Kosmocar at the forefront of innovation at the National Customer Service Awards 2022
The top distinction in the category "Innovation in Customer Experience" was awarded to Kosmocar at this year's award ceremony of the National Customer Service Awards of the Hellenic Institute of Customer Service (HICS) for the implementation of smart mobility services "ASTYBUS" and "astyGO" through the application "astyMOVE" in the framework of the program "Astypalaia: Smart and Sustainable Island". At the ceremony, held last Thursday at the Athens Concert Hall, Kosmocar was also distinguished as one of three finalists in the category "Better Use of Technology in the User Experience".
These important distinctions concern the Smart Mobility Programme pillar and more specifically the operation of the vehicle sharing service "astyGO" in combination with the shuttle service "ASTYBUS" exclusively through electric vehicles, coordinated by Kosmocar in cooperation with the Development Agency of the South Aegean Region "K2" which is the public body of the service. With the implementation of the innovative smart mobility ecosystem "astyMOVE", all transportation needs on the island are realized in an easy and simple way by integrating in an innovative way all services on the smartphone of the visitor and the permanent resident of Astypalea.
Kosmocar CEO Stephen Sirtis said: "The biggest changes we can experience very often are based on extremely simple ideas with vision. The project "Astypalea - Smart and Sustainable Island", which is the absolute implementation of such an idea, is now in its second year of implementation and aims to improve the lives of residents through the transformation of Astypalea into a model of green mobility. This program could not be achieved without the contribution and acceptance of the local community because the work of Astypalaia proves in the most emphatic way that the change and the transition to a more sustainable future is possible."
The Hellenic Institute of Customer Service (HICS), is steadfast in its values and vision, rewarding for 13 years now those companies, organizations and executives of customer service that work daily based on quality Customer Service, highlighting best practices in Customer Service. The now recognised institution of prizes, in line with practices across Europe, rewards and promotes on an annual basis innovative and excellent practices, which are used to serve the customer and contribute to his better experience. In addition, the aim is to create and disseminate specialized knowledge as well as to reward the best executives in customer service by industry and level.
The project "Astypalea – Smart and Sustainable Island", jointly implemented by the Hellenic Republic and the Volkswagen Group, with the practical support of Kosmocar, the Municipality of Astypalea and the South Aegean Region, aims to offer a deeper understanding of the transformation of an entire system. Within five years, Astypalea is to become an island with a high degree of sustainable mobility and energy – with pure electric vehicles, intelligent mobility services and a green hybrid power system. This important project involves 16 organisations of a private and public nature from 3 European countries.