In a recent presentation made to the press and other stakeholders, Founder, CEO, and Managing Director of Goa Miles, Utkarsh Dabhade answered the burning question, how does Goa Miles work? dispelling various myths and concerns about the app being a threat to the local taxi business. During the press conference, Dabhade explained with the help of a detailed presentation various aspects of the Goa Miles business, and shared stats and figures regarding the current market scenario, projected sales, and even staff demographics. The majority of the presentation was recorded and aired on local cable news company InGoaNews, and the video can be seen at the start of the article.
The scenario 9 months ago
Utkarsh Dabhade laid out the local taxi scenario from 9 months ago, discussing how the situation then, and to some extent now, did not offer a win-win scenario for the drivers, cab owners, unions, Government, and customer. Being a cash-only business, though the unions, owners, and drivers were happy, the customers were not because they could not use advanced digital payment systems. Since the owners and drivers increased the fare as they saw fit, again the customers were negatively impacted. With regards to incentives, the concept did not exist for the most part with negatively impacted the drivers.
Enter a better method of taxi services
“The first person to greet a tourist is a taxi driver – he is the brand ambassador of Goa,” said Utkarsh Dabhade, as he went on to discuss the mission and vision of the Goa Miles company. In answering the question ‘how does Goa Miles work?’, according to the founder, the mission of the company is to protect the interest of the public, tourists, and the local taxi drivers, ensuring a win-win for all those concerned. The vision of the company is to build a disruptive revenue logic, ensuring that everyone gets a taxi whenever they need it, and to help the hospitality industry to gain traction from tourist inflow. Finally, Goa Miles aims to promote a transparent and cashless economy.
How the system works
The Goa Miles App has been designed from the ground up keeping in mind the specific needs of the Goan market. It was created in tandem with the GTDC and the Government, ensuring that the local taxi drivers benefit as much as the customers. That being said, the taxi owners and drivers pay nothing to be a part of the Goa Miles service. They merely join the Goa Miles program by registering to be a driver for Goa Miles and downloading the app. At the end of the day, they continue to be their own boss, choosing when to work and when not to by activating or deactivating the app. The taxi owners also have a completely transparent system wherein they know exactly how many trips have been serviced, and what the revenue earned is. Taxes for the same are taken from the consumer side, and the Goa Miles revenue never crosses more than a paltry 15 to 90 Rupees regardless of what the taxi fare is.
The Goa Miles advantage to the consumer
So, how does Goa Miles work for the customer? The following are a few of the advantages to customers availing Goa Miles taxis:
- Goa Miles taxis are significantly cheaper, and the rates are standardised. Unlike other metros where surcharges increase due to time of day etc, the same is not applicable here.
- Taxis are able to find the customer because of GPS, instead of the customer trying to find the taxi by calling certain drivers or looking for a taxi stand.
- Customers are given the complete details of the driver which can be shared with concerned family members if required. This is particularly pertinent with regards to single female passengers. The app also has an emergency button that alerts the company.
- All trips generate a GST bill which can be used for reimbursements in case of business travels and also ensures that the Government is receiving a share in the revenue.
- Payments are handled digitally, so customers can use their preferred method of payments. This keeps the system transparent.
- Goa Miles taxis are accessible to all, thanks to nominal fares and ease of use. This ensures that even local Goan residents can avail of taxi services instead of using their own vehicles. Travelling during the monsoons or peak traffic becomes easier, and it also allows elderly people to commute more conveniently.
Creation of jobs for Goans in Goa
Apart from just the taxi ecosystem, Utkarsh Dabhade explained how Goa Miles has created jobs for hundreds of Goans in the operations sector. With the creation of a state-of-the-art command centre in Panjim, there are over a hundred Goans employed, with scope for more in various operations fields. The idea is to create a system where everyone gains. Right from the average consumer who wants to travel, to the taxi driver who gets a steady flow of work on a daily basis, to even the taxi owners who now have a transparent system of managing their cabs.
To see the complete video, click play above. Let us know what you think of Goa Miles in the comments section.
