Tour Training/Delivery Varies Greatly

[Florida Ever-Glides]

I have noticed recently after visiting several different Segway tour operations, that the training and delivery of the tour varies to the point that some are outright dangerous. This even applies to both Segway dealers and independent tour operators.

Without some 'standardization' in the industry emphasizing safety as #1 and delivery of a great 'tour' experience #2, we will see some potentially serious injuries in 2007.

I am seeing a pattern of tour delivery methods employed by Segway dealers that allow riding behavior that leans towards 'trying to make a sale' and not providing a real 'tour experience'. In a few cases I have seen the same behavior with a few non-dealers too.

Lets face it , there is an inherent motive of the Segway dealer to have the tour customer buy a Segway on an emotional impulse. That's why they're Segway dealers. The tour component is secondary, that's a no brainer.

Segway's Authorized Segway Tour concept is interesting. First of all Segway is a manufacturer, and not in the tour business whatsoever. They are interested in showing a new dealer that with an additional investment and a plan, that they can potentially increase their revenue by providing 'guided rides'. It's their way of selling a few more machines and assisting the dealer in 'keeping their head above water' when selling/servicing Segways alone is not profitable.

Segway obviously see the extreme value of the Segway Guided Tour. It puts tens of thousands of people on Segways each year. Getting directly involved in this new industry only with their dealers is a conflict of interest that may have a negative impact on the whole industry some day. But then again, they're in the business to manufacture and sell. If Segway dosen't open up their program to any tour business that could otherwise qualify, then the program is without credability.

I'm calling on the 'whole Segway Tour industry' to adopt a common vision for 2007. Let's all concentrate on an 'incident free' year. Let's put safety before dollars and really provide a fantastic 'tour experience'. Everybody on a tour needs to wear a helmet. Injuries suffered by not wearing a helmet hurts all of us. If we keep everyone safe, the fun comes automatically...

The tour business is growing rapidly in many different directions. That's ok. I foresee a professional organization (without any conflict of interest) arising in the next year or two. When this happens and there is a body that can create a 'solid' set of safe standardizations, the Segway Tour industry will have turned a 'new page' for the tour attraction industry worldwide...

[nickyboy]

I have noticed recently after visiting several different Segway tour operations, that the training and delivery of the tour varies to the point that some are outright dangerous. This even applies to both Segway dealers and independent tour operators.

Without some 'standardization' in the industry emphasizing safety as #1 and delivery of a great 'tour' experience #2, we will see some potentially serious injuries in 2007.

I am seeing a pattern of tour delivery methods employed by Segway dealers that allow riding behavior that leans towards 'trying to make a sale' and not providing a real 'tour experience'. In a few cases I have seen the same behavior with a few non-dealers too.

Lets face it , there is an inherent motive of the Segway dealer to have the tour customer buy a Segway on an emotional impulse. That's why they're Segway dealers. The tour component is secondary, that's a no brainer.

Segway's Authorized Segway Tour concept is interesting. First of all Segway is a manufacturer, and not in the tour business whatsoever. They are interested in showing a new dealer that with an additional investment and a plan, that they can potentially increase their revenue by providing 'guided rides'. It's their way of selling a few more machines and assisting the dealer in 'keeping their head above water' when selling/servicing Segways alone is not profitable.

Segway obviously see the extreme value of the Segway Guided Tour. It puts tens of thousands of people on Segways each year. Getting directly involved in this new industry only with their dealers is a conflict of interest that may have a negative impact on the whole industry some day. But then again, they're in the business to manufacture and sell. If Segway dosen't open up their program to any tour business that could otherwise qualify, then the program is without credability.

I'm calling on the 'whole Segway Tour industry' to adopt a common vision for 2007. Let's all concentrate on an 'incident free' year. Let's put safety before dollars and really provide a fantastic 'tour experience'. Everybody on a tour needs to wear a helmet. Injuries suffered by not wearing a helmet hurts all of us. If we keep everyone safe, the fun comes automatically...

The tour business is growing rapidly in many different directions. That's ok. I foresee a professional organization (without any conflict of interest) arising in the next year or two. When this happens and there is a body that can create a 'solid' set of safe standardizations, the Segway Tour industry will have turned a 'new page' for the tour attraction industry worldwide...


Would it not be a good idea to have an "approved tour/renter" scheme from Segway, rather than just an authorised dealers network?

Getting people onto a Segway, safely, enjoyably and with a posative message, is probably the best way to sell machines and pass the word around the community etc.

Here in the UK I think it is different from the US. To operate as an approved or authorised rental or tour operator I need to purchase a set number, and mixture, of machines from the importer. I then become a dealer, able to sell. Mind you the market here in the UK is abysmal, with around 150 -200 machines having been sold. They are not approved for use in public yet.

Nick

[Desert_Seg]

Would it not be a good idea to have an "approved tour/renter" scheme from Segway, rather than just an authorised dealers network?...

Here in the UK I think it is different from the US. To operate as an approved or authorised rental or tour operator I need to purchase a set number, and mixture, of machines from the importer. I then become a dealer, able to sell. Mind you the market here in the UK is abysmal, with around 150 -200 machines having been sold. They are not approved for use in public yet.

Nick

Nick,

The SegwayAuthorized Tour Program is managed by the distributor in each country / territory but is controlled by INC.

Each Distributor is allowed to manage the program within guidelines established by INC but MUST report back to INC and are accountable to meeting the INC requirements and ensuring you do too.

Being a dealer is NOT an INC requirement but, obviously, you need to own Segways IOT rent them.

Steven

[gbrandwood]

Nick, are you saying Segway should lay out the basics that must be covered in the pre-tour training? I think that would be a good idea and might help standardise some of the variation that Tom has seen.

[Desert_Seg]

Nick, are you saying Segway should lay out the basics that must be covered in the pre-tour training? I think that would be a good idea and might help standardise some of the variation that Tom has seen.

Segway has already done so, under the SegwayAuthorized Tour program, which is in its infancy now and gets launched early next year.

There are specific guidelines on the training that a Tour Operator has to have, what type of training (and how long) they must provide, safety devices to be worn, and more.

This is a good first step and I believe it will lead to a forum / organization such as Tom describes.

Steven

[nickyboy]

Thanks Steven and Gareth for your input.

I think part of the issue here in the UK is the lack of "tours" due to legislation. I am only currently aware of two rental operations, but neither on mainland, and one of those is on private land.

Nick

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Steven,

According to my talks wit reina Ellis At Inc., in the US the only Authorized Segway Tours will have to be dealers. If that isn't a conflict of interest, what is? Some of the BEST run Segway tours in the world, have no business dealer relationship with Segway. And, some of the worst I've seen first hand are Segway Dealers. Go figure...

[Desert_Seg]

Steven,

According to my talks wit reina Ellis At Inc., in the US the only Authorized Segway Tours will have to be dealers. If that isn't a conflict of interest, what is? Some of the BEST run Segway tours in the world, have no business dealer relationship with Segway. And, some of the worst I've seen first hand are Segway Dealers. Go figure...

Tom,

I can't speak for the US system as I don't currently operate under it. However, I don't think it is a conflict of interest to have dealers running tours or have tour dealers selling Segways. I think they are natural byproducts and any enforcement program is a good thing.

From my point of view, the SegwayAuthorized program is there to enforce safety and standardization within the industry, such as it is at this early stage. This is a good thing and can only make the Segway Tours better and safer.

Yes, I'm sure there are some Segway dealers who have bad tours, but I'm just as sure that there are some dealers who have great tours. On the same vein, I"m sure there are non-Segway dealers who have bad tours, and some who have great tours. You just can't categorize good or bad by being a dealer or not.

In the long run I think (my opinion, mind you) all tours must be monitored by this program and those that meet the grade become SegwayAuthorized. At present, from what I've been told, Inc has chosen a different starting path but that does not mean that at some point they might not change (again, my opinion only).

While you and I may both think (and I'm only using us as examples) that we have great and safe tour programs, Joe Shmuckatelly and his brother-in-law Joe Bag O'Donuts (both ex Sailors, known well to all who have ever served) may have differing opinions. One may like my tour program, one may not. One may like yours, the other may not.

However, if there is a program in place, and INC's program is a good start, and we all operate under the same rules and regulations, there is then a bar against which to measure us. Not measure success or failure, mind you, but measure safety, appropriateness, and compliance. Keep up the good work I hear about, adhere to the SegwayAuthorized rules, and hopefully you and other independents (for want of a better word) can also be SegwayAuthorized Tour operators.

Steven

[Worm]

I took two tours from the same company about 3 weeks apart. The first I took by myself, the second I brought two friends.

Both tours made everyone watch a video. Both tours made everyone wear helmets.

Then on the first tour the tour guide started each person out one by one getting on the segway and a minute or two of instruction while making sure they were safe before letting the next person get on.

The second tour guide told everyone to get on at once, gave almost no instruction, and just watched while six people got on at once. One person had a problem and she helped them while ignoring the rest. I was amazed at the lack of instruction or caring.

On both tours I asked the guides whether many people get hurt. Both said almost never. On the first tour an older woman hurt her wrist badly within the first twenty minutes from a fall bad enough where she quit and walked back to the office with her husband. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a broken bone. I saw two other people fall off during this tour, but they didn't get hurt.

The first tour we started in one direction that was very level and easy for the first hour. On the second tour we immediately started down a sidewalk on a steep hill and had bad downhill parts for about the first half hour.

I asked the second guide about why we were going down a steep hill right at the beginning. She said this was the normal route. She said the other route that I took was because two tours were going at once and the other route was the backwards route. I couldn't believe the steep route at the start was their "normal" route and the route level at the beginning was the backwards route. So of course one or my friends went a little out of control going down a hill at the beginning and was heading towards a large metal utlility pole. She jumped off. The tour guide chastised her for jumping off saying that she might have hurt the Segway. My friend yelled back that she didn't give a dam about the Segway and she wasn't about to run into a pole. My friend was fine and the segway just fell over. After this my friend hated the tour and the guide, and I thought this guide was worthless. If my friend hadn't jumped off she would have gotten badly hurt. She froze up and jumping off was the only thing she could force her body to do.

There was no uniformity of training from this tour company. I was shocked.

There should be some standards of instructions for Segway tours.

The tour operators have riders sign waivers, and then they are not sued. There is no "central reporting" for people getting hurt. So who knows.

I think people must be getting hurt a lot on some tours, especially the one I went on.

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Worm,

Sorry to hear your sad commentary. Over three years ago I predicted that without some sort of oversight, the accident rate would rise quickly.

Too many are in it now for the 'quick buck', and not enough place safety #1.

[nickyboy]

Worm,

What a shame, I do hope your friend is ok.

This is a very interesting lesson, for me especially. It totally reinforces the training issue. I am also quite sadened to hear that the guide was more concerned about the Segway (which is probably insured) than a customers wellbeing and health.

Tom is absolutely right, safety has to be paramount.

I recently had a discussion with a Mall operator about renting space in the Mall etc. She insisted on a minimum £5 million insurance and when she realised there were no brakes as such the whole idea went out the window!

Nick

[polo_pro]

I've seen how tour operators speak about their tour guides. When they get ahold of a good one, they never let go! 8^) 8^) 8^)

ps - I doubt guiding tours pays well, so it's probably hard to attract the right kind of person for this job.

[nerfman39]

I find it hard to understand when the US of A is considered to be such a litigous culture that training wouldn't be high on everybody's agenda even if only to stave off being sued.

Both the Dijon tour and the Paris tour which we did two weeks ago provided mor e than adequate training. The Paris tour included exact instructions on the use of the buttons and their meaning, plus several minutes individual training, group practise and kerbs.

I have to say I found it a bit tedious, but you can always learn something new, and it was worth paying attention, even if only to watch an i167 doing a swan dive as the guide stepped neatly off the back, very funny!!

Currently writing up the tour report, will post soon.

[driley]

It do not think that it is in Inc's best interest to limit their Authorized Tour program to dealers if that is what they are doing. I would think self preservation would have them working with each and every tour company in operation to ensure that a safe and pleasant experience for all who step on a Segway.

Face it, there are going to be plenty of tour operators in places without dealers. Even if they are very successful in opening more dealerships.

Devin

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Devin,

Amen...

[TX2Wheels]

I have noticed recently after visiting several different Segway tour operations, that the training and delivery of the tour varies to the point that some are outright dangerous. This even applies to both Segway dealers and independent tour operators.

Without some 'standardization' in the industry emphasizing safety as #1 and delivery of a great 'tour' experience #2, we will see some potentially serious injuries in 2007.

I am seeing a pattern of tour delivery methods employed by Segway dealers that allow riding behavior that leans towards 'trying to make a sale' and not providing a real 'tour experience'. In a few cases I have seen the same behavior with a few non-dealers too.

Lets face it , there is an inherent motive of the Segway dealer to have the tour customer buy a Segway on an emotional impulse. That's why they're Segway dealers. The tour component is secondary, that's a no brainer.

Segway's Authorized Segway Tour concept is interesting. First of all Segway is a manufacturer, and not in the tour business whatsoever. They are interested in showing a new dealer that with an additional investment and a plan, that they can potentially increase their revenue by providing 'guided rides'. It's their way of selling a few more machines and assisting the dealer in 'keeping their head above water' when selling/servicing Segways alone is not profitable.

Segway obviously see the extreme value of the Segway Guided Tour. It puts tens of thousands of people on Segways each year. Getting directly involved in this new industry only with their dealers is a conflict of interest that may have a negative impact on the whole industry some day. But then again, they're in the business to manufacture and sell. If Segway dosen't open up their program to any tour business that could otherwise qualify, then the program is without credability.

I'm calling on the 'whole Segway Tour industry' to adopt a common vision for 2007. Let's all concentrate on an 'incident free' year. Let's put safety before dollars and really provide a fantastic 'tour experience'. Everybody on a tour needs to wear a helmet. Injuries suffered by not wearing a helmet hurts all of us. If we keep everyone safe, the fun comes automatically...

The tour business is growing rapidly in many different directions. That's ok. I foresee a professional organization (without any conflict of interest) arising in the next year or two. When this happens and there is a body that can create a 'solid' set of safe standardizations, the Segway Tour industry will have turned a 'new page' for the tour attraction industry worldwide...

Here's my 2 cents. Effective training is the key. I have been doing guide rides for almost 2 years now. Am I a better trainer that when I started? You bet! One has to be able to not only deliver the words but also be able to assess the abilities of each rider. The area we travel has some great training terrain, slopes and turns that I can assess the riders abilities in different situations. They all learn in different ways and have different ablilities. There are some people I tell that I don't think it is your best interest to continue. I do not allow horse play of any kind and will terminate a ride if they continue. The guide needs to be intertaining as well as informative. We insist that pedestrians have the right of way, make wide turns on corners,and last but not least stay away from opening doors. I have had some minor mishaps and have learned from them. To me the Segway ride is an experience for the rider and not a thrill ride. I always make that statement at the begining of the training.
Everone likes their independence but I am in agreement that there should be some standardization in the tour and rental business. Although I don't really know how to do this as I would guess that this is not unique to this industry. Let you conscienous be your guide.

[Mr_Laurenzano]

I dont know about that quick buck thing, I feel mostly its a experiance that stems from pure injoyment of riding the seggy, During tours, after tours and prior to tours i have been told everything from
"Your a liablity"
"STOP SHOWING OFF!!" ~they might do what you do~~Shush~~
"Thank you tony for the wonderful experiance we will be back next year."

I given it away just to see smiles on there faces.
There are certain things people do in life for profit, and pleasure. What we have here is a fun recreational experiance if you got enough intelligence to ride safe take it away if you dont I know. I can smell a problem within 2 secs, Iv'e kicked um off, pulled the keys, been yelled at "where is your boss??!!??"
Its nice to be independant, Im the @#$%ing boss and this tour is over. Thats where guided tours have the advantage. Seeonedooneteachone. :)
CRASH