“In a city like Ghent, where shops, restaurants, companies, offices and citizens are supplied every day, urban freight transport is an essential part of the vibrant city life. However, this freight traffic adds some serious challenges: traffic jams, noise pollution, emissions, occupation of public space and sometimes unsafe situations. In order to understand how residents and visitors in and around Ghent experience freight transport in the city centre, the City of Ghent decided to work with Veerle and Charlotte to set up a survey for residents and visitors. Urban logistics was a new domain for them, but that did not stop them from coming up with fresh ideas and creative solutions. Their open-minded view of the subject led to inspiring insights that took our project to a higher level.
Our collaboration started with a smooth intake interview in which it quickly became clear that in addition to traditional questions, we also wanted to include dilemmas in the questionnaire. This turned out to be a bull’s eye, partly thanks to their own experiences in Ghent traffic. Their practical knowledge and sharp analytical skills ensured that the right questions were asked and that some questions were refined until they perfectly matched our objectives. What made this collaboration truly special was the careful way in which Veerle and Charlotte processed our input. They understood our priorities and translated them into a compact, engaging and relevant questionnaire. Every step of the process was followed up meticulously. In this way, they kept us informed of the progress of the project.
Veerle and Charlotte were able to present the findings clearly and concisely in a final report that not only gave us insights, but also concrete tools for future steps. The collaboration with Alice down the rabbit hole was not only productive, but also very pleasant. Their professionalism, creativity and commitment made the entire process a valuable experience. We look back on this collaboration with great pleasure and are satisfied with the results.” Michaël Geeraert en Wouter Huys, Stad Gent
