Vehicle breakdown? These are the services you can count on

At Alphabet, we want to offer you and our other customers/drivers the best possible service. To guarantee such a service, we work together with various partners. One of these partners is VAB, a breakdown assistance specialist that we’ve been working with since 2019.

But what services does this breakdown assistance entail? In this blog post, we explain – together with VAB – how our partnership came about and tell you what you can expect from our breakdown assistance.

 

Why did we partner up with VAB?

Breakdown assistance is one of our service’s most important pillars. If our drivers experience problems with their vehicles, we want to help them get back on the road as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

To assist our drivers as best as we can, we needed the help of a breakdown assistance partner. And VAB proved to be a perfect match. The company offers quick, flexible and personal service and knows how to make our drivers as comfortable as possible in a negative situation.

VAB: “One of our main priorities was to make sure that our values aligned with Alphabet’s. After all, when we help a driver, we do so on behalf of Alphabet. Therefore, it was crucial to us that Alphabet’s drivers receive the level of service that they’re used to.”

 

What breakdown services can you count on? 

24/7 Vehicle breakdown assistance

VAB: “When a vehicle breaks down, we set out to intervene as quickly as possible, whatever the reason and time. Be it an accident, a technical problem or a mistake by the driver. 

Some of the most common causes of vehicle breakdown we face are:

• a flat tyre
• battery problems
• misfuelling
• other (unintentionally) self-inflicted damage

 

When drivers contact us, we send a patrolman to their location as quickly as possible. We keep the drivers up to date via text messages, so they know how long it will take for the patrolman to arrive. This type of personal and real-time information is really important to us.

Also, when we receive calls, we ask the drivers about the situation/context of the breakdown. For example, drivers stranded in the breakdown lane of a highway with traffic rushing by will always receive priority assistance. Safety is our first and foremost concern, both for the drivers and our employees. For example, changing a tyre in a breakdown lane or another dangerous spot is out of the question.

If we can’t repair a vehicle on-site, we tow it to our nearest garage/repair shop. If needed, we also take the drivers and their passengers back to the garage and help them on their way with a replacement vehicle.”

 

Bicycle breakdown assistance

VAB: “Cyclists receive special VIP treatment when it comes to breakdown assistance. When we receive a call from a stranded cyclist, we always ask them to describe their situation and we try to get to their location within 30 minutes. Are they stranded near the side of the road in the pouring rain? Then we try to get to their location even faster. 

Our bicycle repair specialists all have a van that has been transformed into a mobile workshop. In this workshop, they can quickly repair bikes on-site. In the meantime, the customer can wait in the van if they like to.”

 

Domestic and international breakdown assistance

Drivers

VAB: “Drivers that are stranded abroad in Europe can ask for assistance by contacting our trilingual customer service desk. ‘International vehicle breakdowns’ are often the most challenging ones, as we want to provide the best possible service at all times and in all situations.

When drivers are stranded abroad, we send a local patrolman to their location and provide towing and a replacement vehicle if necessary. If the latter is needed, we provide the right type of replacement vehicle based on the number of passengers and the driver’s or group’s baggage.

In some situations, we can also provide a train ride or even repatriation by plane.

 

Cyclists

VAB: “If a cyclist’s bike breaks down when they’re on a cycling holiday abroad, we look for the most suitable solution depending on the damage, the duration of the repair and the stage of the holiday. 

• If cyclists are on their outward journey, we safely bring them and their bikes to their holiday destinations.
• If cyclists are already at their holiday destinations, we safely bring them and their bikes back to their holiday accommodations.
• If cyclists are on their return journey, we safely bring them and their bikes home.

 

Tips to avoid your vehicle breaking down on holiday

You now know what to expect from VAB’s breakdown assistance if you’re an Alphabet customer. But of course, we hope you’re never going to need it. And maybe you won’t.

For example, are you going on holiday soon and are you going to drive to your destination? Then there are lots of things you can do to prevent your car from breaking down during the journey. Here are some of our tips:

• Before leaving, check all important things such as your car’s tyre pressure, coolant, oil and battery.
• Safely put your luggage in the boot of your car. If your luggage doesn’t fit in the boot, make sure it’s well secured, either on top of your roof or in the back of your car. You don’t want your suitcases flying around when you have to break sharply.
• Prepare yourself. Get a good night’s sleep, eat and drink well and take enough time to rest and pause during the journey. 
• Pick a calm moment or day to leave. For example, if you initially planned to leave on an exceptionally busy Saturday, postpone your departure by a day to save yourself a lot of stress and (potential) trouble on the road.

Download the Alphabet App, your personal assistant on the road. With the app, you can check all information about your leasing car at any time. Also, you can use the app  to quickly contact us in case your car breaks down.