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Even Rijden: an innovative collaboration
The Challenge
Imagine you have been working together with another organization for years on various mobility solutions. You have both created a trusted name within the industry and customers know how to find you when they are looking for mobility solutions. However, you both notice that the market is evolving and that customers’ needs are changing. Sitting still is not an option.
This is exactly what happened at Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland. Both parties recognized that the mobility market is rapidly changing. Customers are increasingly looking for forms of mobility that are sustainable, financially attractive, smart, and flexible. That is why Jean Pierre Vissers, CEO of Athlon Nederland and Michiel Krouwer, Director Sales & Marketing Middle and Large Business at Centraal Beheer, asked Stay Future Proof for help in developing a new proposition that would accommodate these needs.
Jean Pierre: “We asked the help of Stay Future Proof for a renewal question. An innovation question. How can we use the current capabilities of Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland to create a new proposition that responds to the changing needs of customers?”
Stay Future Proof's approach
Innovation processes always start with looking outward, seeing what is happening in the world, and using these insights to come up with new propositions and business models. This is also how the innovation process started with Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland. In the first session, under the guidance of Stay Future Proof, both organizations examined which changes and trends had an impact on their business. They also gained insight into what is happening in the mobility industry and what new products and services were being offered by competitors. The insights from this session formed the basis for the next step in the innovation process: brainstorming potential new propositions.
The brainstorming process resulted in three interesting propositions. Innovation and strategy are all about focus, so a choice had to be made. The decision was made by forming design criteria together with Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland: the proposition would offer different opportunities in the future and the proposition would make optimal use of the qualities of both parties.
Michiel: “Even Rijden was a joint exploration. The idea of a joint venture should tap into the strengths of both parties.”
The decision was made to continue with the proposition that centered on a private and business car subscription. After a development process that included testing customer needs, conducting competitive analyses, and validating prototypes, the result was Even Rijden – an electric, flexible and monthly car subscription.
Jean Pierre: “Even Rijden meets customer needs for an electric, flexible and variable car subscription, to be used by private and business drivers. This new proposition is different than car lease and care rental, it is something in between. The idea is new and does not yet exist in this form.”
Stay Future Proof emphasizes the importance of testing and validation during the development of new propositions. The insights from these tests and validations prevent an organization from spending a lot of time and money on propositions that do not meet the wishes of (potential) clients. Stay Future Proof facilitates this process using tools such as canvases and various types of experiments.
Michiel: “Stay Future Proof’s approach is professional. She has the ability to bring two corporate organizations together and help them innovate business models.”
Results
Stay Future Proof’s guidance in the Even Rijden trajectory ensured that Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland developed a new service. This service originated from the starting point that both organizations wanted to do something innovative. This idea was validated into a workable proposition. For Even Rijden, a team was set up with employees from both Centraal Beheer and Athlon Nederland, a budget was made available, and a long-term plan was drawn up.
In addition, the process has also changed the mindset of the two organizations. Michiel: “Athlon Nederland and Centraal Beheer are a good team together. Stay Future Proof also plays a major role in this teamwork. She keeps pace in processes, shows what the new world looks like and demonstrates the importance of experimenting. Constantly trying things, validating them and learning from them.”
Michiel Krouwer
–– Director of Sales & Marketing | Centraal Beheer
Have you become excited?
