What do customers want from a micromobility service, and how are their expectations changing?
Last month, Joyride’s Founder and CEO, Vince Cifani, joined Micromobility Industries podcast host Oliver Bruce for a webinar on how to win—and retain—customers in micromobility. Vince shared his views alongside industry experts Mischa Schirris, Head of Partnerships at Mavenoid and Georgia Yexley, General Manager for the UK & Ireland at Tier.
As Oliver mentions, consumer expectations in the industry are changing fast—it’s an increasingly competitive market, and they have no shortage of products from which to choose. So how can you differentiate your fleet and services in a truly meaningful way? Let’s find out!
Ensuring a smooth ride, every time
In the webinar, Mischa makes a crucial point that differentiation is as simple as good customer support, and we agree.
“Many aspects of an enjoyable ride are outside of your control—weather, infrastructure, policies, and other external factors,” he says. “Seamless customer support, on the other hand, is one of the few things that’s actually within your control. Give it the attention it deserves as you build out your company in the space.”
Riders today understand that accidents and malfunctions can happen on any trip, but the operator that can get them promptly back on the road is the one that will win their loyalty. For example, is there a team they can rely on any time they experience a bug and can’t lock their vehicle, or someone who can understand that they simply forgot to lock their vehicle and don’t want to pay for a huge bill?
Helping customers navigate through difficulties like these is the best way to ensure satisfaction and increase customer retention.
As micromobility vehicles become a larger part of local, community living, it’s important for riders to know that the companies behind them are just as conscious about their communal impact, and this begins with maintaining a channel of open communication with riders. In fact, some cities now require operators to offer 24/7 support to riders.
At Joyride, we work closely with all our operators to manage customer support. With offices and support teams around the globe, we offer round-the-clock support that is unmatched in the industry. By partnering with third-party services like Mavenoid, our riders can receive help from experts in customer care who understand the details of the businesses, including product features, how to solve a bug, and other products and services specific to the operator.
Getting prompt customer support with expert agents not only keeps customers satisfied and willing to reuse the service, but optimizes the entire process so your team can get through support tickets with efficiency, which becomes increasingly important as you expand your company’s reach.
Taking customer service to the next level
As any micromobility operator knows, when a business scales, handling support requests gets increasingly difficult. That’s why it’s important to know when you need help from an outside specialty team or other additions to your platforms that can help you keep up with support requests.
Mischa suggests launching an in-app channel that can provide multilevel support for issues like money-back requests, plus an option to speak to a live agent via chat or video call. It also wouldn’t hurt to integrate a step-by-step troubleshooting capability so customers can do quick fixes by themselves.
Another part of customer satisfaction that often gets overlooked by operators is the company’s presence on its app reviews. As Vince points out, he’s observed a correlation between an app’s rating and the responses that operators give to their users’ reviews and complaints.
Vince also suggests a good old-fashioned toll-free phone number for customers to reach a support team, especially for those who aren’t as tech-savvy or simply haven’t had a chance to download the app. An even more direct method, he says, is to have physical locations in the city where customers can drop by and get help on the spot.
“It’s still a really competitive market, and using tools for customer success will not only help you win customers but help you save money,” he notes. “Things like AI tools are always gonna cut down on costs of hiring staff, so if you’re an operator and starting to scale, take a look at that.”
Running a micromobility business isn’t always smooth sailing. When it comes to maintaining the quality of your customer support, it’s worth it to invest in as many tools as possible so riders can get the help they need, ASAP. You’ll thank yourself once you see how many customers return to your vehicles for any trip they make.
Brand loyalty matters
As a micromobility rental provider, your brand is synonymous with elements that speak to sustainability, convenience, affordability and, of course, fun. Garnering brand loyalty is a big part of growing your business and retaining customers. What are the best ways to achieve this? Your Rider App, for one, is a powerful marketing tool in the palm of their hands.
Joyride’s white-label rider app is packed with features designed to market your fleet to customers and collaborate with local businesses. Plus, Joyride’s unique multi-ride feature allows people to rent multiple vehicles at once, so your target audience can get multiplied instantly.
Other exciting features include geofence-targeted push notifications so you can advertise promotions, safety messages, or engage your customers’ social media activity. With customized zoning, you can also run promotions with local businesses and have them placed prominently on a rider’s app. Once they’re in the area, they’ll get a push notification to use that coupon, creating extra customer incentive for your business and your partner.
If there’s any way to stand out from competitors, a discounted scoop of ice cream may just sweeten the deal and keep riders coming back for more.
Hear it from micromobility experts
But don’t just take our word for it—watch the full webinar to learn more about the importance of customer support and retention.
Grow your micromobility business with Joyride
One thing that Georgia brings up is how micromobility entrepreneurs should think about their roles on a communal level.
Growing your micromobility business in today’s competitive landscape requires a sense of communal impact, starting with reliable customer support that can ensure safety and instill a sense of responsibility.
Get in touch today and find out what Joyride can do to grow your fleet with speed.
