After assisting many new carsharing companies with their launch, we know how valuable a streamlined carsharing member journey is. From lead, capture, signup, and registration to the repeatable processes of booking, driving, and parking a vehicle, having the carsharing member journey top-of-mind might just be the most critical aspect of your successful launch and sustained customer satisfaction.
REGISTRATION: STARTING THE CARSHARING MEMBER JOURNEY
As detailed in the above infographic, the steps in green are only experienced once per member, but are repeatable and seamless amongst all of your carsharing companies’ lifetime members. These critical steps are essential to the successful launch of your company, and include:
- Initial lead capture: Capture your carsharing member lead through your marketing efforts, such as in-person flyer handouts, media events, and digital marketing
- Registration: Create an easy and quick registration process that allows your potential members to register without hassle
- Validation: Have the newly registered member’s ID and driving record verified as quick as possible (seconds if automated, 2-3 business days if manual)
- Approval: Members are sent an approval message that provides all of the details they will need to know, such as how to reserve/book a car. Optional: members are sent a welcome package with fob or RFID card to access vehicles.
DRIVING: MAINTAINING THE CARSHARING MEMBER JOURNEY
The steps that are highlighted in purple and pink in the above carsharing member journey infographic are steps that are repeated endlessly amongst current members, every time they make a trip. These steps are critical for your carsharing companies’ sustained success, longevity, and long-term customer satisfaction.
- Find a car: Members must have a seamless strategy for finding a car near them, whether with a mobile or desktopapp. Some carsharing companies offer an in-app radar feature which allows members to be notified when a vehicle arrives within their set radius. Additional in-vehicle features may allow members to honk the horn of their reserved vehicles when searching for the correct car in a larger parking lot.
- Reserve a car: Members must also have a seamless strategy for reserving a car for a set length of time (for free-floating it is usually 30 minutes) to allow them adequate time to locate their vehicle and start their trip. You may decide members are allowed to re-reserve the same vehicle should their reservation expire before they can reach their car and start their trip.
- Start a trip: Starting a trip should be easy, and when it comes to this aspect, the faster the vehicle unlocks after the member hits “start” the better! Typically members can unlock their vehicle using their mobile app or using the key card on the card reader on the windshield. Member authentication may be required by the input of a pin code in the vehicle or within the app.
- Drive: The quality of the members drive may be impacted by factors such as vehicle maintenance, vehicle cleanliness, in-vehicle options like navigation, rear-view camera, radio, and bluetooth, and overall comfortability and versatility of the vehicle itself. It is imperative to have a call center that is ready to support members if any problems should arise.
- Park a car: Perhaps one of the most frequently frustrating experience members have is finding parking for the vehicle. Parking locations should be clearly defined within your app and using on-street signage; should you offer parking in large lots, detailed wayfinding signage on where to find the specified car sharing spots should also be clearly defined. All members should be aware of parking rules in permit or residential zones, or they should be able to easily access this information. Having real-time information on available parking spots, like car2go’s app, is a great feature for members to find parking.
- End trip: Ending the trip should be just as simple as starting one, whether with the in-app lock or key card function. Vehicles should lock automatically (within 15-20 seconds) after the car is parked and safely closed.
- Pay: For ease, each member’s account should be connected to a credit card, which is then charged after each trip or on a set billing schedule. Members should be able to access and download billing records online, and in-app trip history is another option to offer.
Do you have questions on making your carsharing member journey the most streamlined, effective experience? Contact us here.
