What’s the next big goal?

Pilloud: By the end of 2022, we plan to electrify more than 10% of our vehicle fleet. That’s more than 300 electric vehicles. We confirmed this on 15 December 2022. Our main goal is to switch completely to electric vehicles by the end of 2030. While that’s going on, we’ll continue expanding, consolidating and optimising our portfolio of services.

Where we station our vehicles is extremely important to customers. What criteria do you use when selecting the locations?

We start by deciding on the municipality and neighbourhood for a Mobility station. In very broad terms, we look at whether the area’s residential or industrial. Also part of the equation are the population structure, construction projects, the number of existing customers, and whether we already have vehicles stationed there. Once we’re clear that the area’s suitable, we get down to a targeted search for a location. Different criteria are important here, e.g. findability, security criteria and susceptibility to damage.

What does this means in practice?

Pilloud: The car park should be centrally located and well marked. In terms of safety/security, it needs to be lit, open and visible. Access to the location, and the bay itself, shouldn’t be too narrow or full of obstacles. Otherwise there’s a risk of damage. It’s also important that access to the bay isn’t blocked by frequent events in the neighbourhood, and that it’s accessible around the clock. It has to be affordable, too. Technical criteria must also be taken into account: The car park must have 4 G reception to enable communication with the on-board computer. Plus, bearing in mind our electrification goal, the site must be capable of receiving a charge point.

Isn't it hard to meet each of these criteria?

Brandenberg: There are those that have to be mandatory, such as 4 G reception. But also those that are “nice-to-have’. At the end of the day, we have to weigh up the individual criteria and their pros and cons. Having a central location isn’t always a good thing, because people who don’t know the area can get lost trying to find it.

What role does data analysis play in the selection of locations?

Brandenberg: Data is very important to us. Our location and customer data is enriched with geo-referencing data, which enables us to perform spatial analyses. These allow us to respond very precisely to the individual regions. Also, our customer data enables us to obtain information on the demand, sales figures and usage trends of a particular location. In turn, that helps us create the most customer-friendly network of Mobility stations.

Can Mobility users have a say in where the vehicles are located? What’s the best way of getting one stationed in your neighbourhood?

Yes, customers can indeed make suggestions that ultimately lead to Mobility putting a vehicle where they suggest.

Most of our locations are in towns and conglomerations. That’s because car sharing works particularly well in combination with public transport, which tends to be omnipresent in urban areas. That said, it can happen that customers want a Mobility station in rural areas. The problem there is the lack of demand, leading to underutilisation of the vehicle. And public transport is less frequent than in an urban setting. So for us to be able to provide a service in places like that, we’re developed products whereby businesses or communities can participate financially in the provision of a Mobility station.

Again: Then can customers really have an influence?

Pilloud: Yes, as long as the criteria for this are met. We’ll gladly consider suggestions and parking space offers. It does happen that we take a closer look at a certain neighbourhood based on a suggestion and end up putting a vehicle there.

What’s the quickest way for Mobility users to find a vehicle?

The Mobility website has an overview map under “Stations” where you can enter the location name or the address. When it comes to reserving a vehicle at a specific location, you can do this either via the Mobility app or the customer portal. Customers can also make reservations by calling the 24h Service Center and paying a fee.

Three questions for...

Janine Pilloud Emmenegger, Location Manager Western Switzerland

What’s your role in the Location Network team?

I’m a locations manager. This means that I develop, design and manage the vehicle range for our customers in Western Switzerland. The job involves e.g. analysing existing locations. It’s then a question of whether and how they should be expanded, reduced in size, relocated, electrified or terminated. I also answer location-related customer enquiries and feedback. We work closely with our local colleagues. They know their regions like the back of their hands.

Why are some sites terminated?

It’s not always due to underutilisation. Landowners occasionally withdraw permission to use their facilities, or the location proves unsuitable in terms of vehicle damage. Then again, we’ll eventually have to terminate the location if electrification proves impossible – after all, we’re aiming for a fleet that’s fully electric by 2030. When that happens, it’s a matter of finding a suitable replacement location. This is done seamlessly if at all possible.

What do you like most about your job?

I like being able to work autonomously, plus I have an excellent team. I also love the fact that I can speak mainly in French. The Mobility groove is very familiar, innovative and future- and solution-oriented. Our message ‘Share more, get more’ is reflected in the way we collaborate, in the sense of ‘better together’.