RSG023: Using Teamwork to Increase Your Rideshare Earnings

A lot of people subscribe to the old adage that says the harder you work, the more successful you’ll be.  I am not one of those people though.  It most definitely takes a lot of work to succeed in any aspect of life or be the best at what you do, but more doesn’t always mean better.

As you guys know, I’m a big believer in working smarter, not harder.  And on today’s podcast, I actually interview a driver, well a group of drivers really, who are thinking outside the box and without much additional effort or time spent, are helping each other to increase their earnings.

Strategies like this will never be employed by every single driver but they are available to anyone and everyone at any time.  So if you’re ready to learn about a new way to increase your earnings, this is the podcast for you.

RSG023: Using Teamwork to Increase Your Rideshare Earnings
RSG023: Using Teamwork to Increase Your Rideshare Earnings


If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.

Intro

  • Celebrated my 1 year anniversary last week!
  • Today’s podcast will be talk with Andy from Cincinnati
  • There are a lot of pros to getting to know your fellow drivers, not only for community, but also to increase profits
  • Thanks to everyone leaving iTunes reviews!
  • Your reviews inspire me to continue and improve constantly. Constructive criticism is appreciated too!
  • Thank you to everyone who has booked an appointment with YourMechanic
  • Check out our video course, Maximum Ridesharing Profits
  • Two levels for the course: intro level and gold level course
  • Gold level comes with both intro and gold, so it’s a great option if you want to learn more about maximizing your ridesharing opportunities

Interview with Andy from Cincinnati

  • Uber and Lyft driver in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also works part-time and attends school
  • Connected to another driver through Zello
  • Met other users through webinars

What is Zello?

  • Zello is a walkie-talkie app for Android and iPhone that drivers can use to stay in communication
  • Better than Facebook because this is real-time interaction
  • Zello connects to other trusted users because people are approved by moderators, is similar to Voxer
  • Helps connect like-minded drivers to one another while driving

How the Cincinnati Group Uses Zello

  • Cincinnati group initially used Zello during surge times and to alert each other about traffic and accidents in the road
  • Group does not use Zello while passengers are in the car, unless it’s an emergency, but it’s possible to turn Zello down while you’re driving passengers
  • The biggest benefit to setting up Zello is communication and information. With Zello, you have eyes and ears all over the city to give you the best, most up-to-date information
  • Zello is particularly helpful when there are big events and concerts, because people on Zello can direct you to pick-up points, areas to avoid, etc.
  • Zello has created camaraderie among drivers and has made driving more sociable and enjoyable
  • Current setup has 20 people, which is all the channel can handle at one time. There are split channels for core users and moderators
  • Can branch the channels out so you can have new riders in one group, interspersed with veteran drivers

Why Set Up Zello

  • As business owners, we’re constantly looking to improve
  • Have to constantly innovate in order to make more money and grow
  • Zello creates a community of drivers who know exactly what you’re going through. It’s like having coworkers you can talk to about your job
  • Fellow drivers know the same challenges you face
  • Drivers give each other heads up on difficult passengers and unruly areas
  • Those types of notices are great for small- and mid-size cities where you may run into the same passengers

The Rideshare Community

  • Zello is a great opportunity to talk to other like-minded people, can end up making friends with the people you talk to on Zello
  • Find other people with your common interests who may have a similar work schedule to you, like fellow night or weekend drivers
  • Another app similar to Zello is Voxer, which is popular among San Francisco Lyft drivers
  • Some small differences between the two, either one will work very well
  • Both are free, only require a time investment to figure out how to set it up and use it effectively

How to Set Up Zello or Voxer

  • Find a Facebook group first in your city to connect with other drivers
  • You’ll want to find people who you trust and are vetted, which is why it makes sense to start a conversation in your city on Facebook
  • Just give it a try. It can’t hurt to try to build a community in your city; it’s a very low-risk investment
  • You can find Facebook groups by city or region, and you can add your own group to this list as well

Challenges

  • Sometimes there are people who get too much information but don’t give very much information. It should be an equal share between receiving and providing information
  • Can be hard to moderate the channel when people get too chatty
  • Taxi drivers occasionally take over the channel and talk too much
  • When someone joins your channel, you want to talk to them through the moderator side first. Ask them how long they’ve been driving, general questions before adding them to the general channel pool

Advice for Zello or Voxer Users

  • Make sure you choose and create the right group. You want to work with people you trust and who are helpful
  • Having the right group makes moderating easier and ultimately makes your job easier and more profitable
  • Can’t hurt to try it out
  • The gold course through Maximum Ridesharing Profits was incredibly helpful, met a fellow Cincinnati driver through it
  • Leave a comment on this article if you want to ask Andy any questions or get in touch with him

Outro

  • Gold course through Maximum Ridesharing Profits is really useful to get started, as Andy mentioned in our podcast
  • If you have questions for Andy, leave a comment here
  • Communication is a big part of being a driver, but it can be hard to find fellow “coworkers” in the ridesharing industry
  • Zello and Voxer are like the watercooler of the rideshare community
  • This isn’t a time waster: this will help you find like-minded drivers who want to work hard and increase earnings
  • “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” – choose people who have similar goals and interests to you
  • Check out the full transcript here
  • Questions, comments, or feedback? Send me an email!
  • Sign up for our email list

Show Notes

If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.

Any questions for Andrew or me about the interview?  Leave a comment below!

-Harry @ RSG