Uber is a six-year old transportation company that works like a combination of a car service and a taxi. Now in over 50 countries and 200 cities, Uber is transforming the taxi industry. Uber is also a metaphor of what customers are coming to expect. Not tried Uber? Here is a brief overview. As you read about it, consider your business through Uber lens.
Download the Uber app on your smart phone, fill out a simple application, and you are ready to get Ubered. Need transportation? Tap your Uber app to request a driver and within seconds you will receive an alert from a nearby driver…his or her name, photo, car make and model, license plate, how many minutes until the car arrives and…get this…how previous riders have rated your arriving driver.
You can tap the GPS-driven map provided and watch the approaching vehicle and the countdown of “minutes to arrival.” Right on time, the spotless late-model vehicle pulls up and the driver calls your name. The driver also has your phone number should you not be standing where he or she expects to be. Once you arrive, you do not pay the friendly driver who helps you with your luggage. Instead, seconds after you exit the car, a receipt pops up on your smartphone of the amount your credit card will be charged. You are given a chance to add a tip and rate your driver.
If Uber ran your operation, how would your customers’ experiences change? Uber is far more than a fast growing transportation company; it is the personification of the service standards your customers are coming to expect. Become Uber-like in how your service is delivered or, like many taxi companies with noisy dispatchers, less-than excited drivers in mediocre vehicles, you will fail to survive!
Photo Credit: RayBay