Bolt, a leading ride-hailing business, opened a Lagos driver engagement hub. The center aims to improve driver-partner experience in its region of operations, the business told the press.
Despite having a drivers’ hub in Lagos since 2017, the company said the new hub is crucial given its growing pool of tens of thousands of drivers. The driver engagement hub is expected to help expand this growing network of Lagos-based driver-partners earning through its platform.
Bolt Nigeria Country Manager Yahaya Mohammed said the firm is committed to helping drivers maximize their experiences and time.
“We have long invested in our operations to help our driver-partners thrive. Our business depends on drivers, so we want them to succeed and earn more. Since every second counts, we’re always looking for ways to help drivers maximize their road time.
The Country Manager also said the company wants a more tech-savvy support center. He believes this will strengthen Bolt’s real-time, onsite driver-partner support.
Read also: Bolt opens Johannesburg driver engagement center
The Bolt Lagos driver hub
The new driver hub at 11 Providence Street, Lekki Phase 1, will help Lagos drivers quickly and easily, according to a press release. They can join up to drive or ask app questions there.
The corporation believes the driver hub will improve service. These services include better driver assistance, communication, training, community development, issue resolution, driver gratitude, positive branding, and getting new driver-partners on the road in an hour or two.
The hub will also include a Lost and Found center where Bolt travelers may retrieve their belongings.
Bolt’s latest driver engagement efforts
The driver engagement hub is Uber’s newest attempt to win over drivers. The Estonia-based company already operates several engagement activities in Nigeria to strengthen its relationship with the driver ecosystem on the platform.
The business introduced its €25,000 driver accelerator in September. The accelerator programme, launched in cooperation with Nest Innovation Park, will provide chosen Nigerian drivers a €25,000 seed cash to boost their company ambitions.
The business announced this year’s Drive for a Price Campaign earlier that month. The fourth-annual driver support programme rewards the e-hailing company’s top drivers with prizes. Mobile phones and new TVs are among these prizes.
In March, the firm asked drivers to mark their automobiles for weekly pay. While the ride-hailing company’s gesture seems altruistic and well-intended, drivers didn’t like it.
Drivers of branded vehicles may be targeted by hoodlums or “agberos’ ‘ and security forces, according to Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade, head of the NLC-backed and government-approved Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers Union (AUATWN).
While Bolt appears to be trying hard to prove that its drivers are at the heart of everything they do, it appears unable to provide them what they want most: a lower commission proportion. Drivers think reducing commissions to 10% would help them.
Recently, the corporation offered this to drivers, but they had to accept lower economy class rides regardless of their vehicles’ class. Even though the corporation tried to convince drivers this was a terrific way to make money, they didn’t like it.
Despite these issues, the company said it would keep working on the whole driver experience and give drivers the help they need to keep their businesses going.