Uber precision pick-ups.

Today, when heading to yoga class I was late, per usual. The doors to the studio lock at the exact start time and I’d prepaid. So this was a serious issue and I had to make it to class.

I’d already been deluded enough to think I’d take a nice leisurely walk to class.
I distracted myself and it became a bus ride. I Distracted myself a little more and I now had to take a uber.

The estimated arrival time for the uber was 9:03 and class started at 9. Already I had to call the studio to ask about their grave period policy. This is always bad. 

No answer.

I texted the driver and said. I’m so sorry I’m on a tight deadline I’m getting on the right side of the road, I’ll be waiting. It will be more convenient for you not less.

Ok. He says. 

A few moments later his car barely comes to a stop at the side of CVS and I quickly hop in

The eta is shaved by 4 minutes. 8:59

“You see that! “ I remark, as my opening words. They weren’t expecting that level of precision pickup. Look at that shaved time. He laughs but it is seemed like a generous and mostly undeserved polite laugh.

“I usually don’t do precision picks-ups like that. “

Then I tell him that 

Typically...

“I’m usually an asshole. Blazing in my room till the very last Second and being distracted. All before realizing I’d need my keys for this outing and I don’t know where they are. All the while being bad at time management. Then eventually having to text my driver sorry I’ll be down in one minute. 

Now he laughs a bit more genuinely.

“It sucks, I hate that I do that . it’s really bad. Wouldn’t it be way better if everyone you picked up behaved like I just did. And that’s never me I’m so bad “. I emphasized 

He says yeah and suddenly I’m struck with an idea. What if uber incentivized customers to make quick and precise vehicle entries, positioning themselves on the correct side of the road.

I was so satisfied with this thought. Yes! 

It checked out! Customers would have a score or so, and it would make the lives of the drivers easier and more efficient. This means, that uber would stand to make more money. So they’d not object. If they did object, losing money would be the reason. 

Therefore I don’t see why they wouldn’t want to opt for this option.

I decided I was going to write a blog post on this matter.
I told My uber driver snd told him I’d love to send it.

When getting his email Autocorrect changed his name fifty-five times as I typed it. So I had to keep asking about the spelling of his name.

I thought it was funny that I said I’d send him a blog post, and now couldn’t spell his name in under a minute. 

We made it on time. I confirmed the email address.

Then I darted into yoga at 859. I was very excited to see my teacher. I felt the feeling was mutual. 

Anyhow! During class, I began to think about precision uber pickups. “Aummm” what if they gamified the pick-ups!?

Oh wait, didn’t they have a feature where you could take a short walk for a reduced fee or price? Yes. I thought to myself. They did. 

However, these walks took you considerably away from the pickup location, which could help give the one-way streets and traffic flow of cities. But they were rather inconvenient.

But there hadn’t really been an element by which users were rated for the promptness and precision of their pick-ups.

This really would make drivers’ lives much easier. There is so much incompetence and meet-up confusion that takes place in ride-share apps.

While the monetization incentive efforts may have failed, I feel that a gamification aspect that gives users a “readiness score” could be successful.

This may create a strain on entitled customers who would complain, thus causing the ride-sharing company problems and headaches. 

I really wish they would work on a way to infrastructural benefit the drivers.

I also wonder about  the dangerous slope of having customers need to act quickly and Uber’s role in placing excessive demands   On both customers and employees alike in the name of profit maximization

I know I often feel quite rushed these days at cash registers when packing my bags post-purchase. You can feel the heightened concern for time, flow, and profit margins. 

This could be an inadvertent effect of readiness scores. But as it is, uber drivers face a really difficult time. They have to wait a lot, deal with slashed wages and the pandemic has created a multitude of complications and expenses. I guess really them being paid a fair wage is the best thing that could happen to mitigate the pain of waiting.

Time is money, but if you’re not so stressed about money all the time, the wait time doesn’t feel as slow and brutal. Rushing to get to the next dollar causes stress and anxiety. 

All that being said, my goal is to work on time management and not put people in a position where they have to wait for me or rush for me. These are stressful energies that are created as a result of my poor planning or inability to transition well. 

These are skills that I need to develop and plan to.

Thanks so much for your readership. I really appreciate all of you.