# What about clients that don't have a smart phone?



## CowboyMC

We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


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## Nick3946

Good idea if there's a surcharge... how long is it going to take them to get to your car with their walker!


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## Tx rides

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


You'll definitely lose the special dispensation afforded the "TNC" operators. This would probably suit many Livery operators like me fine, as it would finally force real deregulation across the board-BUT don't be so sure that most city voters will give up regulation, they like certain levels of mandates


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## observer

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


Uber would have to hire people to answer phones. People and offices cost money.


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## UBERxGc

Leave some for cabbies. Don't be too greedy.


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## Scenicruiser

Nick3946 said:


> Good idea if there's a surcharge... how long is it going to take them to get to your car with their walker!


These guys are always on the curb, ready to go. They will never stand there and chat or smoke while you wait. Even if they don't know how to input the address, they always give it without bring prompted.


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## Walkersm

This maybe an oppertunity for a local business to develop. Set up a phone line and about 40 Uber Accounts and take calls for on demand rides or even schedule rides for people without smart phones. Collect their Credit card info. get them a car on your dime. , add your fee on top of it and charge their card. AS long as you can have multiple Uber accounts going in multiple windows at a time should be easy enough.


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## CityGirl

This is a small and dwindling population, not a major segment going unserved. My 82 y.o. mother-in-law calls up Lyft on her iPad and whatever "iPhone" Verizon sold her (it's a Kyocera). If she can do it, anyone who wants to can do it. It's been an awesome solution since she sold her car, but everyone has someone in their lives who can set this up for them. Caregivers, children, someone. My 76 year old neighbor uses Uber, too. They can do it.


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## Fuzzyelvis

Scenicruiser said:


> These guys are always on the curb, ready to go. They will never stand there and chat or smoke while you wait. Even if they don't know how to input the address, they always give it without bring prompted.


Agreed. And they often tip. No "I don't have cash" BS because they always carry some just in case.


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## eugene w

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


Maybe Uber would lose its je ne sais quoi? Also it's excuse for mum bending rules is that it's a tech company and not a car service.


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## UberDC

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


This would be an additional expense to Uber, which means there's no chance it'll ever happen.


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## Nate Sullivan

CityGirl said:


> This is a small and dwindling population, not a major segment going unserved.


If you look at population trends the exact opposite is true. The geriatric population is booming with health care advancements.


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## Oh My

Nate Sullivan said:


> If you look at population trends the exact opposite is true. The geriatric population is booming with health care advancements.


I believe the retirement age was raised in the UK because people are living longer.


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## CityGirl

Nate Sullivan said:


> If you look at population trends the exact opposite is true. The geriatric population is booming with health care advancements.


There is an increase in older people, in part to living longer, in part to the baby boomers now coming into that range. https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-09.pdf
However, the last census was 5 years ago...if those people have survived they are echoing the remainder of the population with just over 50% smart phone ownership.
The people who are not using technology are dying off, and those over 75 years old represented less than 6% of the population in 2010 (less now). 6% is not a segment worth capturing, because they are dying off and not coming into the long term use of technology. Even though they are in large numbers no longer driving, they don't represent a major segment Uber needs to go after. One has to assume their transportation need is being met, as we are not hearing otherwise.

Living longer doesn't affect the number of older people using Uber, because those who are now coming into old age are already using technology. (Current <75 year olds have ipads, email, texting).
About 1/3 of 55-64 year olds have tablets, which is consistent with the general population. http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/06/10/tablet-ownership-2013/, and 18% of those 65 and older do.
41% of people 65-69 own smart phones. http://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/smartphone-usage-older-adults-why

45% of Uber's target audience still has not downloaded the app, and a shocking 38% of Americans have never even heard of Uber, http://mashable.com/2014/12/02/uber-problems-customer-awareness/, whereas 88% of those who *have* heard of it have never used it, so that's where their advertising dollars should go, not the dwindling 6%...who don't even have the technology to receive modern advertising.


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## ARIV005

They have it, it's called GrannyUber.


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## elelegido

CityGirl said:


> This is a small and dwindling population, not a major segment going unserved. My 82 y.o. mother-in-law calls up Lyft on her iPad and whatever "iPhone" Verizon sold her (it's a Kyocera). If she can do it, anyone who wants to can do it. It's been an awesome solution since she sold her car, but everyone has someone in their lives who can set this up for them. Caregivers, children, someone. My 76 year old neighbor uses Uber, too. They can do it.


Not everyone, otherwise we'd see more over 50s pax. My mother thinks that computers and "gadgets" are the work of the devil, judging by the extreme reluctance she shows to using them.


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## Ub-urs

elelegido said:


> Not everyone, otherwise we'd see more over 50s pax. My mother thinks that computers and "gadgets" are the work if the devil, judging by the extreme reluctance she shows to using them.


I agree with your mother...I never touched a computer or a smartphone. Work of the devil I tell ya!


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## JabberWocky

I thought Uber was a "software company". Yet they cannot figure out how to enable people to use Uber from a laptop? Really? This has nothing to do with elderly people or people who don't understand how to use technology. This has to do with Uber being utterly incompetent, Nobody is going to force me to purchase a specific smartphone in order to use their service. If Uber is indeed a "software company" then they can easily write a Web app so that those of us who do not wish to be bullied can call a driver. Otherwise you can keep your service and I will go elsewhere. There are lots of cab companies who will be happy to do business with you. I spent an hour yesterday following dozens of supposed ways to use Uber without a specific smartphone. None of them work. Very good. I will go elsewhere.


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## elelegido

JabberWocky said:


> I thought Uber was a "software company". Yet they cannot figure out how to enable people to use Uber from a laptop? Really? This has nothing to do with elderly people or people who don't understand how to use technology. This has to do with Uber being utterly incompetent, Nobody is going to force me to purchase a specific smartphone in order to use their service. If Uber is indeed a "software company" then they can easily write a Web app so that those of us who do not wish to be bullied can call a driver. Otherwise you can keep your service and I will go elsewhere. There are lots of cab companies who will be happy to do business with you. I spent an hour yesterday following dozens of supposed ways to use Uber without a specific smartphone. None of them work. Very good. I will go elsewhere.


I used to go to Uber's mobile site from my PC when I did not have an Android or Crapple smartphone. It is m.uber.com and it used to work fine.


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## Oh My

JabberWocky said:


> I thought Uber was a "software company". Yet they cannot figure out how to enable people to use Uber from a laptop? Really? This has nothing to do with elderly people or people who don't understand how to use technology. This has to do with Uber being utterly incompetent, Nobody is going to force me to purchase a specific smartphone in order to use their service. If Uber is indeed a "software company" then they can easily write a Web app so that those of us who do not wish to be bullied can call a driver. Otherwise you can keep your service and I will go elsewhere. There are lots of cab companies who will be happy to do business with you. I spent an hour yesterday following dozens of supposed ways to use Uber without a specific smartphone. None of them work. Very good. I will go elsewhere.


A college kid requested a ride from me with his laptop.

Really, if they don't have a smart phone they can just take the dumb bus.


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## uberarun

Yeah they have to hire more people to answer the following questions


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## JimS

JabberWocky said:


> Yet they cannot figure out how to enable people to use Uber from a laptop? Really?





elelegido said:


> It is m.uber.com and it used to work fine.


Still does.


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## Oscar Levant

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


Back in my Yellow Cab days, elderly folks (heck, I'm technically a senior citizen, meself ) almost always called from markets , going two blocks, and you had to help them with the groceries, even if it meant climbing stairs. You got maybe a buck or two in tips, but, overall, cabbies would complain if they got too many of them, and the reason is that they simply are not profitable. We did market runs strictly out of civic duty. In our city, there is a government van service the serves the less-then-ambulatory and handicapped and the elderly -- which is a good thing, because profit centers they are not.


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## Oscar Levant

CityGirl said:


> There is an increase in older people, in part to living longer, in part to the baby boomers now coming into that range. https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-09.pdf
> However, the last census was 5 years ago...if those people have survived they are echoing the remainder of the population with just over 50% smart phone ownership.
> The people who are not using technology are dying off, and those over 75 years old represented less than 6% of the population in 2010 (less now). 6% is not a segment worth capturing, because they are dying off and not coming into the long term use of technology. Even though they are in large numbers no longer driving, they don't represent a major segment Uber needs to go after. One has to assume their transportation need is being met, as we are not hearing otherwise.
> 
> Living longer doesn't affect the number of older people using Uber, because those who are now coming into old age are already using technology. (Current <75 year olds have ipads, email, texting).
> About 1/3 of 55-64 year olds have tablets, which is consistent with the general population. http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/06/10/tablet-ownership-2013/, and 18% of those 65 and older do.
> 41% of people 65-69 own smart phones. http://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/smartphone-usage-older-adults-why
> 
> 45% of Uber's target audience still has not downloaded the app, and a shocking 38% of Americans have never even heard of Uber, http://mashable.com/2014/12/02/uber-problems-customer-awareness/, whereas 88% of those who *have* heard of it have never used it, so that's where their advertising dollars should go, not the dwindling 6%...who don't even have the technology to receive modern advertising.


In north county san diego, yellow cab does about 3000 trips per week (or something like that, I vaguely recall seeing it touted by them ). I'm sure they wouldn't get that business if many of their customers knew about Uber. Every day, I get people who "just found out about it", and the taxi holding area at the airport holds about 200 cabs, and there is no way they would be in lines that long if they were not getting trips out of the airport. the fact remains that a lot of people still take cabs, and havent heard of Uber much. I dont think Uber has really reached saturation on market share, they have a long ways to go.

UberBlack really doesn't compete with taxis like UberX does, we are more expensive, and offer nice rides with professional, well-dressed and courteous drivers, and our customers are loyal, and the customer base is growing while the cab companies's base is shrinking. I toyed with going back to driving for yellow, but the more I thought about it, I got a nice thing going, so Im' staying with my SUV/Black ride for now.


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## jbooboo

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


Hey! Older clients without smartphones can use GoGoGrandparent. "Please press 1 to order an Uber to your home." We made it for my grandma and it's been growing pretty fast. Check it out!


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## Oscar Levant

CowboyMC said:


> We have a lot of senior citizens that don't have a smart phone, but use taxi service often. Why can't Uber have an 800 number that these people can call and order our service. Uber is losing out on a lot of business. There are people that don't have smart phones and want service. They should be able to call Uber and give then their credit card and then Uber can put the pick-up location and phone number of the place in the app. Do you think this is a good idea?


Well, of course, once upon a time, I was a taxi driver, and we did seniors out of civic duty, but they predominatnly went to three places, and yeah, it's kinda stereotyping, but it's the truth, 1. The market 2. The doctor .3. BINGO

Always a short run, and time consuming. Bless their hearts, they need service, but I dont' know about "losing business".

In some cities, they had coupons, which we were obligated to accept, and they were always flat rate, and pool-based.

But, UBer is an app company ( so they say ) , and as soon as they go off the app, they can no longer argue civil suits from that vantage point,
so i doubt Uber is going off the app anytime soon.


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## RichR

CityGirl said:


> This is a small and dwindling population, not a major segment going unserved.





Nate Sullivan said:


> If you look at population trends the exact opposite is true. The geriatric population is booming with health care advancements.


It's not the elderly who are a small and dwindling population. It's the people who don't have smart phones.


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## madUber74

Uber just needs to develop a pax app that works on a Jitterbug.

Boom. Problem solved


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## jRockstan

it will never happen. uber is a technology company not a taxi company


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## ROWLV

jbooboo said:


> Hey! Older clients without smartphones can use GoGoGrandparent. "Please press 1 to order an Uber to your home." We made it for my grandma and it's been growing pretty fast. Check it out!


And an excellent idea it is. The thing that most people are not thinking about is the number of people who are not elderly (only 69) but still use the 3G phones.
I for one will not part with my Motorola Tundra or my $25 a month unlimited talk and text plan. I am flying to Denver on the 20th. to pick up my new car and need a ride to the Aurora Hyundai dealership. I can take my laptop and mess with that at curbside or I can call GGG and be done with it. I understand that it will cost me $1.80 plus 13% of the ride for the convenience or around $8 but what the hell, I just bought a new car for convenience did I not. Anyway Justin I wish you all the success in the world and thank you for getting it done.


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## CowboyMC

jbooboo said:


> Hey! Older clients without smartphones can use GoGoGrandparent. "Please press 1 to order an Uber to your home." We made it for my grandma and it's been growing pretty fast. Check it out!


They charge. "Our operator's arrangement and oversight fee is $0.19/minute from when we start monitoring a service to when we stop."


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## SunnySonya

That generation of folks generally don't trust the idea of giving your credit card info over the phone. Heck, most of them still wait in line at the bank with their bank book in hand.


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## yojimboguy

You want a call center for this in every market? Not enough business to justify it in most places.

One call center nation-wide? World-wide? Tons of technical and other issues, such as a call center inserting a ping into a local market thousands of miles away, language problems, communicating with pax if they're not where expected, ...


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## phillipzx3

UBERxGc said:


> Leave some for cabbies. Don't be too greedy.


Ya. Uber already took those drunk pukers from us. That really broke my heart. ;-)


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## UberBastid

Hey, I'm 63 and very tech savvy.

I picked up an old guy (yea, older than ME) the other day. He had this story:

"So, I went to the Applebee's for lunch" (why do they put 'the' in front of stuff. The WalMart ...) Ate my burger and went up to the bar. Asked the bartendress to call me a cab. She did. I ordered a beer. Nursed it for a half hour .. no cab. Asked the pretty girl 'hey, where's my cab?' ... she called again. Drank another beer. Half hour later ... no cab. I am starting to get pissed now and complained to the bartenderess ... she said 'what kind of phone you got? a smartphone, give me that' and snatched it outta my hand. Loaded an ap, gave it back to me and said, 'put your credit card info in here', and I did. Then she punched a button and ... ten minutes later you were here. I'm never using a cab again."

Half-drunk old timer gave me a $20 tip for a $5 ride. 

Old does not equal stupid. Sometimes we just need a little help and education.

~ UberBastid ~


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## agtg

CowboyMC said:


> There are people that don't have smart phones and want service.


Whazzamatta? You got a problem with
*S*urveillance
*M*onitoring
*A*nd
*R*econaissance
*T*racking
phones?

And now we know the rest of the story...


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## mikes424

Knowing how Uber is out to get every penny if they do set up a call in number, it would be a 1 900 number.


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## agtg

Wait, you can order Uber from a desktop?


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## agtg

Oh My said:


> A college kid requested a ride from me with his laptop.


How?


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## CrazyT

agtg said:


> Whazzamatta? You got a problem with
> *S*urveillance
> *M*onitoring
> *A*nd
> *R*econaissance
> *T*racking
> phones?
> 
> And now we know the rest of the story...


Well a couple of my neighbors are NSA so it doesn't really matter does it? lol


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## agtg

CrazyT said:


> Well a couple of my neighbors are NSA so it doesn't really matter does it? lol


Everyone needs a job!


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