4 Reasons Why Uber is Über Great
I think I’m addicted to Uber. I use the service at least once a day…and that’s just a minimum. The service has allowed me to change what I define as my commute time – now my commute starts with the time I get up. Beyond that, Uber has become useful to me for so many reasons, and it’s hard to imagine my life without it now (not that we’re dating, or anything.)
1. The Experience
Uber has become more than just a convenience – for me, it’s often the experience as well. Yesterday my Uber driver offered me a bottle of water. I had one Uber driver that was willing to wait for me to get a haircut before dropping me off at the airport. I was once offered a shot while going to a street festival in an Uber! I obviously had to accept….it was a Saturday.
2. An Alternative to Public Transportation
Uber has grown faster than almost any other company in the history of time. (Is this too bold of a statement? I don’t think so.) Cab companies are upset because Uber has bypassed all of the taxicab regulations. Should they be allowed to? I’m not sure, but I do think Uber is doing a lot of things that make them “not” a taxicab company. Often I use Uber not as opposed to taking a cab, but instead as an alternative to taking public transportation. I think many people have. Based on the ease of use and convenience of the app, I think it is fair to assume that Uber has actually increased the market for use of taxicab-like companies.
3. A Quick Solution to Problems
Recently, a friend introduced me to a company that was looking to get rid of 8 office chairs. We had just moved into a larger space and were in need. I went to the West Loop which is about 2 miles from our office to check them out. They looked good. I considered getting a U-Haul or finding a friend with a large vehicle…doing so seemed like a half-day project. In need of a quicker solution, I decided to Uber the largest SUV they had. Within 2 minutes it showed up, and he was happy to help us fit the chairs in. Within 20 minutes we had 8 more chairs in our office. This was a great solution.
4. Forward Thinking
And now to what is probably the most exciting thing Uber is currently testing. Most people are aware that food delivery is a huge opportunity for their business. While I was in LA I was introduced to a restaurant owner who described working with Uber on their food delivery program and I was shocked by what he said. He described Uber as the fastest moving company he had ever worked with. They met with him on Monday, signed an agreement on Tuesday, and launched a one-day delivery service that week.
Now the amazing part: Uber’s trial was to pre-purchase 300 dishes and to put them in cars and then to fulfill orders in real time. The user experience is as simple as opening the app, finding a meal a certain distance from you, (let’s say 5 minutes of travel time), and then deciding whether you want the meal. Uber now has the logistical footprint to offer the fastest food delivery on the planet…in minutes. Imagine a world where you go to an app and you have delivery options like a burger in 10 minutes, a salad in 5 minutes or a pizza in 1 minute. This should be a reality soon.
Do you have stories of your Uber experiences to share? Tell us in the comment section below, email us at info@perfectsearchmedia.com, or tweet us @Perfect_Search!
Ajay Pattani is a lifelong resident of Chicagoland and is fiercely passionate about his white wine. If he could be a spokesperson for any product, it would have to be white wine. Ajay says if he could be good at one thing, it would be reading minds. If you could read his now, he’d most likely be thinking about white wine.