Driving sustainable mobility: How Routematic gearing up for Mobility as a Service Model

Arjun Bhojaraj, Chief Business Officer at Routematic, is at the forefront of transforming corporate mobility with innovative solutions and sustainable practices. Under his leadership, Routematic has established itself as a leader in the sector, leveraging advanced technology to optimize transportation services for corporate clients. In this interview with Adgully, Arjun Bhojaraj shares insights into Routematic’s brand positioning, marketing goals, expansion strategies, and the challenges faced in the shared mobility sector. He also discusses the criteria for selecting marketing partners and the upcoming market trends that will impact the industry, highlighting Routematic’s plans to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving market.

How do you position your brand in the mobility market? What are your marketing goals for the next 2-3 years?

Routematic positions itself as a leader in the corporate mobility sector by emphasizing sustainability and convenience, enabled by technology. Our managed marketplace model for fleet, combined with seamless user experience, featuring an easy-to-use app ensures hassle-free commute. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies based on AI and IoT, we optimize route planning, enhance service efficiency, and provide real-time monitoring of transportation services for corporates. Routematic has also invested in electric vehicles, making us the preferred choice for environmentally conscious commuters and organisations. By combining these elements, Routematic not only meets immediate commuting needs but also aligns with broader goals of reducing environmental impact and enhancing urban mobility.

Routematic’s marketing goals over the next three years would be to become the number one company in the corporate mobility sector with strong global and Indian presence providing solutions to the top 25 cities. With our foray in electric vehicles, we visualize ourselves being the dominant player in the enterprise mobility market and the preferred choice for sustainable corporate commute in top six cities in the country.

What strategies are you implementing to expand Routematic’s market presence both domestically and internationally?

In our industry, growth and expansion hinge significantly on word of mouth. By consistently delivering top-quality service, Routematic has nurtured a loyal client-base who actively advocates for our services, driving over 60% of our new business through referrals. This strong foundation supports our ambitious plans to expand into Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America by March 2025. To bolster this growth, we are focusing on forging strategic partnerships with trade allies as well. These collaborations will be instrumental in broadening our global reach and enhancing our service offerings in new markets.

Furthermore, we prioritize continuous improvement by integrating customer feedback and insights into our service enhancements. This proactive approach allows us to swiftly adapt to evolving market demands, optimize shared ride options for efficiency, incorporate cutting-edge technologies to enhance user experiences, and expand service features to cater to diverse customer needs. By consistently delivering exceptional value and satisfaction, we not only maintain high levels of customer loyalty, but also strengthen our competitive position in the corporate mobility industry.

What are the biggest marketing challenges that Routematic faces in the shared mobility sector?

While all consumers trust asset-light models such as Uber/Ola for our mobility solutions, corporates have traditionally trusted fleet vendors that made sizeable capital investments into owning vehicles they operate. Therefore, there is a lot of scepticism around our managed marketplace model. Therefore, we invest heavily on consultative approach to build trust and confidence to convince the customer about our asset-light model, and managed marketplace model that is ideal for today’s hybrid workplace model. Secondly, the corporate transportation section is very well developed in India, but is at a nascent stage globally.

Indian transportation companies looking to expand globally will need to spend significant time in client education on the systems and processes of shared mobility to expand internationally. Lastly, since the industry is growing 30% y-o-y, there is a need for significantly large number of high quality DCOs (Driver-cum-owners, who are micro-entrepreneurs who drive our business) every year. This requires persistent marketing efforts, including education, trial offers, and incentives, to shift ingrained habits and adopt the professional outlook required to succeed in Corporate Transportation.

What criteria do you use when selecting partners for marketing initiatives?

When selecting partners for marketing initiatives, we prioritize several key criteria to ensure effective collaboration and alignment. Firstly, partners must align with the target audience of the campaign, ensuring relevance and resonance with potential customers. It’s essential that the partner’s brand values and reputation align closely with that of Routematic, maintaining consistency in messaging and fostering trust. Additionally, partners should bring complementary capabilities and resources to the table, enhancing the initiative’s impact through expanded reach or specialized expertise. Mutual benefit is crucial, with both parties seeking advantages such as increased brand visibility or access to new markets. Evaluating track records, industry reputation, and considering practical factors like cost and resource availability further ensure that partnerships are productive and strategically beneficial.

What upcoming market trends do you believe will impact your industry? How do you plan to adapt your marketing efforts to these trends?

Sustainability stands as a pivotal force shaping contemporary marketing strategies, fuelled by a burgeoning corporate preference for eco-conscious transportation solutions. At Routematic, we spearhead this movement with our innovative shared ride options and meticulously optimized route planning, effectively curbing carbon footprints associated with daily commutes. Our fleet of Routematic EVs further champions sustainable mobility, underscoring our steadfast commitment to environmentally responsible transportation. Moreover, our integration of Sustainability Reports into our transportation dashboard empowers organizations to track and enhance their sustainability performance, aligning with escalating corporate demands for green transportation solutions.

The industry is moving towards Mobility as a Service Model (MaaS). MaaS platforms combine all road transportation modes for commute and provide it as a service on a single app. Routematic is well positioned to offer solutions for parking solutions, bus, pooled cab or single cab services. Our focus here is to partner with all service providers to create a sufficiently robust managed marketplace for all services on our platform.

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