Why is Uber (rider app) addictive?
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes (barely)
Uber is the taxi network app that turned the industry upside down. Currently valuing at $62.5 billion, the app operates in 58 countries and 300 cities. So the question remains, why do people love to use Uber? Simply because it has been designed that way.
The first time people discover about Uber is from their friends. Existing users get free £10 rides if they gift £10 ride to their friends who haven’t got the app yet. This promotion strategy is originated from the gaming industry. By leveraging the human’s social instincts, the app grows exponentially. Moreover, it also has a feature where you can send your ETA via a text message to your colleagues or friends who are waiting for you. This social feature further increases the effectiveness of word of mouth because not only is it useful, it further reinforces the reliability of Uber service.
Taking a taxi or a bus is a very extrinsic activity. We do it not because it is fun in itself but because it is necessary. Therefore a taxi app like Uber must further reinforce the essence of fun and comfort in order to be effective. It did it brilliantly. Not only Uber rides are generally cleaner and more comfortable than other taxi, the users can also choose what kind of vehicles they want to take. If they want to impress their date, they would take a more luxurious option. Or if they have lots of luggage they would take uberXL etc. Furthermore, the users can connect their Spotify account to Uber which will allow them to open their favorite songs on the cab. This is a magnificent way to put a sense of ownership into the experience.
Random fruitful encounter between the drivers and the users is another treat. The drivers aren’t necessarily like regular cab drivers. Some drive for Uber in order to get a few bucks while they are resting from their full time jobs. You never know who you will meet. There has been many business transactions and friendships being made between the drivers and the riders. Leaving reviews for each other (from driver to rider, rider to driver) is an excellent way to promote good behavior from both groups. The app naturally weeds out assholes from the system.
Its most striking feature however is its interactive map. You can see nearby available Uber taxi around your area in real time which provides a sense of security when you want to go home at 2 a.m in the morning. It is also fun to look at how the cars drive around to get to your pickup spot. This is a small yet powerful gamified feature they have applied into the app.
The main reason why Uber is still huge is because it effortlessly enables the riders to build up a habit of using it often. The transaction is instant. It is very easy to set up a journey. There are no awkward conversations calling up the taxi or explaining to the driver where exactly you live. There is constant availability of uber taxi even in the middle of the night. Surge pricing mechanism superbly manages supply and demand in real time. All of these combined make Uber experience streamlined compared to taking a regular cab. Those who are addicted to Uber barely notices the tube strikes. It is that powerful.
The most successful online services like Facebook, Uber, Twitter, meetup and many others use game design strategies to keep users hooked. You can’t just copy gamified features from others. First you have to carefully analyze what kind of motivations your users are affected by from the service you provide. Then you have to do many tests to figure out the best relevant game designs you should use for your app/website. Balancing the game features to amplify each other is a huge ongoing challenge. Implementing them correctly will make your business successful just like Uber did.