Headlines report that COVID-19 will permanently change our driving habits. In the future, people will work from home more often, avoid public transport and cycling will become more popular, but the car seems to be the safest mode of transportation at the moment. You’re probably also considering changes to your organisation’s mobility plan to ensure that your employees can continue to travel safely and in good health. ALD Automotive would be happy to help with those changes, and has therefore introduced the 30-minute consultation.
Jelle Oosterhoff is Manager Strategic Sales at ALD Automotive. The strategic sales consultants advise clients on issues such as how they can optimise their mobility policy. At the moment, companies not only have to deal with the mobility aspects of their business objectives, but also the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To support them in these efforts, we have asked him to explain the new consultation.
What are the main questions companies have regarding COVID-19 at the moment?
“The questions are specific to the company and depend on the sector, segment and location that the company serves. A production facility at an industrial park faces different challenges than a retailer in the city centre, for example. Most companies with lots of office workers have closed their offices, and their staff are all working from home. People are currently thinking about how to arrange mobility for different employees and groups of employees. Businesses are especially looking for alternatives for employees who use public transport - around 15% of Dutch workers. Research by the Kennisinstituut voor Mobiliteitsbeleid (KiM) has shown that 88% of the respondents would rather not travel by public transport due to the high risk of infection. Which alternatives are available, which alternative is best suited to which situation, and what degree of flexibility is attainable? That last question is based on the uncertainty as to how long the current measures will be in effect.”
What sparked the idea for the online consultation?
“The idea for the online consultation was the result of many conversations with our clients. Companies frequently called us with questions about their lease cars, but they didn’t immediately bring up the topic of mobility for their employees without lease vehicles. We are a mobility provider, so in addition to leasing cars, we also offer options such as e-bikes, car sharing and mobility cards. When we asked follow-up questions during our conversations with clients, we received very positive reactions to these possibilities. Whether you’re a fleet manager or HR assistant, working at the finance department or in procurement, and whether or not you’re responsible for mobility policy; it’s reassuring to have some guidelines to help you arrange mobility in the best possible way. That’s how we came up with the idea of putting it all into a 30-minute online consultation.”
Reorganising a mobility policy in just 30 minutes? That seems impossible!
“And it is. 30 minutes is nowhere near enough time to set up a mobility plan that’s completely ‘corona-proof’. Our consultation is intended to help companies draw up a general outline and to offer them inspiration. ALD Automotive has formulated a few lines of thought and guidelines appropriate for 1.5-meter social distancing measures. In so doing, we can point companies in the right direction to formulating a new mobility policy, either on their own or with our help.”
Which changes in mobility do you foresee due to COVID-19?
“What works and what doesn’t will differ from company to company. I expect an increase in interest in e-bikes and flexible private or corporate leasing of pre-owned vehicles. That might increase demand for parking, however, which could have a domino effect where employees who currently commute by car, but who live close to work, are encouraged to commute by bicycle or e-bike.”
If you would like to invest 30 minutes in learning more about mobility options that suit the new control measures, then call us at +31 (0)20 658 70 00 and we would be happy to schedule a no-obligation online consultation with you.