Enhancing Driver Ticketing Experience in Tapsi, A Ride-Hailing Application in Iran

Mojtaba Behnam
TAPSI Engineering
Published in
10 min readDec 10, 2023

Introduction

🎫 Efficient ticketing systems play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and satisfactory experience for our drivers in Tapsi.ir

Here are several reasons why an efficient ticketing system is essential for us:

🛠️ 1. Issue Resolution and Support: Drivers encounter various issues, ranging from technical glitches in the app to payment-related queries or disputes with passengers. We need an efficient ticketing system that allows drivers to report these issues swiftly, ensuring prompt resolution and support from the Tapsi’s support teams.

📩 2.Enhanced Communication: A streamlined ticketing system facilitates clear and direct communication channels between drivers and our support staff. It enables drivers to articulate their concerns, provide necessary details, and receive timely updates or solutions, thereby fostering effective communication and problem-solving.

🚗 3. Optimized Driver Experience: Resolving issues promptly contributes to an overall positive experience for our drivers. It helps in maintaining their trust and confidence in Tapsi, encouraging continued engagement and loyalty among drivers.

📊 4. Improvement in Operational Efficiency: An efficient ticketing system allows us to track, categorize, and prioritize different types of issues reported by our drivers. This data can be analyzed to identify recurring problems, enabling the Tapsi to implement proactive measures, enhance the app’s functionality, and improve service quality.

😊 5.Driver Satisfaction and Retention: When drivers experience quick and effective resolution of their concerns through the ticketing system, it boosts their satisfaction levels. Satisfied drivers are more likely to remain with the platform, reducing driver turnover and associated recruitment costs.

⚖️ 6. Quality Assurance and Compliance: Monitoring and addressing issues reported by our drivers through the ticketing system helps in maintaining service quality and ensuring compliance with Tapsi policies, industry standards, and regulatory requirements.

In summary, an efficient ticketing system empowers drivers by providing them with a reliable mechanism to report and resolve issues, fostering better communication, improving their overall experience, and contributing to the operational efficiency.

Problem Identification

To gain insight into the current issues within our ticketing system, we launched a comprehensive qualitative survey. Initially, we meticulously segmented our active drivers into distinct categories, encompassing early drivers, reactivated drivers, and those with a high volume of trips. This survey was tailored to include probing questions about their interactions with the ticketing system, challenges encountered, and specific areas necessitating improvement.

Following a rigorous analysis of the survey’s quantitative data, we took a further step by randomly selecting four drivers from each segment for in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted to glean a deeper understanding of their individual experiences with the ticketing system. The primary aim was to identify potential areas for enhancement, listen attentively to their feedback, and ultimately gauge the depth and breadth of the issues highlighted during the survey process.

we ultimately pinpointed these specific problems:

🤔 1.Complex Ticket Submission Process: Drivers might encounter difficulties in navigating the ticket submission process within the driver application. Complicated forms, unclear instructions, or a lack of guidance could hinder their ability to effectively report issues.

2. Lengthy Resolution Times: Drivers might experience frustration due to prolonged resolution times for their reported issues. Delays in getting a response or resolution to their problems can impact their productivity and overall satisfaction.

🔄 3.Inconsistent Issue Prioritization: Drivers face challenges in having their issues prioritized appropriately. Critical or urgent issues might not receive the necessary attention, affecting the drivers’ ability to perform their duties effectively.

📱🐛 4.Technical Glitches or App-related Problems: If the driver application has technical glitches or bugs, drivers might struggle to report these issues or experience difficulty in using the app, impacting their daily operations.

🚫📝 5.Lack of Feedback Mechanism: Drivers might lack visibility into the resolution process or lack a feedback mechanism to express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the support received, leading to uncertainty about issue resolution.

Addressing these challenges by improving the ticketing experience can significantly enhance the overall satisfaction and engagement of our drivers, contributing to a more efficient and seamless operational environment.

Goals and Objectives

⏱️ 1.Reduce Ticket Resolution Time: The foremost objective is to decrease the time taken to resolve drivers’ reported issues. This goal aims to enhance efficiency and minimize disruptions to drivers’ work by ensuring prompt solutions to their problems.

📝 2.Simplify Ticket Submission Process: Streamlining the ticket submission process is crucial. The primary goal is to make it easier and more intuitive for drivers to report issues, ensuring they can quickly and accurately communicate their concerns without encountering unnecessary complexities.

🤝 3.Enhance Support and Responsiveness: The primary focus is on improving the quality and responsiveness of support provided to our drivers. This involves ensuring that drivers receive timely and effective assistance, addressing their issues promptly and satisfactorily.

🏷️ 4.Optimize Issue Categorization and Prioritization: Establish a system for efficiently categorizing and prioritizing reported issues. This secondary goal aims to ensure that critical issues receive immediate attention, while also categorizing and addressing less urgent matters effectively.

🔄📋 5. Collect Feedback and Iterate: Create mechanisms for collecting feedback from drivers about their experience with the ticketing system. This goal involves gathering insights to continuously refine and improve the ticketing process based on drivers’ input.

Challenges

This project presented a series of formidable challenges that demanded adept management and resolution:

🎨 1.User Interface Overhaul: Redesigning the ticketing system requires careful consideration of the user interface (UI) to ensure it’s intuitive and user-friendly. Balancing simplicity with the inclusion of necessary features and information without overwhelming drivers can be a challenge.

↔️ 2.Maintaining Consistency: Harmonizing the ticketing experience across multiple platforms (mobile app, web, etc.) while ensuring consistency in design, functionality, and user flow can be challenging, especially when dealing with different operating systems and device types.

🔄🔌 3.Integration with Existing Systems: Integrating the redesigned ticketing system seamlessly into the existing architecture without causing disruptions or affecting the app’s performance can be a significant challenge.

🤖👥 4.Balancing Automation and Human Support: Striking the right balance between automated responses and human support is crucial. Implementing automation for efficiency while maintaining personalized and effective human interactions can be challenging.

📥🔍 5.Data Migration and Compatibility: Migrating existing ticket data to the redesigned system and ensuring compatibility with older data formats or systems can be complex and may require meticulous planning to prevent data loss or corruption.

🧑‍🎓 6.User Adoption and Training: Ensuring users, including both drivers and support staff, understand and adapt to the redesigned ticketing system might pose a challenge. Providing adequate training and support during the transition is essential.

✔️🔍 7.Testing and Feedback Incorporation: Conducting comprehensive testing to identify and resolve any bugs or usability issues in the redesigned system is crucial. Incorporating user feedback and making iterative improvements based on real-world usage can be challenging yet necessary.

📈💻 8.Scalability and Performance: Designing a ticketing system that can handle a growing user base, increased ticket volume, and fluctuations in demand while maintaining performance and responsiveness poses a challenge.

🤝🔔 9.Managing Expectations: Managing user expectations during the redesign process is essential. Communicating changes effectively and addressing concerns or resistance from drivers who were accustomed to the previous system can be challenging.

Benchmarking

  1. User Interface and Accessibility:
  • Uber: Uber’s app provided a dedicated “Help” section where users could access FAQs, report issues, and contact support. The process involved selecting the specific ride or trip, choosing from a list of issues, and submitting details.
  • Lyft: Lyft also had a similar support section within its app, allowing users to report issues related to rides, payments, or other concerns. Users could select the relevant category and provide details about their problem.

2. Response Time and Communication:

  • Both Uber and Lyft aimed to respond promptly to user concerns. Response times might have varied based on the nature and urgency of the reported issue.
  • In-app communication was available for users to converse with support representatives, providing updates or seeking further clarification regarding their reported problems.

3. Issue Resolution:

  • Both platforms attempted to address reported issues efficiently. The resolution time could vary based on the complexity of the problem, volume of support requests, and other factors.

4. Customer Support Quality:

  • Both Uber and Lyft typically offered customer support through a combination of automated responses and live support representatives.
  • Customer satisfaction with support might have varied among users based on their individual experiences.

5. Features and Flexibility:

  • Both platforms allowed users to report various issues such as driver behavior, payment problems, safety concerns, lost items, etc.
  • Users could often attach relevant details like photos or descriptions to support their claims.

6. User Feedback and Reviews:

  • User feedback on the effectiveness of Uber and Lyft’s ticketing systems might have varied. Some users reported positive experiences with prompt issue resolution, while others might have faced delays or unsatisfactory responses.

7. Improvements and Iterations:

  • Both companies continuously updated their apps and support systems based on user feedback and technological advancements, aiming to enhance the overall ticketing experience.

Solution & Key Features Implemented

Here are key features and improvements made in the ticketing experience within our driver application, along with explanations of how these addressed identified issues and enhanced the overall user experience:

### 1. Simplified Ticket Submission Process

Feature: Redesigned Interface

Explanation: The interface underwent a redesign, featuring a simplified form with fewer fields and clearer instructions. Drivers can now easily report issues without getting overwhelmed by unnecessary details.

Impact: Addressed the challenge of complexity in ticket submission, streamlining the process and making it more intuitive for drivers to articulate their concerns accurately.

### 2. Real-time Status Updates

Feature: Live Status Notifications

Explanation: Drivers receive real-time notifications about the status of their reported tickets. They are notified when their issue is received, being reviewed, or resolved, ensuring transparency throughout the resolution process.

Impact: Improved communication channels addressed the challenge of insufficient feedback, providing drivers with visibility and updates, thereby enhancing their confidence in the resolution process.

### 3. Prioritized Issue Resolution

Feature: Priority Tagging System

Explanation: Through the method of card sorting, we meticulously devised individual cards, each dedicated to a specific potential issue or category. These cards were crafted with clear and succinct labels, precisely defining a single problem type, such as “Payment Errors,” “Driver Behavior,” or “App Crashes.” As a direct outcome of this meticulous process, we successfully introduced a comprehensive system designed to effectively categorize and prioritize reported issues.

Impact: Addressed the challenge of inconsistent issue prioritization, ensuring that critical problems faced by drivers receive prompt and efficient resolutions.

### 4. Automated Solutions for Common Issues

Feature: Automated Troubleshooting

Explanation: Developed automated solutions for frequently reported issues. These automated troubleshooters guide drivers through resolving common problems without the need for manual intervention.

Impact: Reduced resolution times and empowered drivers to resolve certain issues independently, alleviating the burden on support teams and improving overall efficiency.

### 5. Reachable support access points

Feature: Ticket registration access points

Explanation: In critical and high-traffic segments characterized by frequent inquiries, we strategically integrated access points dedicated to ticket registration, ensuring drivers can effortlessly register their tickets.

Impact: By strategically placing these access points, we effectively curtailed off-topic tickets, significantly enhancing the ticket registration experience and fostering a more streamlined support system.

### 6. Feedback Mechanism and Continuous Improvement

Feature: Feedback Loop Integration

Explanation: Implemented a feedback mechanism where drivers can provide input on their experience with the ticketing system. Regularly analyzed feedback to make iterative improvements.

Impact: Enabled continuous improvement by incorporating driver feedback, ensuring that the system evolves to meet drivers’ evolving needs, and fostering a user-centric approach.

By incorporating these features and improvements, the ticketing experience within the driver application effectively addressed the identified challenges, providing a more streamlined, responsive, and user-friendly experience for our drivers.

Key Outcomes and Impacts

📈 · Achieved a notable 35% surge in the satisfaction rate for ticket registration.

⏳ · Effectuated an impressive 8% reduction in the average response time provided to drivers.

🛑 · Successfully curtailed off-topic tickets by a significant 24%.

⏱️ · Realized an 18% decrease in the Ticket Resolution Time, enhancing efficiency in issue resolution for drivers.

Some feedbacks of our internal stakeholders

👏 · I wanted to express my appreciation to the product team for the fantastic update to the ticketing system. It’s incredibly beneficial for both drivers and call center experts, making our operations much smoother.”

👏 · “Kudos to the product team for the remarkable enhancements in the ticketing system! The new version has brought about immense value for our drivers and call center experts, making their tasks more efficient and user-friendly.”

Gratitude 🙏

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated and industrious colleagues whose unwavering efforts were instrumental in bringing this project to fruition. I would particularly like to acknowledge the contributions of:

Arash Hosseini - Head of Product at Tapsi

Hooman Sharifzade - Technical team lead at Tapsi

Hamidreza Javadizade - Senior Product manager at Tapsi

Sohrab Faridi -Product data analyst at Tapsi

Amirhossein Shariatikia - Technical team lead at Tapsi

Negar Rajabi - Android developer at Tapsi

Sattar Fatemi - Backend developer at Tapsi

Ashkan Ashoori - Product designer at Tapsi

Farzaneh Aghaeinia - Technical team lead at Tapsi

Mohammad Seyfayi - Senior frontend developer at Tapsi

Maryam Rahimi - Senior software engineer at Tapsi

Niloofar Ebrahimi - Software quality assurance at Tapsi

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