Service subscription
“The biggest difference is the service subscription formula,” explains Joeri Dockx. “With car-sharing, you are almost always stuck with a subscription. When you rent a van from Dockx, you simply pay per rental. You are not left with a long-term commitment, which makes a huge difference.”
In other words, with a car-sharing service, you can’t simply rent a van, no strings attached. You will have to have a monthly subscription in order to use the van. If you need the van only once, for a move for example, this is not a very convenient set-up.
More options
What’s more, at Dockx you will have more options from which to choose in terms of models and extras. “We offer many more types of vans,” states Joeri. “Often, with car-sharing services, you can only choose between one or two models. At Dockx, we have 18. We also rent out all the extras you need to ensure smooth transport. That covers things like wheel boards, hand trucks, moving straps and moving blankets. But Dockx also sells cardboard boxes and other moving materials. The delivery of your moving supplies also runs smoothly and quickly. If you order online before 1 p.m., you will have them the next day.”
Location, location location
Another thing you need to consider is the pick-up location of your van. Car-sharing services and Dockx operate from different locations. “Usually, you can pick up shared cars in city centres, while our locations are usually on the outskirts of cities,” explains Joeri. “If you live in the heart of Antwerp, it is sometimes easier to get to a car-sharing platform. But if you don't live in a city centre, you quickly run into problems. In that case, our locations are much more convenient.”
Dockx is also constantly adding new branch locations. “We are looking for new locations all over the country so we can bring our vehicles even closer to our customers,” Joeri tells us. “That is also why we work with partners. For example, you will already find our vans in the car parks of some IKEA branches, at Zelfbouwmarkt Ninove and at Auto Natie Kalmthout. This allows the customer to leave, with their van, immediately from the retail location.
Strong service
And last but not least, Joeri emphasises the service that Dockx offers. “One of our greatest strengths is our years of experience,” asserts the CEO. “We have been renting vans for 43 years. So, our service is on point. Should there be a problem, you can always get someone on the line, 24/7, who will help you. And we are also extremely flexible. We have 15 manned shops and 6 unmanned locations. The latter are car parks where our vehicles are located. What’s more, you can use the Dockx app to pick up and return our three most popular moving and delivery vans, day and night, after office hours and even on Sundays, at all these locations. In other words, flexibility is very important to us.”
Dockx absolutely goes the extra mile for its customers. “Our professionalism and service make us unique,” concludes Joeri. “For example, when a reservations is made more than 48 hours in advance using the Dockx app, we call the customer to go over the upcoming reservation with them. This reassures our customers, while letting them know how to reach us directly. That's a service you don't see anywhere else. Getting someone on the road using just an app is quite the adventure for many. Everyone likes an app, until they have to drive a van around by themselves without having picked up a key somewhere. At that point, most people feel better knowing they can call someone if a problem arises.”
