Booking an Uber ride in India is soon going to be as easy as sending a WhatsApp message. The service that has been rolled out on a pilot basis in Lucknow will be expanded to other Indian cities soon.
Built on WhatsApp Business Platform, the integration allows people to book an Uber ride via Uber’s official WhatsApp chatbot.
Riders will not have to download or use the Uber app. The WhatsApp chat interface will handle all the issues like user registration, booking a ride, and getting a trip receipt.
"We want to make it as easy as possible for all Indians to take an Uber trip, and to do that we need to meet them on platforms they are comfortable with. Our partnership with WhatsApp does just that, giving riders a new way to get a ride through a simple, familiar and trusted channel. We are thrilled at this global-first integration for Uber, and look forward to rolling it out across India,” said Nandini Maheshwari, Sr. Director, Business Development, Uber APAC.
Welcoming this partnership, Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India said, “The WhatsApp Business Platform has been an important lever for businesses that want to build a direct connect with their consumers. The Uber experience on WhatsApp is simple, familiar, and relatable for users and has the potential to accelerate adoption of Uber with a new category of riders in India. We are excited about the potential of this partnership and look forward to creating more such customised solutions for products and services across sectors in India.”
The service is being offered to both new and existing users who have their phone number registered on Uber. As of now Uber has offered the service only in English language but hopes to expand it to other Indian languages soon
WhatsApp users can book an Uber ride through three simple ways: messaging to Uber’s business account number; scanning a QR code; or clicking a link directly to open an Uber WhatsApp chat. They will then be asked to provide pickup and drop off locations. Users will receive upfront fare information and the driver’s expected time of arrival.
Riders get the same safety features and insurance protections as those who book trips via the Uber app directly. They will be informed of the name of the driver and license plate of the driver on booking; be able to track the location of the driver en route to the pickup point and be able to speak to the driver anonymously using a masked number.
The rider can also get the safety guidelines, including how to reach Uber in case of emergency. When the user selects the "emergency" option during the trip, Uber’s customer support team will reach out to them. Safety line number is also available until 30 mins after the trip ends.
Cab drivers, however, will not have any difference and they continue to experience the same on their screens.
