Independent research of 1,200 customers carried out for the GE-owned company says it is now rated higher than any of its key competitors for service.

The results follows a number of initiatives carried out by TLS designed to build higher customer service standards into its operations.

A training programme undertaken by all staff but concentrated on customer facing employees was designed to increase service levels.

TLS has a new and more frequent customer response programme called the Net Promoter Score system, a standard which aims to measure customer satisfaction by finding out whether customers would recommend your service.

Finally, the company has become a member of the Institute of Customer Service, a UK independent professional body, which aims to lead customer service performance and professionalism.

Sean Welham, marketing director at TLS, said, "A few years ago, customer service was an area where TLS lagged behind its competitors, so to reverse the trend and take the lead is an achievement of which we are very proud.

"Renting a vehicle should be as pleasant and easy a process as possible for the customer, and ensuring that they receive a high standard of service is an important element of that experience."