Meet Uber’s Head of Customer Operations across the U.S. and Canada, Mariano Fiscella

Sit down with Mariano Fiscella, and explore the world of Uber’s Community Operations team. With over two decades of experience in consumer goods and retail, Mariano, Senior Director of the United States and Canada team, shares with us what drew him to Uber, his vision for his team, and the goal to reach zero product defects.

Tell us about what drew you to join Uber.

“After a decade in fast-moving consumer goods and another decade in retail, I was deeply attracted to Uber’s vision and purpose of reimagining the way the world moves for the better and the fast-paced environment that combines tech and operations. Leaders here need to be passionate and collaborate to solve complex problems for millions of users. And I’m inspired by the potential to have an incredible impact on millions of users in the US & Canada every day.

Transitioning to a tech-based company was also a chance to capitalize on my experience while growing my knowledge and learning how a marketplace-based organization works. I was impressed by the pace at how Uber operates and evolves. Uber is an amazing place to grow, learn and build while being able to be yourself in a very collaborative and agile working environment.”

Did you have any reservations before joining Uber? How has your experience here addressed them?

“Initially, I was aware of Uber’s early reputation and curious about its evolution. From day one, I saw that the company had significantly evolved. Uber’s customer-oriented focus and inclusive culture greatly impressed me, along with strong benefits and perks. Although I’m in my first year, the ability to work from anywhere and the sabbatical after five years stood out to me as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with myself and my family. 

I should also mention that I absolutely love our Uber values. I saw them in action from my first day in the company. My favorite is #SeeTheForestAndTheTrees, because building for the intersection of the physical and digital worlds at global scale requires seeing the big picture and the details. Knowing the important details can change the approach, and small improvements can compound into enormous impact over time.”

Why would you recommend joining the Community Operations team?

“I am super proud of the work that our team does in Community Operations. Our team is passionate, bold and innovative. For me, Community Operations represents the human aspect of Uber. It’s about helping customers solve their needs through our platform, combining processes, technology and human interaction. We act as the eyes, ears, voice, and face of the customer and the organization. Apart from support, we enable driver, merchant, consumer and courier onboarding and make it possible for the marketplace to engage with Uber. We are often the first point of contact for consumers, earners and businesses.”

What were your first impressions of the Community Operations team?

“Initially, I was struck by the number of acronyms, ha! Beyond that, I was impressed by the vast array of user scenarios that the team handles, and the team’s attention to detail in addressing them. The team’s ability to quickly design novel solutions for customers and their customer-first attitude, combined with a culture of servant leadership, is remarkable. Community Operations often works behind the scenes, making many processes happen for Uber’s success, yet they are often invisible to the user and other parts of the process.”

Do you have any particular success stories from the Community Operations team that highlights its importance?

“Absolutely. Working closely with users allows us to see immediate feedback on new products. For instance, during the pilot for Uber for Teens, one of our team members closely monitored customer interactions and saw pain points related to payment methods and specific trip moments, such as when teens changed destinations mid trip. This particular individual had the insights, along with feedback from drivers, that helped us make improvements to the product before it officially launched, including how we communicate trip changes with parents, or flag issues with payment methods. Community Operations continuously listens to our customer interactions, constantly advocating for solutions to enhance the platform on behalf of our customers.” 

Looking ahead, could you share your vision for the future of our Community Operations team?

“We’re focused on achieving zero product defects and ensuring awesome user experiences. We do that through learning from and prioritizing solutions for any pain points in the user and customer experiences. While we aim for zero defects, our goal is to resolve any issues quickly and efficiently, ideally with one-touch resolutions. Reducing defects benefits the platform and users. When we encounter complex problems though, where we don’t have immediate answers or technology to support us, we should strive to resolve issues efficiently and effectively, and in the process provide the best possible support experience.”

What are some of the biggest challenges the Community Operations team faces?

“Maintaining a strong connection to the drivers, couriers, merchants, riders, eaters. If we can become more deeply connected, it puts us in a position to better communicate powerful insights for product improvement. Additionally, the rapid evolution of technology, especially Gen AI, presents endless opportunities for our team to go above and beyond customer satisfaction, to make the experience truly magical. I am super bullish about the present and future of Community Operations!”

What is your current Uber app rating?

“My current Uber app rating is around 4.8! So I’d say pretty good!”

Reimagine how the world moves for the better in the Community Operations team →