The «UBER Case» #5: R U ready for a ride?
ABOUT MUSIC Uber drivers aren't just taxi drivers who've chosen to work for a different company. The live story from New York that Christoph Oggenfuss experienced makes it clear that at Uber, the culture also makes a difference. REPORT BY CHRISTOPH OGGENFUSS*I’m currently in Manhattan’s Chinatown and want to head back to Brooklyn for my next appointment. The Uber app tells me that Joe will pick me up in four minutes. So far, so good. Before long, as we’re on our way to my destination, we’re already deep in conversation—which isn’t unusual based on my previous Uber experiences. These aren’t trivial conversations, but mostly things drawn from real life that are somehow relevant. This time, though, the conversation takes a different turn. Joe tells me that, in addition to being a driver, he’s a musician and performs regularly in New York with a band. He plays a few songs for me and then asks if I’d like to hear his latest work. “Of course,” I say eagerly, and now Joe really gets going.Joe's DreamJoe tells me that he has the beta version of the first UBER song, «R U ready – a UBER there on time,» and that he dreams of this song playing in every UBER vehicle worldwide as customers get in.The song starts playing, and Joe starts bobbing along to the beat. He dreams of being named one of the UBER Customer Champions. Of course, I’ve already read quite a few books on corporate culture, but this real-life example makes a bigger impression on me. That passion for turning a hobby into something that benefits the company—something that can also have a broad impact, strengthen the corporate spirit, and motivate other drivers to be just as creative. I’m definitely «ready for a ride» now—are you?
Joe Mc Clam – Uber Driver and Uber SongwriterUBER has now reached a company valuation of around 50 billion U.S. dollars—if this company succeeds in developing an outstanding service culture as well, then this valuation will be all the more justified.*Christoph Oggenfuss, Front Office Architect, CE-Owner, markITing ag, Zurich (www.markiting.ch)
