Earn on your own schedule

Highlights from the September 2023 NZ Advisory Forum

21 November 2023 / New Zealand

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In September this year, we held our latest advisory forum in Auckland with driver-partners from across New Zealand to discuss earnings and deals and rewards on Uber Pro. Members of Uber’s operations team were present to listen to advisors’ feedback. 
Open Hours and the Have Your Say Survey
We want to thank the driver-partners who provided feedback on the nominated topics by booking a call with an advisor1 through Open Hours or answering the Have Your Say survey.
Quick stats
Advisors completed 48 hours of Open Hours calls
144 driver-partners booked through Open Hours
266 driver-partners provided feedback through the Have Your Say survey
What we heard:
The top 3 earnings related topics they wanted advisors to discuss: cost of driving (e.g., fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance), fares and earnings, and types of trips (long trips, short trips, Reserve).
The top 3 Uber Pro’ related topics they wanted advisors to discuss are: app features (duration and destination, area preferences, priority airport rematch, and more), eligibility (point system, ratings, and more), and partnerships and offers (bp, Supercheap, 2degrees, and more).
1 The advisory forum is facilitated by an independent agency, RPS Group. 
Topic 1: Earnings
Advisors brought what they heard through Open Hours into the discussion. In addition, we provided them driver-partner feedback through copies of the Have Your Say survey.
What’s working?
Quests, Boost+, and promotions through Uber Pro
The 50% service fee incentive for Electric Vehicles
Frequent trips, airport trips
Earnings with Uber Reserve
Opportunity areas:
Driver-partners are concerned that the number of trips is going down, and the cost of living and fuel keep rising. Damage to driver-partners’ vehicles is also costly, as insurance that covers wilful damage from a passenger is rare. Advisors’ suggestions included reviewing the base rates, increasing the cleaning fee, and educating riders how to be respectful to driver-partners and their vehicles. 
Driver-partners believe ratings and feedback given by riders to driver-partners have too much impact on driver-partners.  Advisors suggest Uber further review rider reports and allow riders to pick a favourite driver-partner when selecting a ride option.
Driver-partners want to be better compensated for long pick ups and additional stops (especially requests to stop at drive-thrus). Advisors suggested that the rider fare include time to pick up, as well as the option to charge riders for any wait time higher than one minute during pick up and additional stops.
Topic 2: Deals and rewards on Uber Pro
What’s working?
Area preferences, and seeing trip duration and destination
Status protection and the $500 Diamond cash reward is popular
2degrees partnership, car wash and oil change discounts
Opportunity areas:
Diamond driver-partners aren’t sufficiently rewarded. Advisors felt that the high number of trips they do on the platform merit priority on trips during peak times.
Many driver-partners still don’t know about the available deals and rewards on Uber Pro. Advisors suggested that Uber invest more into education so more individuals make the most out of the program.
Uber Pro points through Uber Reserve should be increased to compensate for the additional effort and time required to complete them.
The variety and consistency of rewards available on Uber Pro can be improved. There was a lot of interest in more cash rewards and increasing the fuel discounts available through bp. In addition, advisors suggested partnering with vehicle insurance providers and auto service centres.
Positive changes
We want to thank the advisors who engaged with us and the driver-partners who provided their feedback during Open Hours and through the Have Your Say Survey. We are developing further recommendations based on the discussion points to help improve the driver-partner experience. Updates on changes will be communicated through ‘The Pit Stop’, Uber’s quarterly newsletter that focuses on the actions we’ve taken in response to feedback from you. Keep an eye out for our next issue in December 2023. 
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