Call a DEXTR, not a Uber — e-hailing app design
Client
DEXTR/Transvision https://www.dextr.nl/
Date
2022–2023
My role
- UI/UX design
- Design sprint
- User testing
User problem
E-hailing apps like Uber cover only 5 urban areas(% of total NL) within the Netherlands, leaving people in rural areas with few transportation options. Rural people shared that they are left with “snorders” that are informal drivers contacted through word-of-mouth by whatsapp to drive them back home after a night out. The problem is that these drivers may not offer a fair price or be trustworthy. As for the metropolitans, they are not devoid of challenges either: while they benefit from Uber instant rides, they have other issues such as the surge of prices during peak hours.
Business problem
Our client aspires to serve passengers better by providing coverage all over the Netherlands, at a fixed price. However this comes at a cost, creating a lead time of minimum 30 minutes (or more, depending on the area), to be able to find a driver available & dispatch it to the passenger... The problem is that 100% of the people we interviewed were clear about not waiting more than 30 minutes for a car, which is an expectation created by the instant rides of Uber. While working on making the lead time smaller, DEXTR needs to find a way to challenge people’s e-hailing preferences & habits: to make travelling not about instant rides but rather planned rides.
Solution
DEXTR launched in 2022 & is now close to 4,3k monthly app users (MAU) as of June 2023 — with 37k app installs. In the app stores DEXTR is promoted as an “taxi-app” to emphasize the process of booking/ scheduling which deviates from e-hailing instant rides. But more has to be done for users to value DEXTR (can full coverage of the NL, fixed price & planning be selling points?). Potential solutions were ideated during & after a design sprint:
- Instead of relying on “snorders” or informal drivers contacted through word-of-mouth, the app can consider partnering with local drivers in rural areas. By onboarding these drivers onto the platform, they can provide their services through the app, ensuring fair pricing and maintaining the app’s standards of safety and quality. Getting to know these drivers could potentially bring invaluable insights into how people order rides in rural areas.
- To shift users’ preferences from instant rides to planned rides, the app should communicate the benefits of planned rides, such as lower prices, availability, and reduced congestion during peak hours. This can be done by design, by taking inspiration from train, hotel or flight apps where users expect to plan & book in advance. Marketing campaigns and incentives can be used to encourage users to book rides in advance, educating them about the advantages of planning their travel.
- Focus on acquiring users from alternatives markets. Look at users that plan their trip in advance and cater to them since the value proposition of DEXTR is more in line with their needs rather than instant ride travelers.
Uber dominates the e-hailing industry in the Netherlands and as a result shaped the preferences & habits of travelers. It takes DEXTR a truly disruptive idea to shake the status quo, and further refine its value proposition to the traveller.
Get to know me
I work at Lizard Global, a web-development agency based in Malaysia and in the Netherlands. We provide data-driven digital solutions to partners from a wide range of industries. Check out more about Lizard here: https://www.lizard.global/
To view more of my work, go here: https://medium.com/@gwenndesign
My portofolio: https://www.gwennlepechoux.com/
