Avis Chauffeur Drive Case Study: Meeting & Event Services

Benefits

• 25-30% savings over black car and shuttle services
• Convenient transportation for executives
• Comfortable new, low-mileage Avis vehicles
• Turnkey model - supports Sprint events year-round

Challenge

As part of Corporate Marketing, Sprint’s Strategic Events team serves as the centralized source for planning and execution of strategic events, trade shows, meetings and incentives. The team collaborates with Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, Corporate Communications, Product, Network and Legal departments to plan and execute events and it leads the industry in cutting-edge design and implementation.

Sprint saw an opportunity to extend its Avis benefits with the introduction of Avis Chauffeur Drive, a service that allows clients to rent Avis vehicles and add chauffeurs from WeDriveU, the leader in chauffeur staffing.

Sprint’s Strategic Events team selected Chauffeur Drive by WeDriveU for the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas following unsatisfactory results from its previous transportation provider. Based on success at CES 2011, the team expanded WeDriveU to CTIA WIRELESS® 2011 in Orlando. The team needed a robust chauffeured ground transportation plan to support a complex schedule of executive presentations and meetings associated with major product launches at the event.

Solution

Sprint rented Avis L Class (Chevrolet Suburban) and S Class (GMC Acadia) vehicles and selected WeDriveU to manage transportation and provide drivers over nine days at CTIA WIRELESS® 2011 – including shuttles and a dedicated driver for executive movements.

WeDriveU managed passenger manifests, executive meet and greets, dispatch and routes for shuttles and dedicated chauffeurs between the airports, convention center, hotels and local attractions.

WeDriveU selected drivers for the project based on matching their skills to Sprint’s needs. For example, one chauffeur’s security background was the perfect fit for an executive making multiple stops in Orlando.

Results

The client praised WeDriveU for contributing to a successful event. Feedback on drivers was extremely positive and passengers enjoyed a comfortable and spacious ride in Avis vehicles thanks to ample leg room and luggage capacity.

Michele Bushart, Manager of Strategic Events at Sprint, said, “It’s been a pleasure working with you. We do over 260 events, seven incentive trips and numerous product launches, PR events and customer hospitality programs each year. You’ve been a true asset to us and have allowed us to maximize efficiencies and minimize costs. We’re big fans of WeDriveU!”

Megan Mill in Strategic Events emailed, “...you are the best! Thank you! And great job today!”

Sprint has expanded its use of Chauffeur Drive to company meetings, conferences and events coast-to-coast (see below: “Sprint Rolls Out WeDriveU Nationwide).

Following Sprint’s events at the CTIA Enterprise and ApplicationsTM conference in San Diego, Shanon Stanberry, Strategic Events Manager in Strategic Events, added: “Just a quick note to tell you how thoroughly impressed I am with Paul Dombrowski on site at CTIA San Diego! He has been on the spot with anything and everything and I can’t say enough about his ‘can do’ attitude and awesome performance! Thank You!”

CTIA WIRELESS® Snapshot

Full-service onsite transportation management.

• 7 drivers per day for 9 days, including shuttles and dedicated drivers for executive movements.
• Client rented Avis’ L Class (Premium SUVs) and S Class (Crossover) vehicles.
• Pre-event route planning and onsite dispatching managed by WeDriveU.
• WeDriveU coordinated vehicle logistics with Avis.
• WeDriveU chauffeurs provided shuttles between hotels, convention center and local attractions.

Sprint Rolls Out WeDriveU Nationwide

CES, Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 2011:

• 9 drivers per day for 4 days.
• Client rented 8 Avis vehicles: L Class (Premium SUVs) and H Class (Luxury sedans).

• Client rented 7 Avis vehicles: Z Class (Full-size SUVs).
• WeDriveU provided meet and greet for company jet and drove executives to/from Manhattan.
• Greeted meeting planners on arrival and drove as-needed.

• Client rented 8 Avis vehicles: P Class (12 passenger vans) and L Class (Premium SUVs).
• Coordinated 80 arrivals, including meet and greets and transfers to hotels and meeting.
• Shuttled attendees to/from dinner in 24 passenger buses.

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