After the overwhelmingly positive response to Senior RSG contributor Sergio Avedian’s Lyft Pinky Swear campaign, Sergio decided to tackle one of the latest initiatives from Uber: Your Feedback, Our Action. Will these new initiatives actually tackle driver concerns – or do they belong in the garbage?
This may be my easiest article to write to date. Why? Because Uber has announced major changes after listening to the drivers’ complaints. After my article on Lyft’s Pinky Swear campaign, Uber came up with their own, “YOUR FEEDBACK, OUR ACTION”!
I was intrigued, to say the least, because when we contact Uber support via the Driver app, we usually get canned, cut and paste responses that are useless.
I have enough experience with those “support” agents with made-up names. I don’t even think they exist; Uber probably uses some AI e-mail software to drive us crazy.
Raising issues with a Crew member? You mean the ones who are working to get a free cup of coffee for us? The ones who volunteer 50 hours a year? Absolutely honorable. How come I am never chosen to be in such an elite group like Uber Crew or Lyft’s Driver Advisory Council (DAC)?
New Uber Driver Promises: Your Feedback, Our Action
Clearing Up Uncertainty for Driver Accounts
Many drivers have had countless issues with their background checks, myself included. Do we know why? Typically not. All we know is that we can’t get out there, drive and earn money.
Most of the time the “error” is a glitch on Uber’s end anyway. If I put the screenshots of my dialogue with Uber Support, RSG censors may ban me from the internet since Uber changed its story about why I was not able to log on at least three times.
More Communication for Expired Documents
Apparently, the second biggest gripe from drivers is “communication for expired documents.” I guess that’s true – communication is abysmal.
I am in Los Angeles, and there is just one Greenlight Hub for an estimated 200,000 drivers in the county. It is in Mid City and you can see an agent by appointment only. Good luck getting one within two weeks!
Why doesn’t Uber open Greenlight hubs all over the county and get help to drivers who pay for its executives’ exorbitant salaries? Wait, there used to be at least 4 locations, but they have all been shut down over the past three years.
Batched Delivery Orders
I am not a delivery driver; I know I can make more money doing rideshare. I will take this as a positive. Delivery drivers, please chime in!
Making it Easier to Complete Your Trip
This was really the next biggest concern of drivers? Listen, if it’s too much work to slide the button to the right, marked in red, to end the ride, I don’t know what to say.
Here’s a video on how to become a new Uber driver: How To Use Uber Driver App
Uber, are you running out of good drivers? Here’s a suggestion: pay your existing drivers better to lower your turnover!
Avoiding Accidental Declines
Moving another button from the right to the left? This is a driver complaint? I usually let the requests ping through, it’s more painful for the system.
The pings last about six seconds these days, down from over 10, for the driver to study the request and make a judgment if the ride is a profitable one.
Hey Uber, the reason drivers push that button is not by accident, it is because the pickup is five miles away for a $3.27 minimum fare trip!
Seriously?
What? There’s a trend here. Lazy drivers are complaining about two clicks vs. one.
Am I being punked here? Are these really actual driver complaints? I think I am being taken for a ride by Uber. Is it April Fools Day in February?
This Cannot Be a Real Driver Concern
What? My inbox is full of garbage Uber keeps sending me.
I am not in charge of my inbox, how about giving the driver a filter for them to prioritize what goes in their inbox? Just like I do with my email software, after all, we’re all independent contractors, right?
I am not your employee, don’t push garbage notifications and clutter my inbox.
I still think I am being punked here!
Okay, Maybe: A Cleaner Interface
What? This must be regarding UberWorks. I am not familiar with this part of the app. Maybe I should turn it on and see what’s out there? What if I find some good-paying W-2 job and quit being a part-time driver?
Takeaways for Drivers
I still can’t believe what I am seeing here. Please, pinch me and bring me back. Am I totally being punked here? Are these really the most important things drivers asked for?
If so, I want to meet each one of them individually and congratulate them on drinking the maximum allowed gallons of Uber KoolAid.
Just in case you’re not clear about my stance: the majority of these new initiatives belong in the garbage.
All RSG surveys run up to date mention the top complaint of drivers is low pay.
I am really wondering, why would Uber come up with such changes to the app? More control? I think their algorithms are doing fine when it comes to controlling what drivers can earn.
All I need now is an Uber martyr to comment on this article about how wonderful the new locations of the buttons are, how rideshare driving is a social service and all passengers should be picked up regardless of how far they are.
Or you could just join the SHOW ME THE MONEY club!
-Sergio @ RSG
