If I am willing to wait for you, then you must be special. But if you make things easy for me, then I choose you to be my one and the only.
This is my story about a burgeoning love affair with commuting publicly. I don’t drive my own car. But if I need to travel from one place to another, I ride on different cars, on different colours, on different car plates and car types and drivers. Sounds fancy. I am not channeling the Rich Kids of Instagram but I am a regular commuter who wouldn’t mind spending extra if I get what I want – and if I exert less effort and if you make things quick and easy for me, take my money.
Commuting can always become one of the worst parts of my day. As much as I hate it, I can’t find ways to avoid it. Getting from point A to point B in Metro Manila is not that easy and comfortable as I have ever imagined. Hail to the world of ride sharing platforms. The long and winding lines at the bus station, sandwiching passengers inside the train, the slow or stuck cab to a so-near-yet-so-far destination due to traffic is glimpse of pandemonic passenger story in corporate trousers and stilettos. Uber has become my absolute life saver.
But why do I choose Uber if the rivals have a lot to offer? Grab, Tripid, Wunder, etc can be booked with cheaper fares, they give me rewards, promotions and riding options. Of course I thought about these. Extra $$ in my pocket is definitely a fair and reasonable excuse. But no amount of money can defy and take my Uber loyalty. I don’t mind spending extra if I can come home early. I get extra hours of sleep, extra time with my family and friends, less stress and tiredness. Who wouldn’t want these?
So what is remarkable with Uber that lures me from choosing and staying?
Uber has set the highest level of making my life quick and easy, in all aspects. They hardly let me wait beyond 5mins. I get connected to the nearest driver and drivers don’t get to choose a destination for their own benefit. No pool mismatch and they will find the quickest route and impress me with an earlier ETA. I don’t get mini heart attacks for being a buzzer beater. Above all, if I dispute a miscalculated fare or unreasonable charge, in one tap of the app, I can effortlessly ask for a refund and get a response and resolution in no less than 5-10mins. Now that’s uber quick!
The highest degree of a remarkable service is not just about completing my trip from-and-to my destination or Mr Uber delighting me with his hilarious stories, a warm welcome and a friendly approach, or him offering a piece of candy or asking my favourite radio station to tune in on a 5kilometer drive. Well I expect them to be as first-rate as they can because they also expect for my five star rating. 9 out 10 rides, I give 5 stars, primarily for driving me from home to work or work to home. I am a satisfied and delighted customer but that doesn’t mean I can already share to my friends or colleagues that I had a remarkable riding experience.
In most cases, Uber reduces my riding effort, make my commuting life quick and experience their moral value ‘easiest way around’. With less effort earns my maximum loyalty and with my loyalty, it travels it’s own way of making stories to let people know my positive experiences.
My great Uber experience has made me a true-blue loyal customer. Reducing my effort tells how likely I am going stay and my decision to make a recommendation. In real life, you will not have any proof that I am going to recommend but you will absolutely have a solid proof that I am LOYAL. I am going to continue riding with your Uber labeled cars, I will keep using your app and I will even care much about sending ideas and suggestions to make both our lives effortlessly remarkable. Continue making my life easy and I will stay and I will lock my loyalty.
The Untold Roaming Spirit 