GrabTaxi Tries to Challenge Uber by Releasing GrabPremium Taxi

Although it's still quite early set up business in Indonesia, taxi booking app, GrabTaxi apparently as if he didn't want to 'missed the moment' in stealing the market from his competitors who played in luxury taxi bookings, Uber. Recently, GrabTaxi introduces its newest service product called 'Premium'. As the name implies, user GrabTaxis can now enjoy taxi transportation with a range of premium cars, aka luxury.

Reflecting from experience Uber presence that full with all the gluea presence in Indonesia, GrabTaxi Premium seems to have been deliberately prepared as an alternative choice for Uber customers. Please note, Indonesia is actually the third country in the presence of this premium taxi service. Previously, the Philippines and Singapore had already enjoyed this premium service which was available in a separate application called Grabcar. As for Indonesia, to order a line of luxury taxis GrabTaxi simply accesses it directly on the default main application which was released in June 2014.

Nothing special from GrabTaxi Premium, if you look directly at it from the point of view of using the application. In general, the entire user experience is exactly the same as when ordering a regular taxi. Even though it's still labeled beta, this feature can be used optimally.

Prospective passengers simply choose a pick-up location and drop-off destination, then now at the bottom of the main menu (previously you have to update the application version first) there is a 'Premium' menu to choose from. Unfortunately, in the area where I tried, I couldn't find a single luxury taxi near my location, maybe the concentration of the service is still focused on downtown areas like Uber. The rest of the usage experience is still the same, users can listen to the fare range and provide special notes for drivers.

There has been no further information regarding the cooperation scheme from GrabTaxi to partner vendors of luxury taxis he 'invited' to join GrabPremium Taxi, but I expect it won't be much different from Uber, even though it seems a step GrabPremium Taxi in Jakarta and maybe in several cities will be much smoother than Uber. Because, parties GrabTaxi himself once claimed that he has now pocketed all official retribution permits from local government authorities.

As in the news on the site Viva news, party GrabTaxi claimed to have received the blessing of Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahja Purnama or familiarly called Ahok some time ago. Ahok, who also strongly criticized Uber's presence in Jakarta, is said to have provided a smooth path for the startup from the neighboring country.

"Some time ago we met with Pak Ahok. The administration has finished. In fact, we are now a PT," said Herman Iswanto, Driver Loyalty & Rentention GrabTaxi quoted from the same source.

Seems right, that step GrabTaxi this time will be a serious 'threat' to the continuity of Uber in Indonesia, where automatically the market can also be stolen by GrabPremium Taxi. Besides having pocketed the blessing of the regulator, in only about five months since its inaugural launch GrabTaxis also have partnership with one of the telecommunications operators, and also have big capital which can be used to expand the service network in Indonesia.

[photo illustration: Shutterstock]