Dubai: Book a taxi via WhatsApp? Hala’s done that.
Need to take a trip to or from a metro station in Dubai? Hala’s got that covered.
Dubai’s e-hailing taxi service keeps topping up what its platform can offer, whether it’s for a resident or when a tourist requires to call for a lift. (This is where the recently introduced booking via WhatsApp has been particularly on the ball, with 70% of call-ins coming from visitors to the city.)
Now, Hala, which is a joint venture between Dubai’s RTA (Road & Transport Authority) and the e-hailing operator Careem, is thinking of new ways to offer its fleet of taxis at the press of a button or two on the Hala app. (The company has just completed its fifth year of operations.)
In an interview to ‘Gulf News’, Hala CEO Khaled Nuseibeh, talks about what’s in store, whether that’s through adding more features to the app or actually expanding its base to some of the other emirates. (Currently, Hala services are available in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.)Is a future expansion for Hala more about adding a new emirate to its coverage? Or is there more that can go onto the app as a value-add feature?
Is a future expansion for Hala more about adding a new emirate to its coverage? Or is there more that can go onto the app as a value-add feature?
We are testing a new service for ‘high-density locations’, which means we can monitor usage data to understand how many customers are in a queue for a taxi they booked on Hala. Using that data, we can then easily dispatch the right number of cars to meet that peak demand. What we need to do to perfection is have the right number of cars made available to ease the queue – not too little and never too many.
Right now, this HDL service is being tested at malls and high volume tourist spots.
Essentially, this could reduce the queue time on busy weekend evenings at Dubai malls?
That’s the plan. And it will come to the Hala app very soon.
We have made good progress with our WhatsApp booking. Now, if you are a tourist in Dubai and don’t have the Careem (e-hailing app, you can immediately use the WhatsApp feature to book a ride. What we are seeing now is a good 70% of uses of the Hala WhatsApp feature are tourists.
As for new markets Hala wants to be in, yes, we have been looking at opportunities in the UAE. And other opportunities in the region. We believe we can take the services we offer to other parts of the Emirates.
Do you plan to sign up new franchises to grow the taxi fleet that’s available to users?
We have 5 franchise partners in Dubai and two in Ras Al Khaimah. We want to make sure that we use our technology and our data to forecast the right number of cars and drivers needed.
Currently, we have access to round 13,000 cars, and added an extra 850 vehicles in the last 6 months. We are continuously optimizing for the peak times so that we are always there when a customer makes the booking.
But the Careem limousines are not part of the Hala universe, right?
Careem provides us with the technology. Not just for the e-hailing, but for solutions such as the WhatsApp booking, Hala Rides for Metro and the upcoming high-density location service. The Careem limousines remain a separate service.
Dubai Taxi is bringing its own app into the booking game. Doesn’t this sort of mean a competition for Hala? (Dubai Taxi Company has more than 5,000 taxis in its fleet.)
Dubai Taxi Company continues to be an important partner, and we will be working very closely. We always knew competition was coming. It was just a question of knowing where that competition was coming from.
What that does is drives us to provide more innovation, more reliability, and really raise the bar even more. At the end of the day, what this does is benefit the customer.
We pride ourselves in understanding the city of Dubai, its customers and their requirements.
Hala will continue to have access to all the vehicles available in the fleet, including the ones operated by Dubai Taxi Company.
