Eid can be a tricky time for Careem. Captains like to take the days off, just like anyone else, but at the same time, there are many users who would like to move around easily using Careem’s services. This situation can easily lead to a number of undesirable scenarios: lack of available cars on the road, the higher price of rides, and long pick up times. Cognizant of these realities and anticipating the issues that come with a reduced supply of captains, Careem laid out a strategy that would turn things around. It was committed to providing the best customer service and so reached out to its captains, encouraging them to take out time for their customers this Bakra Eid.
Naturally, this was not easy. These people, whether full time or part-time, work very hard and many of the full-time ones usually travel to their hometowns to spend time with their family. Bakra Eid is, in any case, a busy time with the sacrifice and distribution of meat along with the usual visits of friends and family. However, Careem captains are made of compassionate stuff and sacrificed their Eid to drive all three days of Eid. Careem too did its bit with a bit of edhi for these hard working captains. It gave a generous bonus scheme that enticed captains to provide the maximum amount of rides all through Eid. These incentives naturally took a chunk of Careem’s budget but the availability of captains on the road was worth it.
Thanks to these incentives and continuous encouragement by Careem and their own sense of responsibility, captains came out and made sure customers go around the cities hassle free. They had the flexibility to work on their own terms and were ready to give up time they would spend with their family and friends to avail the opportunity to make a significant sum of money. A large number of captains on the road ensured there was minimal peak pricing and rides were booked in short while. Careem Captain Fahd Zaidi was among the ones who drove all three days of Eid and said, “Yes it wasn’t an easy decision to give up on Eid and relaxation but we have a duty towards the public and the extra money from bonuses was a pretty good windfall. I was able to buy lots of clothes and toys for my wife and children and even used some of the money towards buying an animal for sacrifice so well worth it.”
At the same time, Careem took care of another aspect of Bakra Eid that adds to the list of tasks for its customers: distribution of hides. Committed to simplifying lives, it created a car type which could be used for ‘now’ bookings for hiding pick-up. The hides were collected for a trustworthy institution, the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH), and a car-type with showed as SKMCH on the app which could be used for a free and hassle-proof hide pick-up. This service was available in selected areas of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi from September 2-4, all three days of Eid. Thanks to this easy service, Careem was able to deliver 550 hides to SKMCH at no inconvenience to the institution or those sending them.
Masoon Ahmed was one of the happy customers who used Careem for distributing meat, visiting family and even joining his friends for an Eid brunch on the third day. Regarding the experience, he said, “Careem was certainly kareem (generous) this Eid. First, the Bakra car type delivered an animal to my door at a reasonable price saving me from the nightmare of getting bogged at the mandi and haggling for a goat. Then my hide was picked up promptly at the push of a button and taken to the charity of my choice. Then all three days I was driven around the city and saved myself from the exhaustion of Karachi’s roads. I was anticipating lots of peaks but was pleasantly shocked to see minimal. Seriously, Careem gave me the best eidi I could have hoped for!”
Careem continues to simplify lives and serve people through regular days or holidays or events. This Bakra Eid it went the extra mile and it showed. Chalo let’s go!
