Three Ideas for Uber
One of the companies I am most interested in is Uber. Uber stands out because, unlike most other sharing economy startups, they are actually available in Australia.
I can only read about companies like Postmates, Instacart and Lyft as they have no intention of expanding to Australia any time soon. If I want to try Uber, it is only 8 minutes away. Global expansion is one way Uber can grow, and a strategy they are executing extremely well. However the more I use the service, the more I think there is a huge opportunity for them to expand the service beyond “push a button, get a ride”.
1#: Uber for Friends
I rarely drive, preferring to get a lift or catch public transport. Currently picking someone up is a very inefficient process. First you message them when you leave. Then when you arrive you have to get your phone out again and message them to come out.
Likewise the person getting picked up has to wait around not really knowing when they need to be ready.
Uber has already solved this problem, albeit for commercial rides. It would be great to use the same service for personal rides.
This would work by leveraging most of the existing functionality of the Uber service. From the app you share an ETA with someone on your contact list/Facebook friends list. They get a text message with a link to download the app, or a push notification if they already have the app. Then picking them up becomes exactly like a normal ride. They can see how far off you are, and receive a notification when you have arrived. Interaction with the app would end once you pick them up.
There are a few benefits for Uber here. Firstly a new audience using the app. This would be useful even for people who wouldn't normally use Uber, and more importantly even in areas where Uber does not yet have Drivers. When Uber does come into the market there is an existing customer base. Secondly this will increase usage of Uber's mapping functionality. Having non-drivers using the turn by turn navigation means more opportunities to collect data on traffic conditions, roadworks etc.
2#: Uber for Recruitment
Sometimes an Uber ride is a vehicle for peace. More commonly it's a pleasant 20–30 minute conversation with your driver. By the end of your trip you have a pretty good idea of how well your driver communicates, their approach to customer service and an overall first impression of their personality. Likewise your driver will have an understanding of your personality, and if the conversation follows the normal pattern, an insight into what you do for work and whether you enjoy it.
To me this sounds like exactly the sort of information employers are trying to gather in the initial stages of hiring. Currently this is achieved (at significant cost) through HR phone screens, pre recorded video interviews and other methods. However employers know that the best way to filter candidates is with personal recommendations from existing employees.
Considering that many Uber drivers are driving part time, and outside of business hours when demand is higher, this represents an excellent opportunity.
If you are a Driver you would have the option to upload a resume and select areas of work you are looking for. Riders, either directly or through their Uber for Business account, could select the areas of work they are interested in hiring for.
The ride itself would operate normally. However at the end if the Rider gives the Driver 5 stars and there is a match between areas of work another option would appear to request resume details from the Driver. If the Rider indicates interest the request would either go to the administrator level for Uber for Business or straight to Uber otherwise.
The Driver can then choose to accept or reject the request. If accepted their resume will be sent, along with a selection of reviews from other Riders.
There are a number of benefits to this approach. Firstly it's a way for Uber to invest in their Drivers. Someone can start driving for Uber full time, and then transition to part time driving in the peak hours when drivers are most needed. This adds an extra benefit to driving for Uber. Additionally if this idea was successful Uber could charge lead generation fees to the employer. These could be considerably lower than standard recruitment fees because of the level of automation. Finally this would incentivize Drivers to provide even better service, and incentivize Riders to have a more two-way conversation with their Drivers.
3#: Uber Rank
My final idea for Uber solves a problem I have come across a bunch of times. The majority of times I start my ride late at night, in a busy inner city area with lots of traffic and no parking. Adding a heat map, similar to the surge pricing heatmap the drivers see, showing areas where it is easy for the driver to pull over and the passenger to get it in would be extremely useful for both parties.
