11th No. 1 finish in Korean Standards Association quality index

Mobile vehicle pickup rolled out at Jeju branch Tuesday

Electric vehicle and premium fleet expansion underway

Local tourism partnerships also strengthened

SK Rent-a-Car's Jeju branch [SK Rent-a-Car]
SK Rent-a-Car's Jeju branch [SK Rent-a-Car]

SK Rent-a-Car announced Thursday it has topped the rental car category of the 2026 Korean Quality Satisfaction Index, administered by the Korean Standards Association. The ranking marks the company's sixth consecutive No. 1 finish since 2021 and its 11th overall.

The Korean Quality Satisfaction Index is a quality evaluation metric jointly developed by the Korean Standards Association and the Korean Society for Quality Management. It is published annually based on surveys of consumers who have used a given product or service, as well as experts in the relevant field.

In this year's assessment, SK Rent-a-Car received high marks in "usability" — which measures how convenient a service is to use — and "accessibility," which evaluates the ease of making reservations and visiting branches. The company also recorded top scores across all subcategories in the emotional quality segment, which covers brand image, consumer awareness and service differentiation.

SK Rent-a-Car has been particularly focused on improving operations at its Jeju branch. Starting Tuesday, the company upgraded its system so that customers can complete the entire vehicle pickup process — including steps previously handled in person — entirely through a mobile device.

The process has also been simplified. Customers receive a KakaoTalk notification one hour before their rental begins, confirming the vehicle's location, and can then complete a mobile self-check-in.

The check-in can be finished during the ride from Jeju International Airport to the branch. Upon arrival, customers simply locate their assigned vehicle in the designated parking space and drive off.

The company is also broadening its vehicle selection. The Jeju branch operates electric vehicles from multiple brands, including Hyundai Motor, Kia, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Polestar.

Recent additions include the Hyundai Motor Ioniq 9, a large electric SUV, and the Toyota Alphard Hybrid, catering to a range of customers from families on vacation to those looking to try an electric vehicle for the first time.

Beyond vehicle rentals, the branch also lends travel accessories. Customers can borrow car seats and strollers for young children, as well as items such as a Dyson hair styler and an action camera.

Vehicle maintenance facilities have been expanded as well. The Jeju branch now has its own on-site fueling station, reducing turnaround time for refueling, washing and servicing returned vehicles while freeing up more time for inspections and hygiene management.

The company has also revamped its customer service approach. It brought in Son Jang-ho, a former general manager at global hotels and resorts, as head of the Jeju business division to apply hospitality-industry standards of customer care and hygiene management to its rental car operations.

A dedicated rental car information desk has been set up at Jeju International Airport, offering multilingual assistance for foreign tourists and allowing walk-in customers to book a vehicle on the spot without a prior reservation.

Partnerships with local Jeju businesses are also growing. Last year, SK Rent-a-Car teamed up with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Economic Promotion Agency to offer customers complimentary horse-oil soap from local cosmetics brand Licorice. The company has since extended its local collaborations to include HanWool & Jeju and other regional firms.

SK Rent-a-Car plans to go beyond vehicle rentals by working with local tourism facilities and restaurants to improve convenience for Jeju travelers and deepen its ties with the island's tourism industry.

"Our consistent efforts to refine service quality from the customer's perspective and steadily improve on-site infrastructure have borne meaningful fruit in the form of six consecutive No. 1 rankings in the Korean Quality Satisfaction Index," a company official said. "We will continue to put customer satisfaction first and create differentiated mobility experiences while contributing to the local community."

Meanwhile, SK Rent-a-Car signed an MOU with Samsung Fire on Oct. 20 to cooperate on future mobility projects using vehicle operations and insurance data. The two companies plan to use data on vehicle usage, maintenance and accidents to improve fleet management efficiency, and to jointly develop insurance and service models for electric vehicles and autonomous driving.


kwater@heraldcorp.com