Remember the old saying you always used to hear from parents – “don’t get in the car with strangers,” well, it’s safe to say that saying doesn’t hold much ground or authority anymore. Now not only do we get into cars with strangers, but we use our apps on our phones to request them to come and pick us up!
Carsharing has taken the fear out of entering a vehicle with an unknown stranger, and instead created a convenient and straightforward way for us to get from A to B and complete various journeys.
Companies such as Lyft and Uber have become so successful in the carsharing world that, just like Google, Uber has been turned into a verb of let’s “Uber it” to the party. It can even be challenging to remember life before the comfort of utilizing such companies and services.
Just like any other business, the industry of carsharing has it’s excellent benefits and advantages as well it’s extreme struggles and disadvantages. There’s no denying that with new advances in technology and with people seeking convenience and comfort over taking forms of public transportation, the world of carsharing is very likely to evolve and grow. If you’re thinking of starting your own carsharing business like ridecell.com, here are a few simple steps and easy ways to do so.
Find a niche
One of the biggest mistakes large scale companies such as Uber makes is that their focus is so much on growth and increasing company revenue, that they skip a few vital and critical steps to reach that goal. One of those significant steps is undertaking thorough background checks. Large-scale carsharing companies’ primary pursuit is to add more drivers to their books as quickly as possible; this means they can often overlook who they’re hiring. Very often it’s if they have a car and can drive then they’re good to go. This has resulted in and instigated the creation of other smaller companies, such as Uber, for kids.
This company specializes in driving unaccompanied minors and young children to and from school as well as other destinations. Uber for kids focuses on eliminating the whole “stranger danger” fear that has been embedded into parents over the years, by undertaking extensive background checks on their drivers. Some companies even insist on conducting personal interviews with potential drivers before offering them a job. This is just a simple example of how a niche segment of the market can be explored to turn it into a unique and profitable carsharing business.
Create an app
For any carsharing business to leap into success and grow, it needs a well functioning and easily navigated app. It’s crucial to keep it as simple to use and understand as possible while retaining full functionality. If it proves too difficult to use or ends up with glitches that result in it being utilized at a much slower pace, you are at risk of users downloading an alternative carsharing app and taking their business elsewhere. The first thing a user will see is your business app, even before they enter a car with one of your drivers, so it has to be flawless.
Test the market
Before launching your idea or concept, it’s a good idea to test it in an urban environment that contains a high density of population. For example, younger professionals tend to take drive less and need reliable transportation to take them on more robust, more frequent journeys. If your business can provide such a service, it is likely to become successful in no time.
Pay attention to your drivers
The most important part of a carsharing business is the drivers; they are crucial to making it successful and growing at a good pace. As mentioned before, overlooking a simple thing such as a background check can hurt your company and cause unnecessary downfalls and setbacks. An excellent way to introduce new drivers is by providing them with a training program to complete upon their arrival. This will ensure they are up to speed with the requirements of their job while giving you peace of mind. It’s crucial to keep all of your drives happy and on the roads for the success of the business. Offering incentives and rewards for drivers that complete the most rides or have the highest ratings, is a great motivator and system to put in place.
You can either offer them a raise in pay or reward them with things you know they may need. Things such as free repairs and maintenance on their cars, as well as additional equipment they can use and install to enhance their driving experience, are fantastic incentives. Keeping drivers in good spirits and raising morale by making them feel appreciated and valued will result in more productivity and happier customers. This will result in more revenue and a higher presence in the market.
You can also offer loyalty programs to customers, such as discounts for frequent rides or journeys. This will create customer loyalty and hopefully guarantee repetitive business. All of these combined factors should result in a profitable and successful carsharing business.
