WHAT IF.一 Uber offered passengers to take a selfie?
The
Challenge
What if Uber drivers had an advanced notification as they approached the pickup location, showing them what the customer looked like and the exact outfit the customer was wearing that day? Uber drivers would then be able to pull right up to their customer without wasting either party’s time. This feature would enhance driver efficiency, enabling them to accept additional rides in a given time frame. Discrimination would not be a factor because the driver would view the passenger’s photo after accepting the trip request.
The End
Product
Swiss Commerce suggests building a feature into the Uber App, so customers have the option to take a real-time selfie and send it to the driver after the customer has ordered their Uber ride and has been assigned a driver. This picture could be sent directly to the driver and easily dismissed after the driver sees what the customer looks like, the clothes they are wearing, and the backdrop of the customer’s location. It would also be viewable when the driver pans back in the Uber App to the customer’s profile. The driver would then be able to pick the customer out of a huge crowd, which is very relevant in major cities.
Swiss Commerce’s Design Team put together a visual to illustrate the suggested user experience:
Approach
Uber has become the most convenient way to travel between locations using an on-the-go personal driver. In addition to its convenience, the Uber App offers many other built-in features that provide useful information, such as the distance of a trip and approximate associated cost prior to customer pick-up.
Overall, Uber has been well-received, establishing one of the largest loyal user bases of any company launched in the last five years. This fast-paced expansion has led to some growing pains. Especially in larger cities, such as New York City, Uber has encountered issues with customers having trouble readily locating their driver in crowded areas or high-traffic situations. This misconnection can significantly shrink the time window for the customer to jump into the ordered car.
The Swiss Commerce Team has found that it is very effective for Uber customers to take a picture of themselves and text it to their driver ahead of a pickup. The photo allows the driver to see what the customer is wearing and the backdrop of their surroundings. Drivers have reported back, thanking the Swiss Commerce Team for taking the initiative with this novel approach. The only problem they experienced was viewing the photo and then moving back to the map navigation screen view within the Uber App.
Overall, Uber has been well-received, establishing one of the largest loyal user bases of any company launched in the last five years. This fast-paced expansion has led to some growing pains. Especially in larger cities, such as New York City, Uber has encountered issues with customers having trouble readily locating their driver in crowded areas or high-traffic situations. This misconnection can significantly shrink the time window for the customer to jump into the ordered car.