GROUPS AND corporate paddling

groups are great, but Make it simple

Getting group bookings is great, since it can extend the season and bring large revenue in one single booking. In the section below we elaborate in how to attract group bookings and how to administrate it.

We strongly encourage companies to book and paddle on their own on the website; this is the main product of KAYAKOMAT. If you have a request for a group; try to make them book online on the website using their card. If they do wish to book by invoice you can create an invoice for them and instead book and pay with your own card on the website.
You can also do that if you want to add additional items such as a pic nic, water bottle, “meet and greet” etc. Then you can set your own end price to the customer.

Here is a landing page that you can include when promoting kayakomat to groups (English & Swedish available, more languages on request)

Example of how to approach groups

Small hotels and conference facilities. They might want to include kayaking in their packages
Small and big workplaces in your town. Find their contact details on their websites. Use the email template on this page or create your own.
People you already know, that are managing teams or are socially active on their workplaces or other contexts such as sports team.
Mention kayakomat as a great after work/team event on LinkedIn, on your personal Facebook profile and to friends and relatives when you meet them.
Your own colleagues, bring them on a fun day out!
Be creative! Can you suggest a board meeting on the water? Or do like one operator who organized a group event/race for local politicians and then informed media about?

How to make group bookings

As mentioned earlier on the page; you can either let the group book on their own on the website and stick to the “selfe service concept” or you can offer to send an invoice, and if you want also include more services. Below is a short email template that you can use, and adapt to your own preference. There are is also example of how a package tour can look. and more detailed instruction on how to make the booking.

Option 1: Book on the website
The company books kayaks on its own on the website. Focus on how easy it is to book with Kayakomat, clearly inform about price and how it works such as .. You can also write some tips on nearby restaurants and activities that they can book themselves, or suggest a nice route. If you want, you can for example offer a discount code for groups with more than 10 people, to make it more attractive.

Option2: Package tour and invoice
You may reach out to groups on a more personal way and offer to pay by invoice, and maybe add extra services and set your own price. See example of a package here on the site.

You as the operator make the booking on behalf of the customer on your payment card.

You can create and use a promo code of 30% on the booking and send an invoice for the total price to the customer. Do not give the discount to the group, this is for you since it takes some extra time and effort to do it like this rather than just asking the group to book online.

example of a standard email to a company

Hi,

Have you heard of KAYAKOMAT in xxxx?

It’s me, xxx, who has started a new unmanned SUP and kayak hire station in xxxx.

Paddling for a few hours before or after work, or as a team-building activity, is a fun, healthy and novel way to socialise while getting the chance to see xxxx from a different perspective.

Let me give you some ideas on how you can benefit on this:

Bring your colleagues for an after work, team building or post holiday kick off. We can tailor this according to your needs, eg include coffee and a snack. Cost from xxx, and group size up to xxxx
We can offer your employees an exclusive 20% discount code, that you can share with your staff as inspiration for a healthy after work activity.
If you have a sports club at work I would love to welcome them for a session with kayakomat. Do you have their contact details?

Please check out or website to learn more about us or to book your rental. KAYAKOMAT is already in 300 locations across Europe and I am incredibly proud to be running this business here in xxx. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, wish to have a discount code for your employees or are planning an event.

Do you think this would be appreciated by your colleagues at xxxx? I would also like to know how many of you are currently working at the company and who would be the best person to contact for a collaboration.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards

xxxxx

example of Package for group 6-15 people

Independent transfer from company to KAYAKOMAT

16.45 Our kayak guide/operator will welcome you and give you a brief introduction to kayaking with an emphasis on safety. We get ready for our adventure and take out the kayaks, put our luggage in the packing area etc;

17.00 The kayak tour begins and together we experience the calming sensation of paddling in our stable single or double kayaks. We will help each other and explore the city from a new perspective. When everyone is safely in the kayaks, the conditions are ripe for new discoveries in our surroundings and we paddle at a calm and harmonious pace where we stop for coffee and a packed snack. Once the ‘here and now’ experience sets in, you are more receptive to what is happening around you. Perhaps new ideas about business will emerge or grow during the trip, or you just get time to have a good chat out of the office?

18.30 We paddle back to the starting point, clean the kayaks and return the equipment

19.00 Dinner at a nearby restaurant or picnic/barbecue over an open fire, depending on local conditions;

21.00 Full of new energy and knowledge, we return home.

A warm welcome!

Develop a nice programme with images that can be used internally and where you can easily add activities.

PACKING LIST
– Comfortable clothes that you – can move around in
Change of clothes
– Towel
– Plastic bag to put your change in

All equipment such as paddles, sprayskirts and lifejackets are in the kayak compartment. The kayaks are very stable, but it is still a good idea to bring a change of clothes/towel, which can be packed in the kayak’s storage compartment.

BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

Corporate clients often have higher standards than private clients. It is important to ensure that the kayaks are well cleaned before the clients arrive.

Always advise that paddling is at your own risk. If you sell a package including other services (dinner etc), we recommend that you have specific booking conditions. These may need to be adapted depending on what you are liable for in the event of cancellation. You may have booked a kayak guide, pre-booked meals, drinks, transfers etc.

A general guideline on cancellation policies for companies/groups is to start with strict booking conditions, which you can then adjust if you are not incurring such high costs. Also remember that the time spent putting the package together can be charged in the event of a cancellation, so even if you cannot charge the customer directly for this, it should be factored in.

Communicate your special terms and conditions to the group while making the booking. Also send the invoice well in advance. If you’ve already booked an payed for the service on the website and the group cancelled, you can cancel the booking and ask us for refund. Same if number of guests change etc. Another alternative is to “block” the slots on the website for this period, and then pay and make the live booking closer to time.

Who can package a group tour for you?

Do you not have time or knowledge to take care of a group? Perhaps you know a yoga or fitness teacher who wants to to do a group class by the water combined with paddeling, someone who runs a catering business who wants to be included in your business-to-business package or knows the local kayak club where you can get someone to guide an event?

We recomend thinking a bit “outside the box” on ideas like this, aiming in inspiring on how to get group bookings and package tours in an easy way.

As an example, one operator collaborates with the local bakery. Not only can the bakery offer breakfast bags for group outings booked via the operator; they also helped promoting “breakfast team building” in an email send out to their client base.