A Johannesburg firm is taking over ride-hailing big Uber Applied sciences, providing what it says are extra snug and considerably safer rides.
The corporate, Safe Specific, is a part of protecting providers specialist Arcfyre Worldwide, and has made rider security, consolation and customer support its prime priorities because it seeks to carve out a slice of the market from established rivals.
The corporate’s head, Glenn Howell, informed TechCentral in a current interview that Safe Specific is “very completely different to different e-hailing companies” in that it owns its fleet of autos and instantly employs its personal drivers.
This, mentioned Howell, has eradicated a few of the largest issues in e-hailing: Safe Specific drivers aren’t incentivised to say no or settle for rides, relying on whether or not or not they’ll maximise their experience earnings. It has at instances grow to be troublesome for purchasers to get a experience on some ride-hailing platforms, notably for shorter journey, as drivers don’t really feel it’s price their whereas.
The corporate can also be “very selective” when using drivers, rejecting on common 9 in 10 functions it receives. Each employed driver has to undergo a rigorous coaching programme, which incorporates first support, superior driving and customer support abilities, Howell mentioned. They’re then assigned a Toyota Corolla from the Safe Specific fleet.
Command centre
He mentioned the primary motive prospects are turning to Safe Specific is the safety it presents riders, with car places tracked in actual time from a devoted command centre in Johannesburg.
In response to Howell, the corporate ensures all rides booked on the platform are monitored all through the journey. Its techniques additionally continuously monitor for hassle spots throughout the town, and routes drivers round these. Riders are, nevertheless, given the choice to take the quickest route, or to keep away from higher-risk areas.
If a rider’s car deviates from its pre-assigned route, Safe Specific buyer help will likely be immediately alerted, and the workforce can then activate in-vehicle cameras (passenger privateness is maintained because the cameras solely face the entrance seats, together with the motive force) to get a visible of potential issues. They may then assess if the experience is beneath any sort of duress and react appropriately whether it is – for instance by alerting the police and sending its personal response workforce to the scene.
“The second the system flags {that a} car has gone off-route, [the command centre] telephones the passenger and asks if the whole lot is okay,” Howell mentioned. If there’s no reply, additional motion is then taken. As with different ride-hailing platforms, there’s additionally an SOS button within the Safe Specific app, which prospects can use in an emergency.
Howell mentioned one other differentiator versus different ride-hailing apps is Safe Specific’s concentrate on customer support and rider consolation.
“Clients love having a clear automotive and having a driver who doesn’t play on his telephone in the course of the experience. The driving force will ask if you’re snug and which radio station you wish to take heed to. There may be additionally free Wi-Fi in every car. The thought is that you simply focus on what you wish to do [during the trip],” he mentioned.
“Our guys additionally go the additional mile round issues like airport pickups. They don’t seem to be positioned on the e-hailing areas on the airports. They park and meet you in arrivals and escort you to the car.”
In response to Howell, about three-quarters of standard riders utilizing Safe Specific are ladies, and a big proportion of its shopper base are businesspeople who desire a safe experience however who don’t need the expense of hiring a car and driver for a whole day. The platform can also be used generally by mother and father, anxious about security, to ferry their youngsters round with better peace of thoughts than they could get by way of different ride-hailing providers.
Drivers are skilled to cope with high-risk conditions, akin to a car hijacking. They don’t seem to be skilled to battle armed criminals however somewhat to de-escalate the state of affairs as a lot as attainable and to make sure the security of their riders.
Safety
“It’s about getting their passenger out of the car and handing it over to the hijacker as shortly and effectively as attainable,” he mentioned, including that the corporate runs common simulations of potential incidents with its drivers, who’re by no means armed on the highway. Drivers are skilled to concentrate on potential safety issues on the highway and should stay alert always to their environment – which implies, for instance, by no means fidgeting with their telephones whereas carrying passengers.
Drivers aren’t allowed to exceed regulated velocity limits.
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The typical wait time for a experience in Johannesburg is between seven and 9 minutes – similar to different ride-hailing platforms. “We’re strategic about positioning our drivers across the metropolis primarily based on demand, utilizing warmth maps,” Howell mentioned.
Though solely accessible in Johannesburg for now, Safe Specific has plans to launch the service in Cape City quickly, with different cities to comply with. It expenses a flat price of R15/km, and there are not any waiting-time charges (on the airport, for instance).
“We like to cost it at a bit greater than an Uber Black, however generally we’re cheaper, particularly for brief journeys. We have now no surge pricing, for instance. Earlier than you e book, you already know what you’ll be charged.”
Apparently, not like rivals like Uber, there isn’t a surge pricing when utilizing Safe Specific. Coping with spikes in demand is an “ongoing problem”, Howell concedes, “however I don’t wish to make use of the surge pricing mannequin. As an alternative, we wish to transfer to ‘experience stacking’: you should have a 20- and even 40-minute wait. However you’ll have certainty that your experience is on its manner.”
Howell mentioned the normal ride-hailing mannequin is a “race to the underside on pricing and high quality”. Trip-hailing corporations are continuously slicing prices, he mentioned. “Automobile high quality will get poorer and poorer – it’s surprising!” — © 2024 NewsCentral Media
