In their large warehouse in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, Tier Mobility employees are on the bridge.
It must be said that there is no time to waste: thousands of batteries to recharge, scooters to repair, but also vans to charge to deploy the new models of vehicles all over the capital.
New batteries and stronger wheels
The fleet developed by the carrier includes some notable changes: new batteries placed in the front, larger and easier to recharge, but also indicators in the front and rear, as well as more robust wheels. .
Nearly 700 new scooters are already in circulation in Paris, and there will be around 5,000 on Monday.
“The old models will be reused and deployed in the municipalities where Tier is in the process of establishing itself,” explains Alexandre Souter, CEO of Tier France.
Nothing is lost, everything is recycled, it is the strategy that the transporter has chosen to stand out.
Read also Electric scooters in Paris: the price war is declared
The arrival of this new fleet is timely, while France and Greater Paris are gradually lifting the health restrictions put in place since October 2020. These have obviously impacted the activity of Tier Mobility, and limited its development. .
“We experienced Sleeping Beauty, but we held on by focusing our efforts on operational issues,” explains Sylvain Martin, in charge of development.
We had to optimize our organization to retain our workforce.
Some employees on fixed-term contracts could not be extended, but the company, which employs 30 people on permanent contracts in Paris, has not resorted to forced departures.
Helping caregivers and traders during the health crisis
"The arrival of autumn also corresponds to a drop in activity, because people use scooters less once the sunny days are over," Sylvain Martin nuance. Limited by the successive confinements and the constraints of the curfew, the carrier was keen to "participate in the collective effort", by offering free trips for nursing staff, or by helping small traders through a shared charging network. in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
After the end of the first confinement in May 2020, the summer recovery had been particularly successful for Tier Mobility, thanks to attractive prices and cheaper than those of its competitors.
Since then, the company has adjusted to the market price, but the gradual reopening of the country is inevitably good news.
"There may not be a
wow effect
like last year, but we still expect a good summer", hopes Sylvain Martin.
"Consumers want an eco-responsible brand"
Above all, the Tier Mobility teams intend to take advantage of the lifting of restrictions to impose their sustainable model on users. "I don't like that expression, but I believe there will be a
world after
effect
, and that travel habits will change," predicts Mr. Martin.
In the meantime, Tier Mobility continues to refine its network in the municipalities where the company is already established, and relies on its reliability. “Consumers want a sustainable and eco-responsible brand, but above all they are looking for a service that works,” observes Alexandre Souter. Already present in 103 cities in Europe, Tier services will soon be available in London, UK. In France, after Paris, the carrier responded to calls for projects in around twenty municipalities, including Angers (Maine-et-Loire) or Bourgoin-Jallieu (Isère). The German giant has not finished its expansion.
