If you often travel in cabs, then there is good news for you. Now Uber customers in India will soon be able to book cabs through WhatsApp. The company announced this on Thursday. Uber said that the company integration with the hugely popular messaging app WhatsApp, owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), will take place globally.
Uber said, “Uber and WhatsApp today announced a partnership in India to allow people to book Uber rides through Uber’s official WhatsApp chatbot will make Uber ride as easy as sending a WhatsApp message.”
- Will this facility be available everywhere in India?
Initially this facility is being started in Lucknow at present. The company said that it will soon be launched in other cities of the country as well.
- Does this mean that you will no longer need the Uber app to book a cab?
Yes. The company has said that with this integration with WhatsApp, riders will no longer need to download or use the Uber app. “Everything from user registration, ride booking and receipt of travel receipt will be done through WhatsApp,” it added.
- So how exactly will it work?
If you use WhatsApp, you can book an Uber ride in three ways – by sending a message to Uber’s business account number, By scanning a QR code or clicking on a direct link to open an Uber WhatsApp chat. Once this is done, you will be asked to provide the pick-up and drop-off location. Uber said that you will get the fare information in advance, and the expected time of arrival of the driver will also be known.
- And what about all the safety features that the Uber app offers?
The company said that riders using WhatsApp will get the same safety features and insurance protection as when booking a trip directly through the Uber app. The company said – on booking they will be given the driver’s name and driver’s license plate information; They will be able to track the location of the driver on the way to the pickup point; And they will be able to talk to the driver anonymously using a masked number.
- The WhatsApp chat flow informs riders about safety guidelines, including how to access Uber in case of an emergency. The company says that if a user selects the ‘Emergency’ option during a trip, they will receive an inbound call from Uber’s customer support team. For 30 minutes after the end of the ride, Uber riders will also have access to a safety line number to call if needed.
- WhatsApp is popular everywhere in India, so can the WhatsApp interface for Uber be used in all Indian languages?
The company has said that as of now, the option to book an Uber ride through WhatsApp will be available only in English. However, it has said that soon this feature will be expanded to other Indian languages as well.
- This service is built on the business platform of WhatsApp. It aims to expand the reach of Uber’s mobility offerings in India, one of the US-based company’s largest international markets.
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Here are a few steps that you can follow to book an Uber ride through WhatsApp, given that you are currently residing in Lucknow.
How to book Uber ride through WhatsApp:
- Open the Uber chatbot on WhatsApp by messaging Uber’s business account number, scanning the QR code, or clicking the link to open a chat and send “Hi”.
- Enter the generated OTP which confirms that you agree to the terms and conditions of Uber
- You can then text your pickup address or share your current location via WhatsApp, followed by the drop off address
- Choose your preferred ride option: Uber Go, Uber Auto, Uber Moto
Simply, then you will get the complete details of the ride along with the name of the driver.
