PLDT is going digital in its fleet management by tapping ridesharing company Uber to transport employees.
Under Uber for Business, sales personnel of PLDT and its subsidiaries Smart Communications and Voyager Innovations Inc. are given an Uber for Business account that is linked to a central payment account where fares are automatically charged. This means the employees do not need to shell out personal money and ask for reimbursement later on, the company said.
“Through this, the PLDT group takes its digital pivot further by becoming the country’s first and biggest conglomerate to use digital solutions to augment its fleet management,” said Eric R. Alberto, PLDT Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer.
Paperless transactions, analytics
“Through progressive and digital fleet management, we enable our employees to really focus only on delivering awesome customer experiences when they go about their day-to-day duties, without worrying about transportation and parking issues, this via paperless transactions and analytics,” he added.
In this partnership, the PLDT group can also access a dashboard which indicates commonly used delivery routes, thereby supplying data that can help in maximizing these trips.
“Apart from efficiency, this can also translate to savings for the company, because instead of buying additional vehicles and spending for their fuel, maintenance, insurance and parking fees, we are simply outsourcing transportation services whenever the need arises,” Alberto said.
Save costs
“Uber is excited to offer solutions to companies like the PLDT group and allow us to work together not only to solve traffic, but also to save on costs of buying brand new cars. By using technologies like Uber for Business, companies are able to unlock new ways to meet employee transportation needs whenever they want, at the push of a button. We are helping shape the future of travel and simplify processes,” said Uber Philippines General Manager Laurence Cua.
Uber for Business is currently on a pilot test-run among PLDT, Smart and Voyager employees, and will later be rolled out to a larger base in the future.
In addition to cost savings, the partnership also aims to reduce the company’s carbon footprint and ease traffic congestion by facilitating carpooling among employees.
Earlier this year, uberHOP rides for employees during morning and afternoon rush hours were launched, with designated convergence points in Quezon City and Parañaque, which had been pre-identified through a survey. Each uberHOP ride can accommodate up to 6 passengers. (Press Release)
