# New Quality Prompt on Rider App



## Uber ATL (Jun 13, 2014)

Picked up an ex employee of Uber when they showed me a new prompt on their cell phone. It said, " Did driver show up at requested location without calling? Yes or No" 
The ex employee and I were both surprised to see this pop up. They even said it was new as they haven't seen it previously. They also stopped working for Uber a few months ago. Has anyone else seen these new messages?
What do you think about this new quality control questioning to the passengers?


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## Moofish (Jun 13, 2014)

Interesting to know, i normally try to get to the address before contacting the rider.

I would assume it would be for select riders, maybe for ride credit or something.


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Uber abhors drivers calling passengers. In Chicago almost half the pickup addresses are inaccurate, mainly because of the high rise buildings. So I started calling all paxs to confirm their address and give them an ETA. Every passenger appreciated this, or at least didn't mind it. Then I received an email informing me that I risked getting deactivated as I was calling my passengers!
I hope this new feature is NOT in the same vein.


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## Uber ATL (Jun 13, 2014)

I'm thinking it may be. I too prefer to call especially in crowded areas. Your right all locations are not accurate. It is a waste of time to drive to a location when it can be settled by a simple phone call. I don't like this new feature and have no idea where they are going with this. It makes me wonder.


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

chi1cabby said:


> Uber abhors drivers calling passengers. In Chicago almost half the pickup addresses are inaccurate, mainly because of the high rise buildings. So I started calling all paxs to confirm their address and give them an ETA. Every passenger appreciated this, or at least didn't mind it. Then I received an email informing me that I risked getting deactivated as I was calling my passengers!
> I hope this new feature is NOT in the same vein.


Uber has always said not to call unless necessary, they even say to try to figure out where they are without calling even when the location is wrong. It's in the FAQ on their website.


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## Walkersm (Apr 15, 2014)

I would guess if the see a high percentage of calls along with a high percentage of cancellations they will drop you. Because that combo means you are screening rides to eliminate the loser rides. If you have high percentage of calls and a very low percentage of cancellations you may be annoying the customer in the eyes of Uber but they wont mind as long as you follow through with the rides. Think the biggest complaint they are getting is drivers calling then canceling on short or undesirable rides.


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## UberxD (Aug 4, 2014)

I usually call the rider's before showing up. The GPS isn't accurate 100% of the time.


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## Nautilis (Apr 16, 2014)

Since all calls are routed through their service, Uber should already know if the driver called the rider based on their phone records. This new prompt seems contradictory to Uber wanting to offer a simple and easy to use app. If they decide to add a prompt asking if their driver called them, they could just as easily add a prompt asking the rider to select the reason for a less-than-5-star rating.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

Perhaps Uber is charged per forwarded call, and they are just trying to shave pennies?


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## Uber ATL (Jun 13, 2014)

Instead of adding a did the driver call you prompt....how about adding a would you like to tip prompt...

on topic: they may very well try to collect data on who calls and than cancels the ride. I just wont accept the ride if it is more than 5 min. No need to call at that point. I will say 75% of the time the address is inaccurate. I hqve over 1500 rides in X and Black combined. I think I have enough experience to say it is better to call or text. This will also alert me to drunk passengers, I am able to ask how many passengers for thise who like to stuff more than the allowable amount, and also the destination as more than 95% dont bother to type in the destination. Calling saves me time and gets me to the pax faster. Hence my 4.92 rating overall


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## Orlando_Driver (Jul 14, 2014)

Sometimes I get pings with the pin in the middle of the interstate highway. I don't think the rider is standing in the left lane !!!!


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## Django (May 5, 2014)

Very good point. Lyfts newest driver app, prompts the driver when they call with a "is a call really necessary" button as well. I dont think its based on phone charges, it's based on ease of use and also drivers canceling. Next step will be to not allow you to call until you have gotten to the requested pin location and waited 5 minutes. I give it 2 months max...



Nautilis said:


> Since all calls are routed through their service, Uber should already know if the driver called the rider based on their phone records. This new prompt seems contradictory to Uber wanting to offer a simple and easy to use app. If they decide to add a prompt asking if their driver called them, they could just as easily add a prompt asking the rider to select the reason for a less-than-5-star rating.


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## Orlando_Driver (Jul 14, 2014)

Yesterday I got a ping with no address, WTF you have to call the rider


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

Oc_DriverX said:


> Perhaps Uber is charged per forwarded call, and they are just trying to shave pennies?


I'm sure they are, they use Twilio for the call forwarding.
http://www.twilio.com/customers/stories/uber


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

Orlando_Driver said:


> Sometimes I get pings with the pin in the middle of the interstate highway. I don't think the rider is standing in the left lane !!!!


I get pings without addresses, in tunnels, highways, and even the Atlantic ocean...


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## GearJammer (Jul 9, 2014)

I call every time the address looks inaccurate (address range or no actual address) or is in a congested busy/downtown area.

It is virtually impossible to efficiently pick up customers without confirming, their actual location is off over 50% of the time.

I had a guy yesterday question why I was 2 blocks over, he asked why didn't I follow his location as he was walking!


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

I text but generally do not call up front. It's enough to clear up nearly all location problems that way.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

The question " Did driver show up at requested location without calling? Yes or No"

brings up more questions that can change how you interpret the answer:

1) was the "requested location" correct, i.e., is that where the client was?

2) did the driver call after arriving at the location because the customer was not visible for 5 minutes?

the customer could answer "No", yet the driver did everything by the book!

chi1cabby Quote: "Then I received an email informing me that I risked getting deactivated as I was calling my passengers!"

What about the email others have received that "top drivers" call the customer? WTF !


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

This is rather silly to be involved in this minute details of an independent contractor drivers activities. If the client has a problem with it, let them rate the driver because of it. Why turn this into a line in the sand? And why not take the plank out of their own eye and put measures in place to better confirm pickup locations?

Now, if a driver does it for the purpose of finding out the destination to cancel shorties that might be different. But then, just ask passengers who were driver canceled if the driver asked for their destination. But that doesn't seem to be what's going on here.


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

Orlando_Driver said:


> Sometimes I get pings with the pin in the middle of the interstate highway. I don't think the rider is standing in the left lane !!!!


If you take the policy literally, I guess we're supposed to stop in the middle of the interstate and wait for 5 minutes before calling. Maybe it would be ok to pull off and wait for them on the shoulder of the interstate at least. But, they could be planning to jump out of a car in the left lane and expect you to be there.

I'm really sorry, but Uber's pickup location process needs an overhaul. If it was correct about 95% of the time it wouldn't be an issue.

For example, from a software update they could prompt to confirm and notify drivers:
If Passenger moved pin;
If Passengers gps accuracy radius is too wide;
With Reverse lookup address and confirm the name of the place passenger is at;
Using a small text box, is there anything to help the driver find you;
If Passenger moved more than a small distance since the request;
At known events or places where pickup near them is impossible, refuse the request until they move to where drivers can pick them up;
Through integrated traffic information which factors traffic delays into the ETAs and distances from drivers.

If they want to fix most of this which is under their control, then there should be less need to call. At that point it would make better sense to start busting the drivers chops about it.


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## Driver8 (Jul 29, 2014)

I live in a state where driving + texting is illegal. So yes, I call, and about 40% of the time it's a good thing I did.


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## UBERXTRA (Jun 29, 2014)

This!



Uber ATL said:


> *Instead of adding a did the driver call you prompt....how about adding a would you like to tip prompt...*
> 
> on topic: they may very well try to collect data on who calls and than cancels the ride. I just wont accept the ride if it is more than 5 min. No need to call at that point. I will say 75% of the time the address is inaccurate. I hqve over 1500 rides in X and Black combined. I think I have enough experience to say it is better to call or text. This will also alert me to drunk passengers, I am able to ask how many passengers for thise who like to stuff more than the allowable amount, and also the destination as more than 95% dont bother to type in the destination. Calling saves me time and gets me to the pax faster. Hence my 4.92 rating overall


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

Driver8 said:


> I live in a state where driving + texting is illegal. So yes, I call, and about 40% of the time it's a good thing I did.


I don't mean texting while you drive. I mean when you are pulled over waiting or later when it is appropriate. Also iPhones and some others can process texts hands free.


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

Driver8 said:


> I live in a state where driving + texting is illegal. So yes, I call, and about 40% of the time it's a good thing I did.


You can't text via voice commands?


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## Jeff212 (Aug 1, 2014)

GearJammer said:


> I call every time the address looks inaccurate (address range or no actual address) or is in a congested busy/downtown area.
> 
> It is virtually impossible to efficiently pick up customers without confirming, their actual location is off over 50% of the time.
> 
> I had a guy yesterday question why I was 2 blocks over, he asked why didn't I follow his location as he was walking!


I love the walkers, stay put, if they walk off it should cost more since now they want us to search for then, drive to multiple locations.... It's a jokejoke


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## Nautilis (Apr 16, 2014)

Re-reading the original post, the prompt could have come up since the rider was a former Uber employee (maybe he still uses an employee-specific version of the app?). Maybe this prompt is not going out system wide?

On a related note, imagine a drunk passenger trying to figure out the answer to that question. Why couldn't they have worded it, "Did the driver call you? YES or NO" instead of "Did driver show up at requested location without calling? Yes or No"


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Just Some Guy said:


> I'm sure they are, they use Twilio for the call forwarding.
> http://www.twilio.com/customers/stories/uber


Uber is absolutely using Twilio. I knew this but couldn't remember the name Twilio. Thanx for the post!


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

grams777 said:


> I text but generally do not call up front. It's enough to clear up nearly all location problems that way.


Hey Grams! My cab has Bluetooth, so it's effortless to call Uber's Twilio number in Chicago, rather than pull over and have text convo with a pax. And I NEVER cancel after calling, and I never ask about the destination.
On a related note: Ryan Graves was head of Uber PR until recently. This is how he feels about Uber now!


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

This week alone:
One rider pinged from Fox River Grove Metra station. I show up and nobody's there, wait a few minuted and then noticed he texted while I was driving that he was on the other side of the tracks, across the street, in the library. I think that should have been a phone call, because I can't see the text when I'm under way and the App and probably GM are on the screen.
Another rider pinged me to his GF's address, and I kid you not, the house number is out of sequence. I'm going down the street, and I see 3924... 4002... 4004... 4006... 4000... 
Another driver put his home address in as the pickup but was at a bar like 12 miles away wanting to go home. 
These are instances where a call is probably going to take place. Otherwise I am a texter.


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

All that said was that he liked Lyft, unless I'm missing something?


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

Voice prompt will sometimes send me into an inconsolable rage...

" Hi, it's mike from Uber. I'm out front" comes out as "May I mamoo dogface to the bananapatch with your mom?" Also the rider's likely to think I can't spell basic one-syllable words... 

There's an app I've used before called "MyMotoSpeak". Made by Motorola. It reads texts and prompts for replies via voice. When it works, it's brilliant. When not, you sound like a prematurely grey haired comedian from the '70's...


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## FlDriver (Oct 16, 2015)

Walkersm said:


> I would guess if the see a high percentage of calls along with a high percentage of cancellations they will drop you. Because that combo means you are screening rides to eliminate the loser rides.


Not necessarily. I have never asked the rider on the phone where they wanted to go- I've only called to figure out where they are. Uber should be encouraging this, not discouraging it. If the rider isn't at the specified address, how are we supposed to find them without communication?

If Uber really doesn't want us to call, this will lead me to do MORE cancels. Instead of calling in a good faith attempt to find the person to pick them up (which I thought was the whole point of Uber), if I don't see the person at the pickup spot, I'll just not call, wait 5 minutes and cancel.

I've had a few times where I talked to the rider on the phone and they still couldn't tell me where they were. How am I supposed to find them if they don't know that?

They can deactivate me if they want, but another driver is not going to do any better if the rider isn't where the app says they are.

Try picking someone up at an airport without calling them.


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## FlDriver (Oct 16, 2015)

Orlando_Driver said:


> Sometimes I get pings with the pin in the middle of the interstate highway. I don't think the rider is standing in the left lane !!!!


I had one that was a mile or so offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. I guess they meant to request a ride from Uboat.


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

I love the water. I'd sign up for Uboat...


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## grayspinner (Sep 8, 2015)

I text my pax for address confirmation all the time. 

I prefer that to calling since this area is very diverse and sometimes it is hard for me to understand pax on the phone. I don't hear well on the phone and avoid it a lot. 

I have saved texts that make the process quick and easy before I start driving to the pin.


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## grayspinner (Sep 8, 2015)

And even though I'm always stopped when I send my text, lyft has an auto response saying 'please don't text and drive'. This delays the pax response which means I'm driving by the time their response comes to me.


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## rgm (Jul 14, 2015)

What does Uber want... Good customer service and trying to find the customer or no shows?


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## comradev (Apr 13, 2015)

Why bother calling them? Wait at the location they requested for the five minutes, if they call you good for them if not, oh well.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

FlDriver said:


> Try picking someone up at an airport without calling them.


no prob ... send 'em a text "What is your pickup location at the airport? I'm in the cell lot and I'll be there in 3 minutes ... after you text me your location"


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

rgm said:


> What does Uber want... Good customer service and trying to find the customer or no shows


Uber doesn't pay for "No shows" in some cities ... like San Antonio. And Uber or pax screws up 10% of the address for pings; so it's always call or text to confirm address for me.


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## Nova828 (Oct 15, 2014)

I think it's way better to very rarely, if ever, make contact with a passenger before picking them up either by calling or texting. When I first started driving I would do this and the passengers directions would only make me really confused plus it distracted me from driving. Now I just drive to the pin, wait 5 and cancel no-show. If it's a pickup downtown chances are the no show fee will make me more money than the fare would. I get $4 for a no-show but only $3.20 for a completed minimum fare plus the time and gas.


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