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| Irfan-Mohideen |
The new extensions to the
technology are the Sinhala and Tamil interfaces, which is a huge impetus for the
Company’s plans to broad-base their services to the rest of the island next
year. PickMe services are different to that of any of their international
competitors as the Company operates from the lower, middle and high end of the
markets, providing their customers with three-wheelers, mini cabs as well as
sedans.
PickMe technology contributes
to the economy in a unique and innovative way. Its business solutions
level the playing field, enabling individual entrepreneurs to reach out to the
mass market in a sustainable manner due to the strong link created between the
taxi, who is the service provider, and the customer. PickMe cabs don't
ply the roads looking for customers as the GPS system allow customers to look
for the closest cab and hail it, smartphone to smartphone. A survey
conducted by the company shows that there is a 50 percent reduction in fuel
wastage by taxi owners linked with the PickMe system, which is not only helping
from an environment point of view but also, in terms of these savings, actually
helping to make a viable business for drivers.
One PickMe driver who has been
in the Company’s service, for just 4 monthssays, “I worked at a cab service
before and my vehicle was a Nano Cab. There were times when I could not even
afford the lease payment for my vehicle while I was at my previous job.
Therefore, I quit and started running solo with the firm belief that I will
make it work somehow by myself. But pressures on me were immense; it is very
hard to do something like this on your own. I had only one vehicle and yet it
was very difficult to manage. While searching for other opportunities to save
my decliningbusiness I found PickMe. It worked so well in these few short
months that now I have bought a new vehicle and even hired a driver for my old
vehicle,which also runs for PickMe. So I believe I can make a profit with
PickMe."
JiffryZulfer, the Entrepreneur
and CEO of PickMe says that the technology-based formula is one of his most
successful ventures to date. He says, “I have been involved in many
start-up companies, using the power of modern technology to find cost effective
solutions for all stakeholders; but for me,PickMe has proven to be one of the
most successful home-grown endeavours, which has caught the interest of big
investors who see great opportunity in this solution. We like to think of
PickMe as beyond just a service provider for people to get from point-A to
point-B, because there are varied opportunities for individual entrepreneurs
and service providers to benefit from the ever-expanding footprint of our
technology. What is even more relevant is that we are a 100 percent
Sri Lankan-owned Company who understand the needs of the Sri Lankan populace
and therefore are able to provide services in a more responsive manner.”
Other recent extensions to
PickMe include their Business Portal, which gives enterprises the opportunity
to provide safe and convenient travel for their employees;
and ETA Sharing, which allows
passengers to share their live trip details with a family member or friend
including estimated time of arrival, pickup time and location, taxi details and
route taken.
The Sinhala and Tamil
interfaces are just two stages of the extensive expansion the Company has
developed in broadening their language base as they are currently working on
several other interfaces. The CEO says this will give PickMe a
cutting-edge advantage whilst supporting their varied customer base.
About PickMe
PickMe is a technology
developed by Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka (PVT) Ltd. that equips local
taxis with the power of technology enabling them to use and benefit from
features like GPS tracking, navigation, automatic-billing, live-connection with
the passenger and 24/7 driver dedicated support etc. This not only upgrades the
levels of service of a taxi driver it also uplifts their profession and most
importantly provides them an additional sense of safety which was never a
luxury they could enjoy with the challenges of the industry.
PickMe is affiliated with
many taxi services in Colombo as well as with freelance taxi drivers,
contributing to the largest live feed of available taxis in the city.
The ‘PickMe Passenger App’
which allows passengers to book a taxi (tuk, mini or car) through their
Android, iOS or Windows smart phones. This is currently becoming increasingly
popular as a means of booking taxis not just because of the convenience the
technology provides but also because of the safety and reliability PickMe
offers passengers
Tags
Sri Lanka travel