tires - The technician checks whether there are any damages to the tires upon acceptance of the returned car.
The output of this process is a damages report that becomes part of the return data and is used in the invoice calculation.
Customer-Facing Information
From the customer's perspective, the rental company's guide states:
Full Protection Coverage: If you selected our Fully Comprehensive Cover, minor wear and damage inspections are streamlined so you can be on your way even faster!
This confirms that customers with fully-comprehensive cover experience a faster return process without the detailed damage inspection.
Process Diagrams
The damage check condition is illustrated in the Take back Car diagram, which shows the branching logic for the optional damage check.
The activity-based costing view Drop-Off Car (Activity Based Costing View) provides economic evaluation of the return process, including the costs associated with the damage check path.
Summary
The specific condition requiring a damage check is: the customer has not taken out fully-comprehensive cover with the rental contract. This represents approximately 20% of all car returns and adds approximately 25 minutes and 5 EUR to the return process compared to the standard route without damage check.
Conceptual Difference Between 'Fahrzeug zurückgeben' and 'Fahrzeug zurücknehmen'
The two processes represent the customer's perspective and the rental company's perspective of the same business interaction. They are two sides of a BPMN collaboration that describes how the return happens from both viewpoints.
1. Fahrzeug zurückgeben (Return Car) - Customer Perspective
This BusinessProcess encompasses all processes for returning a vehicle and realizes the business service "Fahrzeugrückgabe" used by the renter. It describes what the customer must do:
- Fill Up Gas in Tank and Head for Return Depot - The customer fills the tank as per the contract and then returns the car to the return depot
- Empty Car and Return Key - The customer removes all belongings and luggage and hands in the key at the return depot
- Wait for Return Confirmation - The customer waits for confirmation receipt of return so they can leave the return depot
2. Fahrzeug zurücknehmen (Take Back Car) - Company Perspective
This BusinessProcess encompasses the processes when taking back a vehicle and uses the application service "Fahrzeugmanagement". It describes what the rental company does:
- Determine Car ID Using Key - The employee enters the car ID by scanning the key ring or entering the ID manually
- Determine Return Status - Mileage is recorded and the car is checked as to whether it was returned with a full tank of gas
- Optional Damage Check - If the customer has not taken out fully-comprehensive cover, the car must be checked for damages
- Calculate and Close Contract - Process final financial settlement based on damages, fuel levels, and log return documents
- Confirm Return - Issue confirmation receipt of return for the customer
3. Collaboration Between Both Processes
The two processes are coupled by two main messages that cross the organizational boundary:
"Key (Physical)" runs from the customer's task "Empty Car and Return Key" to the start event ":Key Available" in the company pool. The physical handover of the key is therefore what triggers the company-side process.
"Confirmation" runs from the company's task "Confirm Return" to the customer's intermediate event ":Return Confirmed". Only this message lets the customer process continue and finish.
The diagram thus shows a clean handover pattern. The customer brings the car into a defined state, full tank and emptied, and hands over the key; the company accepts, inspects, settles and confirms. The two sides are coupled by these two messages only and otherwise run independently.
4. Process Diagrams
The customer's perspective is illustrated in the Return Car diagram.
The rental company's perspective is illustrated in the Take back Car diagram.
Summary Table
| Aspect | Fahrzeug zurückgeben | Fahrzeug zurücknehmen |
|---|---|---|
| Perspective | Customer / Renter | Rental Company / Lender |
| Business Service | Fahrzeugrückgabe (vehicle return service) | Fahrzeugmanagement (vehicle management service) |
| Primary Actions | Fill tank, empty car, return key | Check ID, inspect car, settle contract, confirm return |
| Trigger | Return Date event | :Key Available message event |
| End Event | :Return Confirmed (message catch) | :Process Car Return (signal end) |