What is Uber Central, the new service unveiled on 18 April?
Benjamin Chino - We want to integrate a range of tools into our professional solutions to meet the needs of companies, both for ordering vehicles and for reporting, control and management after the races. The launch ofUber Central is a logical next step. Until now, the option offered in the Uber application only partially met the needs of organisations. They needed to be able to order a vehicle for their employees or guests without going through the Uber application, so we designed a tool to meet this demand, anywhere in the world.
Wasn't it previously possible to make reservations for third parties?
B. C. - Yes, but it wasn't ideal. Uber accounts are personal, so an assistant had to register via her own account, or that of the passenger. There was friction. Today, from a operator accountIt is possible to order a vehicle for a guest, who enjoys the Uber experience outside the application. web link the same experience as in the The Uber experience: map, approaching vehicle, communication with the driver, but in a secure web window. That's what sets us apart: today, you don't need the application to enjoy the Uber experience. The product is incorporated into our Uber for Business suite, awaiting other new products on our roadmap.
What kind of services are you thinking about?
B. C. - Uber is made up of different products, such as Uber Eat for example. In the future, these services could also be offered to businesses.
So the coming months will be all about diversification?
B. C. - Our first objective is to consolidating the existing offer. We are in the process of developing our offering to meet the needs of the largest organisations. We started in 2014 with a product that was aimed more at SMEs. We then moved into the mid-market, and we're now building a product that's so agile that we'll be able to target large organisations. In fact, we're in the process of signing some agreements with multinationals to cover their needs all over the world. Once we have completed this phase of consolidating what we already have, we will be able to diversify into different areas.
Could this diversification take the form of a two-wheeler offering, for example?
B. C. - We are launching different types of services around the world. We have launched motorbikes in South-East Asia. We're not shying away from exploring certain avenues here and there, but for the moment there are no plans for this type of standardisation on a global scale. We need to differentiate between the physical operations, which are local, and the technology, which is designed in San Francisco and then deployed around the world.
Are Uber for Business drivers the same as for the general public?
B. C. - We didn't want to separate the corporate fleet from the traditional fleet, simply because we're trying to have the best possible service. quality of service for all users. Offering an exclusively business fleet would degrade the reliability of the network: it would then be necessary to wait longer for your vehicleThis would also be negative for the partner driver.
How many Uber for Business customers are there on the French market?
B. C. - 4000 companies have signed up for an Uber for Business account in France, and 65,000 worldwide. 100,000 employees now use the solution. It is one of Uber's fastest-growing products.
join forces with the most important players in business travel
How do you fit into the business travel ecosystem?
B. C. - We are placing increasing emphasis on this aspect. We are interfaced with ConcurWe also have a partnership with International SOS to give a voice to employees travelling all over the world. We're fully committed to working with the major players in the business travel industry.
When can we expect an agreement with a business travel agency?
B. C. - We're thinking about it. We already have a full roadmap. We're in a consolidation phase, but we're exploring different avenues for development.
Isn't it difficult to win over business customers when criticism is mounting?
B. C. - We are trying to build a relationship of trust with companies. We are making progress step by step. There's a snowball effect in this communication. It's up to us to show our corporate customers that the network is reliable, secure and stableWe're trying to show, in all honesty, that we've got it right, and that the experience we offer our employees lives up to their expectations, both for the end user and for the administration. We try to show, in all transparencyWe want to make sure that what we do works and adds value to organisations.
