VLM is confident in its choice of the Olympus Mobility app

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 De Vlaamse Landmaatschappij (VLM) is a public service that aims to make open space livable and sustainable, among others. VLM also wanted to tackle its mobility in the same way, to see how they could reduce emissions, improve the connection of employees to public transport, work more with shared bikes … And manage all this in an efficient manner. This ultimately led the VLM to Olympus Mobility. Steven Scheirlinckx, Facility Manager of VLM, explains.

Approach

“Last year, we drew up a transportation requirements plan with The New Drive. We mapped out the commuting and professional journeys of our employees. Many of them often use public transport for journeys from our administrative headquarters in Brussels to the branches in the provinces. Many journeys also take place between the branches. To this end, they take the train as our offices are all close to a station. Our fleet of sixty cars is used for further journeys in the Flemish areas.”

“On the basis of the recommendations in the transportation requirements plan, we have drawn up a concrete action plan. We wanted to expand our range of electric cars and place even more emphasis on sustainable means of transport such as the use of public transport where and when possible, Cambio CarSharing and shared bikes. This partial mobility had not yet really found its way into our company. We did have a contract with Blue Bike, but the practical implementation left much to be desired. We ended up paying for a service that was hardly used. That was room for improvement.”

“At The New Drive, they were already working with Olympus Mobility. We were instantly impressed by the simple way in which tickets for public transport can be bought and that purchase is just as easy to manage administratively. The Cambio offer was also included. Our employees with monitoring duties had often asked us if they could drive in anonymous cars. That makes the monitoring rounds more efficient.”

Testing phase

“Twenty testers were given access to the app in a six-month testing phase, and each received a mobility budget of € 120 per month. They could use that budget to rent a bike, book a Cambio, buy a ticket for the train, etc. The latter they seem to have done often in particular. With the Mobility app, journeys between head offices and branches and the purchase of train tickets became very easy. Olympus app always calculates the cheapest option tailored to the user. The app also suggests a route: first take a bicycle, then a train, then a bicycle again.”

What did our testers think of the app?

“Our testers were all positive. Initially there were some start-up problems, a password was forgotten, occasionally something was blocked, but all in all everything went very smoothly. And if there were any problems, a phone call to the Olympus Mobility helpdesk was all it took to get everything right. The helpdesk has always provided us with good help and support. As soon as we established that something was not working as it should have, we reported it and Olympus Mobility immediately sorted it out. Even if we wanted to adjust something to our specific settings, this was done immediately. When the test period was over, the twenty testers pleaded with us to keep the system. They’d never had it that easy.”

Decision

“Since we are a public company, we are obliged to compare at least three offers. We did the same after the test period. For our specific request – easy access to public transport, use of shared bikes and Cambio cars – Olympus Mobility stood out. The € 120 that the employees receive per month is a virtual amount, they don’t get it in cash. The money is placed in a blocked account. At the end of the month, Olympus Mobility deducts the amount spent.”

What convinced VLM to use the Olympus Mobility app?

“Olympus Mobility offers a total package of services throughout Flanders and has an extensive network. The helpdesk is easy to reach and help is provided expertly and quickly. For the employees, everything runs smoothly and user-friendly. The Mobility app is also a blessing for the employer because it eliminates a lot of administrative hassle. As an employer, you pay what was used at the end of the month, without any hassle, and you get a structured overview of all expenses. It couldn’t be easier. The fact that Olympus Mobility has local ties, with an office in Ghent, is also an advantage.”

“When the test period was over, the twenty testers pleaded with us to keep the system. They’d never had it that easy.”