Uber 4 Business - Yes/No?

[sasrsc]

1. So like everyone else we've been following the Uber growth for years. We're a pretty conservative company. Now they are most frequently expensed vendor in Concur already and I feel it's time we got with the modern times and introduced U4B. My questions are:
   Should we do sign up? A simple yes or no. 
2. Then - what gotchas occured that were not in Sales presentation?

No-one is perfect and no system is perfect. Just wondering what you know that could help us prepare better before moving ahead.

[Travelante]

When we turned them On the whole company received massive email spamming from UBER. You may want to ask them not to do it..

[expensebrain]

For the traveler, it is a smart service to be used. In my personal trips, it worked out well for various countries. Many of my corporate customers are concerned because of Uber drivers not having a suitable insurance in many countries (solved for US), imposing a risk for the traveler. Due to liability issues and duty of care policies, these customers decided not to activate Uber integration to aviod liability in case of accident. (Thinking model: active integration makes this a service recommended by company. Recommending causes liability.) If the traveler orders an Uber on his own app, it's his personal risk.

If you want offer Uber integration, check per country where your travelers want to use it if conditions like insurance, payment security or data security are sufficient for you.

[amanda_woeste]

Did you end up implementing?  I have been toying with it for over a year.

[sasrsc]

We did not at least not on a global scale (a few individual countries have done it). They still remain our #1 most expensed vendor. The question is at this point - what's the value add with implementing U4B vs. just remaining "just another vendor" using the existing integration. For me, there are 2 added benefits 1) increased liability amount 2) save money (no-one is disputing that Uber isn't cheaper than most other forms of transport/vendors) and maybe a 3rd) potential for booking a vehicle on behalf of others. The other benefits around Intl SOS integration are minor and probably encroach too much into data privacy areas (where I don't want to go) but the remaining negative is that by entering into a program with them you are essentially electing to promote them and then it becomes an endorsement on their service. While I have no problems with them our Risk and Legal teams seem to be hesitant to tag them as a "preferred vendor". This is just a battle I haven't had the time to wager with them. Just being open with you.

[DeanR]

The 'endorsement' issue is something that has held us back, but we're a specific case.  We're an international airport and the battle between rideshare and incumbent taxi operations is highly sensitive and political, to the point we had on-site taxi blockades when Uber were first allowed to pick up passengers.  It would be more trouble than it's worth to be seen to preference Uber over other options.