Spanish online magazine “Revista Negocios” published a report on Drivania. Below you can read some extracts from their article. For the original Spanish version follow this link.
DRIVANIA: LUXURY TRANSPORTATION THAT EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS
A premium service of a high-end vehicle with chauffeur: this is how Drivania is defined, as a company created 22 years ago whose goal was to achieve a personalized transfer service that meets the expectations of the most demanding customers. This goal has since expanded and currently Drivania operates in more than 600 cities in 190 countries and has a network of some 3,000 chauffeurs.
Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Drivania works as an intermediary between travel agencies and travel organizers, for both executive and leisure purposes. They offer not only point-to-point transfers, but also vehicles by the hour in which the chauffeur drives the passengers wherever they need to go for a set time.
TECHNOLOGY IS THE KEY TO DRIVANIA’S SUCCESS
There are three pillars on which Drivania’s success is based—three pillars that ensure a trustworthy service from start to finish. First, technology, since Drivania’s booking platform enables bookings in less than two minutes, an advantage considering that in day-to-day life, every second is gold. It’s intuitive and easy to use for everyone.
In addition to this, there is a 24/7 Customer Care team available to the passenger or the person who manages the booking. This team controls the whole process, from the moment the service is requested until the passenger arrives at destination, thus avoiding problems or delays with the transport.
And last but not least, Drivania has a network of chauffeurs that are vetted and selected by a specialized Affiliates Department following strict quality standards. It must be considered that most of the passengers have high profiles such as CEOs, top-rank executives, politicians, or actors. Discretion must therefore be one of the hallmarks of these chauffeurs, who must follow specific instructions for each passenger.
IGOR MARTRET, CEO OF DRIVANIA: “OUR SERVICE IS AIMED AT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PUBLIC THAN CABS, SUCH AS BUSINESS AND CORPORATE TRAVELERS, OR LUXURY VACATIONERS”
What are the characteristics that set Drivania apart from other similar companies in the industry?
I think the concept that best defines Drivania is reliability. The passenger profile is that of a corporate or luxury traveler who needs everything to run smoothly during a transfer. Drivania makes sure that clients don’t have to worry and helps to avoid the most common problems that companies usually encounter when booking executive car and chauffeur services, such as the driver not showing up or doing so with the wrong vehicle, inflexible change or cancellation policies, and lack of transparency in invoices that include unquoted hidden additional expenses. In short, Drivania takes care to ensure that the service lives up to expectations.
All this is achieved thanks to an innovative technological platform that allows bookings in under two minutes in more than 600 destinations, a 24/7 multicultural, multilingual Customer Care team who are highly experienced in understanding the needs of each client, and finally an extensive network of vetted and constantly audited chauffeurs.
What characteristics must a chauffeur have in order to be part of Drivania?
A chauffeur who wants to work for Drivania must above all be professional, discreet, and speak at least English in addition to their native language. They are also required to follow a dress code during the services. Obviously, the vehicles must be high-end and no more than three years old. And everything is controlled by the Affiliates Department, which oversees selecting chauffeurs under strict quality standards.
How are the services organized by Drivania and how do they differ from those of a cab?
Drivania provides companies and travel agencies with ground transportation solutions, which can be either point-to-point transfers, or hourly as directed services for the most demanding customers. Drivania’s passengers often have tight schedules and cannot afford to be late or for the chauffeur to not perfectly know each step of the itinerary. Tailor-made services such as extended transfers are also offered, where a passenger who has just arrived at the airport can, for example, stop at the hotel to freshen up before going to an important business meeting.
Consequently, the service is aimed at a completely different audience than that of the cab, such as the business or corporate traveler, or luxury vacationer, so Drivania does not compete with the cab.
Has pre-pandemic normality returned to corporate travel or is it still struggling?
Yes, fortunately Drivania is back to pre-pandemic levels in terms of services and turnover. It is true that the months during which borders were closed and all non-essential travel was forbidden were hard. However, part of Drivania’s DNA involves turning threats into opportunities, and all those months were used to identify and reinforce possible weak links and optimize internal processes.
How does a project like yours fit in with the growing need to be environmentally sustainable?
Drivania is fully committed to the environment. It is obvious that vehicles emit CO2 into the atmosphere, but Drivania offsets this carbon footprint in tons annually. This offsetting supports projects certified by the United Nations to reduce CO2 emissions and the use of fossil fuels. For example, last year Drivania supported the project of a hydroelectric power plant in Brazil, and this year, their offsets go toward the project of a wind power plant in Oaxaca, Mexico. This results in a more sustainable environment and cities where it is possible to improve the quality of life of residents.
In addition, Drivania already offers in its main destinations the option of booking electric vehicles, something that customers appreciate.
Have you already reached the peak in terms of fleet and internationalization or are there short-term plans for further growth?
Customers’ needs are always changing and the demand for new destinations is growing, so chauffeurs must be constantly vetted to ensure that they are up to the task. Drivania wants to work with the best professionals in each city, and that means incorporating new chauffeurs who start working in the sector.
In Spain, Drivania has a large market share and keeps a close relationship with nearly all companies listed in the IBEX 35 stock market. This also happens in the LATAM market, especially in Mexico and Brazil. And as far as the private aviation segment is concerned, there is a very good penetration in the European market. Still, there is always work to do and a long way to go.
Originally published in “Revista Negocios” on March 7th, 2023.
For the original Spanish version follow this link.
