by Tony Rushin
I promise: this is my last Uber article… at least for a while. In July I wrote an update on Uber that focused mainly on their brief history (and fast growth), their battle with taxis, plus a creative idea for carpooling and using Uber if you need to go somewhere during your business day (https://network1consulting.com/tuesday-tip-uber-update/).
The reason I’m writing about Uber again is to share some great tips I learned; most of them from Lauren Miller, an attorney at Davis, Matthews & Quigley. Lauren was one of my guests at the recent benefit in support of the Guardian ad Litem Program of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, hosted by Warner, Bates, McGough, McGinnis & Portnoy.
Lauren’s car was recently in the shop for some minor repairs, so she got around via Uber for a couple of days. She told me about the option to get a notification if Surge pricing ends at your location. It’s simple: on the screen that alerts you about Surge pricing, simply click “Notify Me If Surge Ends”. Lauren had just used this feature when she Uber-ed over to the Guardian ad Litem benefit. From her office she requested Uber, saw that it was Surge pricing, and clicked to be notified when Surge ended. She got a notice in about 10 minutes that Surge was off so she finished her request, wrapped up in her office, and walked out to meet the Uber driver.
Lauren also sent me this article: Wow! 7 Uber Tricks to Get the Most Out of the Service. I like the tips to avoid bad drivers without a cancellation fee and to report an unsatisfactory ride (and get credited if you have a valid grievance). Of course, there’s also the free Uber credits you can accumulate by referring others to Uber. Who doesn’t like a free ride!
And then there’s the tip from my son, Jerod, who’s a part-time Uber driver while he’s breaking into the film industry as a production assistant. While it isn’t technically an Uber tip, I think you’ll like it. He was visiting a friend in Chicago recently and had to head to the airport at 4:30am to catch an early flight back to Atlanta. He requested Uber, saw that it was surge pricing, didn’t want to wait so he checked Lyft (an Uber competitor), saw that they had regular pricing and requested a ride. Ah… isn’t competition great….
Do you have an Uber (or Lyft) story or tip? If so, please share it.
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