History of UBER: a success story

I don't have to own something to be the owner of everything, seems to be the phrase of companies.
like Airbnb, Alibaba, Facebook, or Uber. All of these are companies that have the
characteristic of not owning the rooms, the products, the content or
of the mobile units. It is that the business model of the 21st century has changed.

A disruptive business model is one that is different because it changes the rules of
. After entering this new way of looking at the business, nothing goes back to being
The previous state is broken and a new one is created.

The taxi service has always been organized in formal companies, unions and
regulations for the entry or exit of new units. Uber's proposal was
different: to connect professional drivers with users who need
transport. It directly connects the need with the supply.

The beginning in Paris

It was December 2008, and it was winter in Paris, a place known for being very
cold at that time of year, almost enough not to want to be outside at all
a minute more than strictly necessary and besides it always rains.
The Canadian Garret Camp, a graduate in engineering, and the Californian Travis Kalanik,
they were in Paris to attend LeWeb, a conference about business of
future and innovation. By paradoxes of destiny, waiting for a taxi that wouldn't stop or
he never arrived, it was that at the doors of this event, these two friends came up with
the idea of one of the most revolutionary businesses in recent years. What would happen
if I could call a car with my mobile to be at the place
suitable at the right moment? With this simple idea began the true
storm in the heads of these characters.
The prototype in New York

It was in New York where the first vestiges of what today...

The first appearances in the press didn't take long, and there was even talk of
open up to new markets. Users were delighted by the speed of
service, a bit more expensive that's for sure, but useful and with much more comfortable cars.
Defined by many as the taxi transportation of the future, which eliminates all the bad.
and only leaves the good experience for the user. Little by little UberCab, as it
At the beginning, he started receiving support from major investors as well as the
hate of transportation associations.

Uber: the marketing strategy behind a controversial boom

Even if you are not in the transportation sector, you should take a close look at Uber: its
innovative business approach and the accompanying marketing strategy are being
turning into reference cases for almost any category. An economist from
global prestige as Jeremy Rifkin already speaks of the "uberization" of the economy,
where the marginal cost is zero–which caused a Copernican shift in industries such as the
music, cinema, and news – have finally moved from the digital realm to the "real". But
In addition to a disruptive service, the company managed to position itself with remarkable speed.
among young audiences, gaining acceptance among users at astonishing levels.
This translates into its turnover and its stock market quotation: at the beginning of this
Last year, Uber surpassed a valuation of $62.5 billion dollars. The magazine of
Forbes business revealed that only in the first half of 2015, the company invoiced
USD 3.630 billion, a figure that has been growing at an annual rate of almost 50%.
How did Uber manage to achieve it? An American consulting firm conducted an analysis of its
strategy and found seven key points that, from marketing, explain its explosive
growth. They are the following:
1-Early adopters as brand evangelists: word-of-mouth marketing
mouth has been essential. It was not coincidental, but rather part of a company plan:
In its early steps, the company worked to promote its service among the leaders.
in the opinion of Silicon Valley, the segment that may be the most influential for those who
they constitute their primary target, the millennials. Thus, they identified and approached the
most influential people of the technological capital of the world, who are
constantly on the hunt for novelties and sharing them with their followers
around the globe everything they are discovering. It was a hyper-local strategy that
allowed them to offer free trips, sponsor technology events, and distribute
information, knowing that each of those people has thousands (and sometimes, hundreds
of thousands) of followers on social media. Result: a successful small-scale strategy
the scale in the southern area of San Francisco became a success that today operates in
more than 400 cities in the world
2-Referrals: The first users were able to receive exclusive benefits such as
free trips, an approach where "giving away money to gain revenue" allowed them to
to give those who did not know the service a very concrete reason to try it. It was a
massive success. The drivers also had incentives, so both parties
those involved were winning simply by daring to try.
The power of ratings: A crucial differentiator for Uber
regarding the traditional taxi service, it is the rating system that is applied to
drivers and passengers. It is a disruptive change. The drivers strive to
to offer a quality service because it is crucial for your results. At the same time, the
The system helps ensure fair treatment for both parties and builds trust in Uber.
Eliminate the uncertainty that always exists when getting into a rental vehicle, a
an element that is very important in some cities.
4-The surprise factor: Every time Uber launches a new special offer, it entertains and
create engagement with millennials. Recently a celebration took place in the United States
National Cat Day, a date that the company took advantage of to offer its users the
visit of a kitten for 15 minutes. You just had to request the "kitten" option in your
app and shortly after a car brought a friendly feline for a visit. If the user is
excited as to want to keep it, the animal had all its papers in
Order as to do it: they were kittens from a shelter that was
offering for adoption. Another of its surprise moves has been the possibility of
sharing the journey with famous musicians hired for that purpose. It generates positive buzz,
It entertains and develops affection for the brand to unusual levels, among a very
receptive to these ideas.
5-Partnerships: It is an active trade policy that allowed it to expand through
the customer bases of other companies. For example, the users of the card
Capital One credit cardholders receive discounts on their travels, the preferred guests.
from the Starwood chain earn points with every trip, and Spotify users can
synchronize your profile with your Uber account, in order to listen to the music from your
preference during travels. In Mexico, where traffic jams make it
travels take a lot of time, he closed an alliance with the Gandhi bookstore, so that in
In each car, there are books available for the passenger to make their journey more enjoyable.

A loyalty program: Although not many users know it, the company has
more than two years using it. It is called 'Uber VIP' and includes those who are
truly loyal to the service: access is granted only after surpassing 100
travels. This type of passengers receive the highest consideration and have access
priority to the top-ranked drivers and vehicles in the network.
7-An omni-channel perspective: The crucial aspect of marketing strategy and the
The service that Uber provides is inherently multichannel. The company reinvented the
full experience of traveling in a rental car to make it more personalized and
enjoyable. It did not limit itself to improving one aspect of the service (as it could have been
implement mobile payments) but also allows you to choose drivers, access better
cars, it is not necessary to leave a tip and you can pay without cash. It is revolutionary in
comparison with the usual taxi. But the multichannel approach doesn't end there: an agreement
with Facebook Messenger you can request a car from that application. In some
cities installed breath alcohol testing booths at the entrance of bars to
that customers (or the business owners) can order cars when they know it is not
It is advisable to drive back home. There is even a mobile game owned.
from the brand. And the launches of additional services are expanding its
business: UberEATS is a fast food delivery service, UberRUSH is a
B-to-B shipping platform, UberHEALTH coordinates the delivery of medications for
Quick attention, and UberEVENTS, which is developing a transportation service
prepayment of guests for private events, such as weddings or birthdays.

With a business format truly centered on the consumer and taking advantage of
taking advantage of all the benefits of mobile technology, practically nothing remains
business category that is not on the verge of being 'uberized' by the owning company
from the brand or by some other player who has learned these lessons.

Current Affairs
Today, Uber is in 29 countries and in more than 300 cities.
Bibliography
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