| 1. Admit 'we can do better' and purge management ranks. Bring in some reliable, non-rockstar talent from the industry, and start a corporate responsibility blog. 2. Cut costs. Reduce headcount, relocate (out of SF/SV) or offshore dev work. Spin off or sell off expensive ventures, like self-driving research -- there are too many companies working on self-driving, it's not smart to compete with them in-house. Partner with one instead. 3. Increase revenue and maximize rider capture. - Reduce fare subsidies in metros with lower competition, but offer a loyalty program for riders. - Institute Expand high-margin LoS like UberRUSH, the courier service. Forge contracts with surburban/exurban governments to provide transportation services; try to absorb government subsidides. - Monetize data collected during normal operations: partner with market research firms, expand incidental mapping operations to reduce reliance on external maps. - Deepen partnerships with automakers, and make preferred partnerships with sites that are frequent origins and destinations. - Think about usecases: not just cab-hailing in one's hometown, but offering safe passage to high-profile sites in foreign metros while one is travelling. Make people choose Uber for the same reasons they discretionarily choose another brand: consistency of experience, trust, and perks; i.e. don't compete solely on price. Make partnerships that support these use-cases. Companies to be wary of: Google, Amazon, and automakers with whom they have no pre-existing relationship. Companies to court: HERE Maps (owned by Volkswagen, BMW, and Daimler); hyperlocal providers like FourSquare, Snapchat; car-sharing companies like Zipcar; arch-rivals of their competition like Facebook, Walmart (!); AirBnb and hotel chains. |