The "UBER case" #3: Convenience at it's best
COLUMN In the increasingly digitalized world in which we live, convenience ("customer convenience") is becoming a key differentiator. It is important to note that customer convenience experiences are not compared within traditional sectors, but across sectors.FROM CHRISTOPH OGGENFUSS*I don't know my way around Munich very well - I stand by it. I sit in the restaurant Brenner on Maximilianstrasse and am exquisitely entertained. But even this good restaurant experience comes to an end once and so I think about how to get back to my hotel in the prevailing snow drift. On foot through the snow - no. Ordering a cab in the restaurant - a bit awkward, perhaps. Calling up the UBER app and deciding between UBER-black and UBER-pop and checking how long it will take until the car is parked in front of the restaurant - yes, definitely. My idea of catching a cab on the side of the road in the snow has inspired me to use the UBER offer while sitting in the warmth. Or in other words - convenience is king.
Nice ambience at the Brenner restaurant in Munich - from my comfortable seat I order my UBER vehicle.The convenience of the UBER app is really hard to beat:- Transparent offer - how many vehicles are available in my area- My location is already entered into the app via GPS - recognizable for the driver- I can insert the destination in the app- As soon as I have ordered I can see on the street map how the car will move to me and how many minutes it will take- And when I then see the vehicle arrive I already know from the app what type of car it is and what the driver's name is. After the trip I don't have to get money out and think about how much the tip is in the respective country - the amount is already booked on the credit card (stored in my profile) - I receive the meaningful digital receipt via e-mail.
Digital receipt in transparent form.And so, back at the hotel, I ask myself what the classic cab industry has to offer in the way of UBER's convenience power package. I leave the answer to them.
