New Technologies in the Taxi Business

Uber has taken the world by storm. Yes, the world. They started in San Francisco and now they are here in Nairobi. Their success has not waned although they have received significant uprising from other traditional taxi businesses and backlash for the way they run their business. They are still minting money! The reason behind their success is technology and innovation. They solved our problem of impulsive taxi fare hikes when it rains, when the driver feels like it and when the driver knows he is in demand. Although they have faced challenges and they sometimes make you question their values, they have managed to penetrate the market one continent at a time and for that, their marketing strategy needs some applause.

To clarify, Uber is an online taxi booking business. It provides customers with a mobile application to book taxis via their smartphones for pickup at their location. Uber has been hailed for its convenience and affordable fairs. It also provides transparency about your drivers as their profiles are available for viewing after getting a ride. The Uber app is user-friendly and simple to use. Since its establishment, similar startups have adopted the same business model to counter Uber’s market share and try their luck at similar success. Some of its competitors include Lyft, Little Cab in Kenya by Safaricom and Taxify. These companies depend highly on their customer reviews and affordability.

The taxi business was caught off-guard by the success of the online taxi businesses having enjoyed a monopoly in this sector. Now they are struggling to keep up and adopt new technologies to stay relevant and make profits. Some of the reasons customers love online taxi business are because of its user-friendly platforms. To use their services, one needs to register online with their email account giving their names with an option for their financial details for easy payment via card. Thereafter, download the app and sign in with your account. Immediately, if you are looking for a cab, using maps Uber identifies your location and shows you via the app the drivers nearby.

If you are not sure of the cost of the ride, Uber and other online taxi services alike estimate fares from your point of location to the desired destination. There is also the choice of car, from basic to comfortable and even luxury on the apps. To stay competitive, cheaper rates are offered than the traditional taxis. Once you book a trip, the customer is matched with a driver whose profile is available for viewing. One can see the number of trips made, their ratings, the model of car and number plates for easy identification. Contacts are provided on both ends of the users for easy communication for pick up.

If you are feeling precautious about the ride, the option to share your trip is available, so that someone you trust can track your ride and receive notification of your arrival.