GoRoadtrip finds its way
Doing business is making choices. For GoRoadtrip, this meant that in the past three years the focus shifted from the “idealistic vision” of facilitating an adventurous van for students to just renting passenger buses. That move, according to co-owner Stijn Heijstee, has been the result of "...really just commercial thinking. With those vans, we make money. At one point, we were only trying to rent out as many vans as possible. In our opinion, that went too far. We're GoRoadtrip... That name was chosen for a reason. So that road trip, it has to come back. The first initiative we've taken now is to rent out motorhomes. Especially for students."
However, renting out vans remains the spearhead. Heijstee refers to the business model from which GoRoadtrip originated: "The basis was that, especially in the summer months, we hired out the vans from taxi companies, who did not need them for group transport at that moment. We still do that. Even with several taxi companies. But we now also have 70 of our own vehicles, which we rent out all year round".
Alternatives
"Later, we added cars," Heijstee explains the further development. "But that's very small, about seven of them. And we also tried 'box trucks' for a while. Here in Utrecht, we had three of them. But that was not for us. We found out that the trucks were rented by completely different kind of people and that resulted in a lot of hassle. Damage, but also that things were done with them that were not allowed, including the transportation of animals. The same happened to the rental of delivery vans. We stopped that too, for the same reasons."
Keep up with the times
According to Heijstee, passenger vans are rented by a completely different type of customer: "Very often it's a group of people who use it to go on holiday. They also keep a van much neater than 'movers,' for example.
When it comes to renting out vans, we had the right timing. I don't know if people used to go skiing so much in the past, but I have the feeling that nowadays everybody can afford that. And then, a van for a few hundred Euros can be included too, apparently.
Now I have to say, we're still at the bottom end of the market in terms of price. So you quickly get a lot of turnover as well."
'Adventurous' renting
The appearance of GoRoadtrip currently is, for example on the company's website, like an 'ordinary' car rental company. Stijn Heijstee is also strongly aware of this: "We are currently working on bringing back the 'adventurous trip’ we originally had in mind.
Paradoxically, the name GoRoadtrip alone is still the deciding factor for many—especially younger—renters to choose us. They get me or Mark on the phone and we try to create that 'road trip atmosphere'.”
Changes
Mark (van den Akker), the second partner within GoRoadtrip, is introduced. The third founder, Roel Denissen, has now left the company. “The departure of Roel was quite difficult," Stijn Heijstee looks back. "We started with the three of us and when one of the three left, the dynamic in the office changed, of course. The third man was lost, so that was quite intense. Roel, for example, was more of a strategist than we were. We have to take that into account. Difficult, because Roel was highly educated. One can try to temporarily ‘add’ someone new, in order to try to compensate, but you just don't get back to the original quality you want."
"Student heart”
Despite the success of GoRoadtrip, Heijstee does not see many competitors coming up who work the same way: "The 'heart' of GoRoadtrip is still formed by our student drivers. Our way of working, with picking up and dropping off the vans at pick-up places by students is very difficult to copy one-on-one.’
Still, students are not the only customers GoRoadtrip has. "We did check whether it wouldn't be interesting for other companies with vans to use 'our' students, but that didn't work. What did work, however, was the step into the business market. With, among other things, day-care centers, employment agencies, etc. who rent our vans for longer periods—often years. Therefore, in addition to GoRoadtrip, a second company was founded: AH-Autogroep."
Other requirements
According to Stijn Heijstee, the expansion is a logical consequence of the developments in the market: "Of course, it is still the case that in the summer in the Netherlands—especially for students—there are no vans available. And that is also increasingly true for winter sports. But beyond that, we have to do our very best to keep our customers on board.
In addition, the group of renters has also changed, with different demands. A younger person is already satisfied with an old van. But if 'the older customer' wants to rent a van, he wants a good, new one. It must be good and safe. That's what we're dealing with: the public is becoming more critical."
Motorhomes - the ultimate expression of the “holiday vibe”
It is clear that GoRoadtrip has gone through a period of development, but also of searching. "It has developed from the 'student spirit'. With the commercial market added, by means the AH-Autogroep. But also with pure rental. We are busy improving our communication via various websites. And we want to make the 'holiday vibe' of GoRoadtrip much stronger for the students. Not only with a different website, but also with a new product: motorhomes, especially for students".
All of it has to be perfect
With the motorhomes, GoRoadtrip takes a step into a new market: "Of course it is in line with our original idea, but motorhomes are very different from 'normal' vans. You live in such a thing! A van, for example, if it lacks an armrest, OK, then they drive away with it anyway. But if the light doesn't work in a motorhome, they don't want it. Everything has to be perfect."
GoRoadtrip opts for the rental of new (Transporter) motorhomes, with all the trimmings: "For four people, with all kinds of packages of your choice. It will be a low-cost experiment, with flyers and posters at the universities. All of this doesn't cost that much. First, let's see if it catches on. and let’s get to know the market. You think you know it, because you rent out vans, but you have to be careful, because it's really something else..."
Back to the basics
With the motorhomes, GoRoadtrip actually goes a bit back to its roots. Heijstee: "Reinventing everything a bit. That was also the case a few years ago. Nice to see what we have grown into. From starting entrepreneurs, in need of support, to mature entrepreneurs.
In that first period, when we were still in Tilburg and our plans became reality, we were strongly stimulated by Tilburg University. They pushed us, motivated us, so to speak. Now we have come so far that that is no longer necessary. But in the basics it's alright."