Uber has added new options to its ride-sharing service geared to cater to market demands in the countries where it is available. These include the option to change your pick-up location after booking a ride in India and a food delivery service in Scotland dubbed UberEats.
The controversial transport company is planning to expand its services not just in the ride-sharing niche but the food service industry as well. India and Scotland have been chosen as the proving ground for these new features which will give the company an edge over the competition and open up new frontiers.
According to Indian Express, Uber in India will let passengers change their pick up location after booking a ride. This feature was already put to the test in some cities and has gathered favorable results in return.
The feature was added to reduce cancellations that stem from errors in pinning areas for pickups. The new feature will add an "edit" that will appear in the current pick-up location allowing the user to enter a new pickup address.
The company already lets riders update or change their destination in the current version of the app. This new feature serves to build up on this and reduce the stress that comes from small mistakes for both riders and drivers.
The BBC reported that in addition to their new feature, the ride-sharing service is also planning to bust into the food delivery service with UberEats. Similar to its flagship service, the app allows the customer to order food items and track its delivery.
Scotland has been chosen for the app's launch starting in Edinburgh and now Glasgow with 70 Glasgow restaurants participating. "We hope Glaswegians take to the service as well as those in Edinburgh," said UberEats general manager Mathieu Proust.
This diversification coupled with the improvement to its existing service cements Uber's presence in the market. Despite widespread opposition from legacy industries, the company is well on its way to carving its own niche in the global economy.
