If you are an Uber user, you would probably agree that it is a convenience that has quickly become an essential part of one’s life. But over a period of time, Uber gets to know a lot about you: your place of work, favorite eating joints or shopping destinations, how often you travel, your residence and much more. Such information has turned Uber into a big “data-mine” just like Google, Visa, MasterCard and Facebook. Such companies can either use this data to provide better deals or sell it to other companies that work on delivering customized advertising and related offers.
Starwood
In 2015, Uber announced its partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. According to Uber, 72% of the more than 290 cities where Uber operates feature a Starwood hotel. Uber offers Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members the opportunity to earn coveted Starpoints during any ride on the Uber platform. Uber users can link their Starwood and Uber accounts, and after completing the requirements of a stay at a hotel, SPG members can earn one Starpoint for every dollar spent on Uber.
Municipal Partners
Last year, Boston and Uber announced a partnership to help solve problems by leveraging data provided by Uber. The news release said that Uber would ensure the privacy of riders and drivers while sharing the data which “will provide new insights to help manage urban growth, relieve traffic congestion, expand public transportation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” The data provided by Uber can be of great help to policymakers and city planners understand traffic patterns, destination times and congested routes, which can help the city streamline congestion and improve traffic flows.
Amber Alert Program
Uber has partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as a result of which, Uber driver-partners in over 180 cities across the U.S. receive time-sensitive and critical AMBER Alerts specific to their region. According to Robert Hoever, Director of Special Programs, NCMEC, “The AMBER Alert program’s success is built on the ability to reach the right people at the right time with these potentially life-saving messages. Uber’s presence in communities all across the country will be an incredible asset and we are proud to team up with Uber to increase the reach of the AMBER Alert program and help bring more missing children home safely.” Uber covers 75% of the population in the U.S. and this allows a wide reach for the AMBER Alert program.
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