Meet the Leo&Go team! Vincent Frey (GM)

Leo&Go is over a year old now, what achievements are you the proudest of and what remain your biggest challenges?

First, we are proud to have succeeded in significantly increasing the awareness of carsharing in the area, where the private car was still the norm. Leo&Go has already influenced  many users to not purchase a personal vehicle, generating a positive impact on public space congestion.

We have also worked hard to provide a top quality service to our users, focusing on things like the availability and cleanliness of vehicles, and the responsiveness of customer service. As a result, our users are very loyal and 97% of them recommend using Leo&Go! Beyond a useful car-sharing service, we have created a strong, local brand whose reputation continues to grow in the areas where we operate.

We are proud of how far we have come so far, but there is still a lot to do in view of the climate emergency. We are therefore going to pursue our commitment even further to accelerate the penetration of carsharing in the region.

As we are extending our operating zone, the main challenge to come will be fleet balancing throughout the existing zones, and the ones we are opening. Matching supply and demand is crucial to remain a reliable solution, with vehicles available where our customers need it. We plan on introducing an AI-based tool with idle-time prediction to support the team in making the right decisions when it comes to fleet management.

Could you share some numbers and insights about Leo&Go’s operations  – and are the customers and their trip patterns the ones you expected?

We see that there are many different carsharing use cases: leisure, professional trips, weekends, going to the airport, etc. with Distances range from a few kilometers to several hundred.

With a mixed fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles, we meet a wide range of mobility needs. Carsharing is a reliable alternative to the individual car and is complementary to other mobility solutions available in the area (public transport, bicycles, scooters, walking, etc.)

Today, we have more than 15,000 registered users and this is just the beginning!

You used to work for a major shared micromobility player as it was expanding in France, were you able to draw specific lessons / do’s and don’ts from this role?

The main learning is how to deal with the growth of the shared mobility market, which can be quite fast. Internally, it is necessary to progressively build teams and processes that enable the service to be managed efficiently, while maintaining a LEAN organization to control operating costs. 

Another key element of success is the collaboration with local authorities and the integration of shared mobility vehicles into the public space. It is necessary that shared vehicles, whether they be cars, mopeds, bicycles or scooters, can be easily visible and identifiable to ensure a safe, accessible and harmonious public space for both users and non-users alike.  This is crucial for the acceptance of shared mobility by all!

Could you tell us a little bit about your team – how it’s organized and what are the principles that guide you as a manager? 

The team is one of the key factors to Leo&Go’s success! Today, there are four of us who run the service: Marie – who is in charge of marketing and communication, Mehdi – our operations manager, Cyril – who works on the development of carsharing with companies, and myself.

We are very complementary and supportive, an essential quality in a lean organization where going above and  beyond is necessary.

Our common goal drives us everyday: accelerating the development of shared mobility in our cities to fight congestion and air pollution.

Needless to say, you have quite a busy and demanding role, where the unexpected can happen 24/7. How do you keep up?

Above all, I am passionate about the mission and convinced of its importance, which reinforces my motivation despite busy days! 

But you also have to know how to disconnect! Exercising  helps me to stay energized and efficient in this challenging environment.

Based on your experience so far, what’s one piece of advice you have for shared mobility operators for 2023? 

Scale smart, not fast!

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