Guide to launching a successful ride-hailing app with safety measures for post COVID-19 lockdown

How to make ride-hailing business relevant during and post COVID-19?

Though COVID-19 has made the ride-hailing business to sink at a very lower level since its upstart, there is a light at the end of the corner.

Post COVID-19, the ride-hailing is about to jump off and the market size is about to make growth up to 55.9% from 2020 to 2021.

The estimated market revenue is about to hit $120 billion by 2021 from the existing $76 billion in 2020. 

With perfect safety measures, the ride-hailing is about to boom more than ever. The public transportation and the general modes of transportation for common people will be seen more of as a less safety option. However the ride-hailing companies are coming up with strict safety precautions. The new startups can also follow these kinds of safety measures post COVID-19 lock-downs,

Maintaining strict limits on passengers: Only two users are allowed to avail of the taxi services at a time to enforce social distancing.

Allowing the app to make sure the drivers wear face masks: Drivers should upload selfies wearing face masks before going online or accepting rides. The app includes the selfie technology 'Real-Time ID Check' for the same.

The Real-Time ID Check uses Microsoft Cognitive Services to match the selfie uploaded by drivers with their profiles. They can proceed further if they match. Else, their accounts lock, restraining them from taking rides.

A Simple Safety checklist: Drivers and users must conform to a set of safety measures before accepting or booking a ride.

Option to Cancel rides: Both users and drivers are given the liberty to cancel their rides if either of them does not feel safe, especially when the opposite party hasn't followed safety guidelines like face masks and social distancing.

A Convenient Safety Ratings & Reviews System: With this feature both users and drivers can rate each other with feedback concerning the safety guidelines.

Perfect ride-hailing app with these safety measures

There are a number of app development companies coming up with Uber clone apps with these safety measures for post lock-downs of COVID-19. Make sure to use such a ready-made solution to launch your on-demand taxi app. 

Replicating Uber - Not Only In Business Model But Also In Success

There is no question that essential technology is available to create an app like Uber. However, the success of Uber does not lie in the app alone. There are a lot of factors that have gone into shaping the leviathan that Uber is right now. Let us look at the aspects that contributed to the success of Uber - the learning that will help you script your story of success.

Going Glocal (Global+Local)

The portmanteau sounds like an oxymoron but it will be good to learn its implications in business. Uber might be headquartered in San Francisco. However, it brings a very local feel to the business. The availability of the app and the services in local languages ensures that the domestic appeal is taken care of. This local flavor extends into the promotions as well. It might have been observed that Uber effectively used the Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli to promote its brand during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Focus On Customers & Customers 

When it comes to any aggregating service, there are two sets of customers. One of them is the set that avails the service and the other is the one that provides the service. One should not be forgotten favouring the other. Uber has addressed this issue by looking at both customers and drivers. We need not even talk about complex things that establish equal importance. The simple fact that a review and rating system is available for drivers to rate their passengers is completing enough to tell you that Uber lays a lot of emphasis on driver happiness.

Give Control - Make Customers Feel Empowered 

The era of baby boomers is gone. Today, it is the time for millennial's and they alone drive the business. It is important for any business to understand the psychology of millennial's. They like to stay in control and should be given an illusion that they are empowered to command and call the shots. Uber capitalized on this mindset by giving these people the power to book a cab and asked the driver to come to their location instead of them going to the taxi stand to take a service at the mercy of the drivers.

Take Your Engagement Beyond Utility 

It is true that Uber provides nothing more than transportation from point A to point B. However, Uber does not stop with this service alone. There are possibilities to explore better business opportunities and better engagement by bringing in entertainment options within the cab. This can include but is not limited to on-demand videos and even cross-selling of other Uber services like UberEats. This ensures that your app does not confine itself to just one service. It also gives an opportunity for you to stay connected with the passenger when they are in a cab that you have facilitated for them.

Know The ‘Premium-Sensitive’ Areas

It might have been observed that Uber has multiple segments of services like Uber Prime, Uber X, and Uber Go. There are even premium services like Uber Lux and Uber Premier. However, Uber does not compromise on the quality of services. This means that Uber ensures that the car is clean and the driver is safer, irrespective of the service that the passengers are taking. It could be acceptable if there are certain services like ad-free videos that are made available to premium users. However, letting the affected by money is detrimental to the success of the business. The guide to developing an Uber like app business is still not at a right overlook to the budding entrepreneurs.

Create A Feedback Mechanism… For Everyone

A company can innovate a product only based on how customers feel about it. This includes but is not limited to the people who take your brand to other prospective customers. It is for this reason that you will need to have a reporting system that will ensure continuous feedback. Uber takes this very seriously. That is why it has incorporated a feedback mechanism for both users and drivers where they can mutually rate each other.

Be Uncompromising On Security

Security has been an ongoing concern for all cab services. Uber has brought in a few aspects that will make the passengers feel relatively secure. They have introduced a meticulous scrutinization process for the drivers with background checks. There is also a panic button that can help users call for assistance in case of any misbehaviour by the driver or co-passenger.

Be Intuitive & Simple

Although there is a lot of intricacies and complexity that go into creating an app like Uber, the company has made the user interface of the app quite simple. It has been observed that both users and drivers do not have any problem in adopting this app. The user interface has to be intuitive, navigable and creamy, so it can be universally used. Kind of takes it back to the first point that we discussed it doesn't it?

Conclusion

Replicating the success of Uber is not just about the app. It is about understanding every facet of this business of ride-hailing. With the COVID-19 safety measures in the plan, it is high-time for entrepreneurs to make a safe bet in this market.