The message beeps on my phone had accelerated and with each beep, the panic grew. My team members were on the venue, waiting and here I was still stuck at home. Commitment is perhaps one of the most important attributes that you have to possess as a member of a growing startup. People rely on you to show up on time and get your work done and in the world of news reporting, time is everything.
The inevitable phone call was next and right on cue, the phone rang. I was late, thanks to the bad luck that lead my car battery to die down, leaving me in a lurch.
Get an Easy Taxi
The popular alternative in Pakistan in case one faces conveyance problem is usually the Rickshaw, a three-wheeled vehicle. The taxis are not widely used intra-city and it is hard to find them right away. While a Rickshaw does come in handy, I for one, am a little hesitant to go for a bumpy ride. Easy Taxi sounded good, but almost mythical. I was supposed to call a number, the taxi would pick me right from my home and get me to my destination. At this point, however, I was willing to give it a try. Within half an hour, the Taxi was at my house and I was well on my way. The crisis was averted.
Neither of us is an alien to car problems: from unexpected tyre punctures to a simple case of un-cooperative brothers, conveyance problems tend to arise at the wrong times. Easy Taxi, a company founded by the German E-commerce Group, Rocket Internet has recently begun its pilot program in Pakistan. The idea of Easy Taxi is not new and the service is running successfully in many other countries. In Pakistan, however, it has just started to target Islamabad after covering Lahore.
Fast, Efficient Service
Easy Taxi uses Smartphones to deliver the service quickly and efficiently to its users. You download the application on your smartphone and using it you can order a taxi. Given internet connectivity, you can even track the current position of the Taxi assigned to you in real time. Since Mobile Internet is not very common in Pakistan yet, Easy taxi has a fully functional Call Centre that can offer support to the passenger.
Easy Taxi offers you a better, if a little expensive alternative to Buses and Rickshaws in case you don’t have conveyance available. The Cars are generic Corolla cars missing the Taxi sign on the top. The people behind the Easy Taxi feel that the sign makes people feel conscious about their ride. The drivers go through a thorough background check to ensure the safety of the customer. They are fully trained and know their ways around. The ride will cost you a 40 Rupees per Kilometer in addition to a fixed charge. However, in the time of need, Easy Taxi can be there for you and help you out. The 24/7 service is a good start, one that, we hope will grow with time, providing convenient conveyance to people all over Pakistan.
You can download the app right away on your smartphone!
