Only a few days ago, American mobility service provider Uber found itself embroiled in controversy after a news outlet made more than 124,000 leaked documents public, detailing how the company had broken the law, misled the police, abused violence against drivers, and covertly lobbied governments while aggressively expanding around the world. The company’s transgressions, dubbed “Uber Files,” are making the rounds of foreign media, especially in India. Can these latest controversies harm Uber’s reputation in this country even more?
MD Brand-Nomics According to Viren Razdan, “Uber has survived multiple attempts to undermine their trust across markets. Benefits to drivers’ health, changes to labour legislation, and current safety measures. If the Uber Files become a hot topic, it will undoubtedly be difficult to navigate. Uber wanted to offer more than just a convenient, safe option; if it failed in this crucial area, it would harm its reputation. According to Misbah Quadri, founder and CEO of Monofys Media, “The ‘Uber Files’ is only one tale in a deluge of bad press for the business. The general population has a very high level of forgiveness until they use a product that provides what they need, which is a taxi service to get them from point A to point B.
One of the tens of thousands of papers that were stolen featured the Uber driver who raped a woman in Delhi in 2014; Uber chose to place the responsibility on Indian law and the criminal database rather than admitting that its partner driver had committed the crime. In addition, independent investigations by a reputable English newspaper revealed that many Uber cabs lacked or malfunctioned when it came to safety equipment stipulated by the Delhi government, like a panic button.
Big corporations frequently use clever and pertinent marketing as a technique to overcome controversies. And from a branding and operational one, Uber should also be focusing on these elements.
According to Quadri, “From a marketing viewpoint, Uber needs to incorporate an ethically constrained approach into its operational and branding strategy. Their current position of brushing off the entire scandal by classifying it as a “past misdemeanour” is undoubtedly unethical and illegal. Uber’s general and tailored response to the grisly and disturbing aspects of the probe has generally been careless and deficient. A big red flag is when someone uses cutting-edge technology to obstruct examination while abdicating responsibility for money thefts and the safety of the drivers and passengers.
In his conclusion, Razdan says, “If it has to maintain its premium convenience positioning, marketing certain hard steps they’ve taken might smoothing the dents, but those activities must be obvious in their service, vs cosmetic programmes. In order to cover its own inadequacies, such as the government’s verification of drivers, etc., Uber must take responsibility for these issues on its own.
Follow and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter
