StyleRide brings refreshed mindset into new year

When StyleRide delivered its first seat in 1996, I doubt the company understood how much of an impact it would have on the Australasian bus and coach industry.

Now, almost 30 years later, it continues to cement its foothold as a market leader by providing not only high-quality products, but exceptional service.

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The past 12 months in particular have seen StyleRide ‘refresh’ its business model, prioritising customer experience and connections.

“This year has been about realigning the business with our goals moving forward,” StyleRide national business development manager Troy Wells told ABC.

“Listening and connecting with customers has always been a part of StyleRide’s DNA, but we want to go above and beyond for our customers and see how far we can go.”

A large part of this refresh involved restructuring the business, bringing onboard talented and well-versed staff that were able to bring these goals to fruition.

“One of the major things was me coming on board mid-year, with the objective of reconnecting with older customers and forging new relationships,” Wells says.

“I’ve always enjoyed the people in the bus and coach industry, both from a customer and a supplier point of view.

“I know they value face-to-face interactions and trust, so that’s what we are trying to establish.”

Using this philosophy, StyleRide has been able to gain a deeper understanding of customer needs and how it can better collaborate with them on projects.

“We have listened to our customers’ praise and criticism and have started implementing changes that we feel will better suit their needs moving forward,” Wells says.

A large part of this falls into the bespoke seating options and customisation that StyleRide now offers customers.

With seating models covering the spectrum of Australia’s bus and coach sector – from luxury touring to urban public transport – StyleRide wants to highlight how the customer can customise their chosen product.

In particular, the Sovereign seat model is more of a bespoke type of seat that has found popularity among operators. While there is a factory standard for the model, the Sovereign can be specially built to suit certain requirements, whether it be different needs regarding width, length or accessory options.

“Customers can now come to us with any request and we will try to make it happen,” Wells says.

“If they want to highlight their company colours, use a logo or do a certain fabric, we can personalise it any way they want.”

“We have listened to our clients and customers, seeing what they need and what would best suit them.”

The brand’s suite of offerings was on display at the 2024 National Bus and Coach Show in Brisbane, with older and newer styles grabbing the attention of attendees.

The newest addition to the range, the Pratico, was particularly sought after, ticking off a list of needs for operators.

“All of our seats were received really well there, people noting the differences with the Pratico to our other models,” Wells says.

Wells says the show was also the perfect opportunity to put his listening skills to the test, providing him with the perfect backdrop to chat to everyone in the industry.

“Seeing customers, whether old or new, suppliers and other people you deal with in the industry is imperative for a business,” he says.

“Because this show is only every two years or so, it came at an ideal time for us to show everyone what we have been doing.”

What to look forward to in 2025

Moving into the next year, StyleRide wants to work towards becoming the first-choice brand for customers.

“We’re still developing things as we go, figuring out ways to get things done better and easier and adding value for our customers,” Wells says.

“One thing I really admire about people in the bus and coach industry is their upfront and to-the-point feedback that we can then take back to design and re-work.

“So we urge customers new and old to get in contact with us so we can better suit their needs.”

The brand will continue to sell its well-loved seating options, from the Orion and Aquarius range to the new Pratico and more.

“Our products have stood the test of time for a reason,” Wells says.

“They are well-designed and well-made, and we stand by the quality of seats we put out into the industry.”