by Moses Maurice Mugerwa, Operations Manager Bolt Uganda
Within a relatively short space of time, ride-hailing services have carved out a significant global market currently valued at $75 billion and, in the meantime, triggered other thriving services such as food delivery which was boosted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
E-hailing is connecting drivers to passengers to solve the lack of reliable transport problem within the shortest time possible. However, the big news is that these services encourage people around the world to rethink their transport needs. In the next five years, it is anticipated that more people in major cities will ditch cars for shared mobility services, while ride-hailing apps will continue to penetrate deeper into towns across the globe.
In the services industry, there is no such thing as offering enough customer convenience. Complacency does not sit well with any service provider who always has the customer at heart.
At Bolt, we want to make people’s lives easier by saving them time and money and reducing their stress, unfortunately, a major factor of urban living.
Founded in Estonia nearly eight years ago and formerly known as Taxify, Bolt now has more than 50 million customers spread over 40 countries across Europe and Africa.
Bolt Uganda recently re-launched their mobile app, giving more flexibility and convenience to its drivers in choosing whether to work part-time or full time based on the digital platform’s preferences.
Bolt has also upgraded the app for swifter usage and enhanced safety and security for both the riders and drivers. At the same time, we aim to offer our drivers the best earning opportunities on the market and always treat them with respect.
Bolt always pushes the envelope, going the extra mile to satisfy customers’ needs and gain service consistency. By revamping our mobile app, Bolt Uganda is doing just that. With constant feedback from customers after each order, we control the quality of our services in real-time.
Ten years ago, getting around took some calculation. Depending on where you are and where you want to go, this was often a cause for headache. With or without a personal vehicle, you had to plan the route and figure out the relevant expenditure. Others would have to decide on the mode of transport and hoof it to the nearest stage, but all shared concerns about the time factor.
Fortunately, evolving technology centred on the development of mobile phone applications has changed all that. Today and from practically any location, the e-hailing app on your phone allows customers to hail a vehicle or motorcycle taxi (boda boda) and have it arrive in just minutes.
Although ride-hailing is similar to calling up your special-hire driver, it’s not the same business model. For one thing, it is much more reliable because your special-hire driver may not always be immediately available when you want him.
By providing this service, Bolt is also challenging personal car ownership and nudging people towards more sustainable transportation options that help ease traffic congestion. Ride-hailing allows users to meet their travel needs at a lower cost. But Bolt tends to be more affordable than our competitors in most markets, enabling access to fast and reliable transportation and delivery services to more people.
Our affordability has created an ecosystem of ‘more’. More riders’ leads to more orders and more drivers and couriers added onto the platform, resulting in faster arrival times and better service for customers.
