SegwayChat
Home . Old Gallery

Go Back   SegwayChat > Segway Forums > Tours and Rentals

Notices

Tours and Rentals Issues, experiences & opinions relating to Segway rentals and tours.

Old 07-14-2006, 03:47 PM   #1
polo_pro
Advanced Member
polo_pro is a glorious beacon of lightpolo_pro is a glorious beacon of lightpolo_pro is a glorious beacon of lightpolo_pro is a glorious beacon of lightpolo_pro is a glorious beacon of light
 
polo_pro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA.
Posts: 2,608
5 yr Member Segway Polo Player
Default Charity effort

Has anyone (probably a dealer or tour operator) tried to create a self sustaining charity movement around segways? I'm well aware of DRAFT, but that depends on contributions.

I'm thinking more along the lines of someone giving reduced rates in off-peak hours when segways sit idle. For example, let's say a tour/rental operation had a fleet of 8 segways of which 3 or 4 were the older i167 and i170 models that rent for ~$30/hour. Realisticly, these models are rented only after all the newer models go out and sit idle in the store from 10AM through 3PM during the week.

What if the tour/rental operation rented them for half price during these hours and donated $10/hour towards getting a local retirement home a used segway? After 250 hours (or about 8 weeks by my estimations), there'd be enough money to get a single used segway for anyone and everyone in the retirement home to use. (I picked a retirement home, since I figure a certain portion of their population could really use the segway. Some, of course, wouldn't be capable of it or might be fearful of using it.)

I would add the stipulation that the segway at the retirement home should have an odometer placed on it. If the odometer shows that the segway isn't being used (say less than 10 miles per months), then it goes back into the rental fleet so that it can generate more charity donations. This would make the effort self sustaining.

I should add that having Segways available to rent at half price during certain hours makes the customers happy since they have options. It allows more individuals to easily transition beyond the usual "training" making them more likely to actually buy a segway later. Finally, it helps the reputation of the rental/tour operation because they are consistently giving to charity in very visible ways. (I'm well aware of the issue of this charity effort cannabalizing a rental/tour operations customer base, so I think it'd be very important how this program is integrated with normal business.)

ps - I'll also point out that anyone with $7K seed money might be able to do the same thing in cooperation with an existing rental/tour operation.
polo_pro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2006, 05:04 PM   #2
pam
Last of the Early 30
pam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond reputepam has a reputation beyond repute
 
pam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Yelm, WA
Posts: 4,679
5 yr Member HT/PT Owner SegwayFest Attendee
Default

This is really about renting Segways - and variations thereof, so I'm going to move it into the rental forum.

Pam
pam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2006, 05:53 PM   #3
Florida Ever-Glides
Senior Member
Florida Ever-Glides will become famous soon enough
 
Florida Ever-Glides's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sarasota, Florida, .
Posts: 1,677
5 yr Member SegwayFest Attendee
Default

Plomoh,

I appreciate your 'Mother Teresa' attitude towards charity, but there is a tremendeous amount to running a tour business that you obviously do not understand.

Tour operators are working their asses off seven days a week just to make a reasonable living, with little time to operate a spin-off charity. What I do and I'm sure many others, is to donate lots of gift certificate to worthy non-profit organizations for their fund raising efforts. They really appreciate this.

I'll bet more is done in the way of chairities by tour operators than Segway Corp. Hey, why don't you propose your program to them? They have deeper pockets then we have...
__________________
Tom Jacobson
http://www.floridaever-glides.com
Florida Ever-Glides is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2006, 10:21 AM   #4
TX2Wheels
Junior Member
TX2Wheels is on a distinguished road
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: La Porte, TX, USA.
Posts: 85
5 yr Member
Default Personal Charity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Florida Ever-Glides
Plomoh,

I appreciate your 'Mother Teresa' attitude towards charity, but there is a tremendeous amount to running a tour business that you obviously do not understand.

Tour operators are working their asses off seven days a week just to make a reasonable living, with little time to operate a spin-off charity. What I do and I'm sure many others, is to donate lots of gift certificate to worthy non-profit organizations for their fund raising efforts. They really appreciate this.

I'll bet more is done in the way of chairities by tour operators than Segway Corp. Hey, why don't you propose your program to them? They have deeper pockets then we have...
I was asked if I do Bennifits with the Segways. My reply was, "every weekend". To which the person said "really, for whom"? "Me" was my reply. So yea I agree with you. If I do any give aways, it is with repeat customers in the form of reduced rates. I know that may sound cold to other people but you have to scratch out every dollar you can to make it. It's a business and like any other revenue drives the engine.
Jay "2 wheels Guillot
TX2Wheels is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:01 PM.
Copyright © 2002-2023 SegwayChat.org.
All rights reserved. Not affiliated with Segway Inc.

FreshBlue vBulletin skin by
VayaDesign
Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SegwayChat Archive