Uber – Disrupting its way through Hyderabad

Ravi’s first experience with Uber

Ravi Korukonda discovered Uber two years ago. Renting a car in San Francisco was turning out to be a huge expense and a big hassle. A friend recommended Uber and Ravi realized that the app offered him exactly what he wanted.

Requesting a car with Uber was really easy. There was no need to call anyone and with a couple of taps he could confirm a car. He could then track the car on a map. The final payment was hassle free and cashless as the amount was deducted from the credit card details on file.

The entire process was seamless and there was need to wave at oncoming traffic to flag a cab, no need to call multiple cab companies and no need to bargain or negotiate with a driver. Whenever he needed immediate service Uber was available. Uber made getting around the city a simpler and much more pleasant experience.

Uber – as simple as it sounds and more!

Another Uber advantage Ravi found was that the app minimised interaction with drivers. Drivers find you using a map and the final payment is cashless. “Uber works for me in many ways” he says, “Not only for official meetings, but I also hire Uber cars to impress my dates. Uber’s premium cars make me feel like royalty.”

Uber is a fantastic option for a night out in town – “I love the luxury of a car conveniently standing right outside the party when I want to go back home. Now, I don’t have to worry about late night availability that I often face with other cab dealers. Now you can leave your car at home and enjoy a drink or two as Uber takes care of the rest.”

Ravi also uses Uber extensively for business clients. “The best part is that the payment is done by the one who books the cab, so it becomes hassle-free when I have to book a car to pick up or drop a client.”Once the ride is over, it automatically compensates the driver from the booker’s already given credit card details – so there are no awkward to-tip-or-not-to-tip situations.

Uber in Hyderabad: safe, reliable, affordable and stylish

Ravi feels the Uber model is relevant in India and will be successful here and specifically in Hyderabad. There is a dearth of good transportation options, safety and specifically women’s safety is a huge issue and drink driving is a prevalent issue in the city. Moreover, Hyderabad is a place that welcomes start-ups with open hands.

Uber launched in Hyderabad on the 16^th of January. Since then it has grown rapidly and brought safety, reliability and style to the market in an uniquely Uber way and at very affordable rates.

Uber’s premium cars are very affordably priced at ₹18/km and ₹2/km with a base fare of ₹50. Minimum fare is ₹150, which makes Uber cheaper than an auto for many journeys late at night. Recently airport fares were dropped by more than 50% and now a trip to the airport in a nice car costs just ₹800-1000. The app has a Split Fare option that allows friends to easily share the cost between them and makes the ride even more affordable.

Safety and quality are relevant concerns and Uber tackles these issues in multiple ways. Onboarding processes and documentation checks are strict. And then in true tech start-up fashion Uber gathers and studies tremendous amounts of data to improve its service and filter for quality. Every time a request is made the rider gets the driver’s name, photo, vehicle no’ and other details. The app has a Share My ETA feature that allows someone you trust to track your car on a map in real time. The rider can share the link to the map via sms before starting the trip. Finally, the Uber team takes feedback seriously and reviews and responds to all rider feedback individually.

Jwala Gutta was Uber, Hyderabad’s rider zero and since then the service has caught a lot more celebrity attention. Some of the reviews:

“Luxury for aam aadmi”– Prashant K V

“Its just not about getting Audi or BMW, Its all about reliable service and experience” – Saritha Keshamoni

“I was delighted to use Uber cab services. What impressed me most was their punctuality and their service was impeccable” – Nand Kishore

Get a free Uber ride and stay tuned for more

Uber is one of the most exciting start-ups in the world right now. Uber – Disrupting its way through Hyderabad and Globally. It has massively disrupted a taxi industry that has not changed in hundreds of years. Hope you enjoyed reading about Ravi’s personal Uber experiences and his review of the app. In upcoming posts Ravi will write more about Uber’s history, its business model and the start-ups’ rapid growth.

All new users get ₹300 in Uber credits if you sign up for Uber with Ravi’s personal code uberRAVIKORUKONDA. Sign up and download the Uber app and tell us about your experience.

Disclosure: Every time someone signs up and takes a ride with Ravi’s personal code Ravi also gets ₹300 😉

You can follow Uber Hyderabad on their blog | Twitter | Instagram

Comments

comments