How Blindheim IL coordinates transport with Nimmo
A safe handover on the way to Blindheim Idrettspark. Photo: Marit Holen
When Blindheim Idrettslag in Ålesund started using Nimmo in January, transport was already in place. What they needed was simpler coordination, less manual work and better information for parents along the way. Three months later, the club has signed a one-year agreement.
Background
Blindheim Fotball runs the Telenor Xtra football after-school programme, where children are picked up from school after the school day and taken to Blindheim Idrettspark for football training and play. Telenor Xtra is a national programme developed in collaboration with the Norwegian Football Federation, and is offered by football clubs across Norway.
The transport itself has been provided by Turistbussen Ålesund for several years, and has worked well from a practical standpoint.
The coordination, however, took time. Parents had to be kept informed manually, communication with the driver happened across multiple channels, and different end-times at the schools involved made planning more complex than it appeared. On top of that, the setup required a club volunteer to ride along on the bus to make sure the right children boarded and got off at the right place. It worked as a safety mechanism, but it tied up a person on every single trip
In January, the club joined a pilot with Nimmo to see how a digital coordination platform could fit into their everyday operations.
How it works in practice
With Nimmo, all transport information lives in one platform. Children are checked in when they board the bus, and checked out when they arrive. The driver handles this in the app, and the club gets an automatic overview of who is where. Parents receive an automatic push notification when their child is picked up at school, and again when they are safely delivered at Blindheim Idrettspark. The driver has a clear overview of who needs to be picked up where, and the club no longer needs to coordinate most of it manually.
Turistbussen Ålesund, who continue to operate the transport, are positive about the change.
The driver has the overview in the app, while the club and parents receive the information automatically. Driver Knut Sindre Velle. Photo: Marit Holen
A word from the club
“Our first period of working with Nimmo at Blindheim Idrettslag has been a good one, strong dialogue and follow-up throughout. I’ve had positive feedback from parents about the messaging system, particularly the push notifications they receive when their child is picked up at school and when they arrive at Blindheim Idrettspark. We’ve now signed a one-year agreement with Nimmo and look forward to a good partnership in the year ahead.”
Aleksander Hagerup, Head of after-school programme and academy, Blindheim Fotball
Aleksander next to the minibus with the driver. Photo: Marit Holen
What the club experiences
After the pilot period, Blindheim highlights three things:
Time saved. Less time spent on manual follow-up and coordination than before.
Simpler coordination. All information lives in one place, and the communication between club, driver and parents is structured.
A freed-up resource on the bus. Previously, the club had to send a volunteer along on every trip to keep track of the children. With check-in and check-out in Nimmo, this happens automatically, and the club no longer needs to staff the bus.
Peace of mind for parents. Push notifications at pickup and drop-off have been well received by parents. Many have shared that knowing exactly where their child is brings real peace of mind during the day.
It hasn’t been without friction
A case without any friction is rarely an honest one. Blindheim has had its challenges along the way, and it’s important to be open about them.
The schools the children are picked up from have different end-times, which makes planning more complex than it looks. This is an operational challenge that requires good communication between club and driver. Nimmo helps keep track of it, but it doesn’t disappear with an app alone.
Digital comfort levels also vary. Most parents pick up the app without any issues, but some find it takes a bit of getting used to. That’s a reality with any new digital tool introduced in a volunteer-based environment.
A recurring question is integration with Spond. Many clubs already use Spond, and “another app” isn’t always welcome. Blindheim hasn’t had much negative feedback on this, but it’s something Nimmo is actively working to understand better.
What we learn from Blindheim
Blindheim is in this every week. They’ve given us concrete feedback on what works and what could be better. For Nimmo, clubs like Blindheim are more than customers. They are co-developers, helping us getting better.
Do you run a sports club and recognise these challenges?
Get in touch for a conversation about how Nimmo could work for your club.