Grab introduces new app features, enhanced services for 'Better Everyday' initiative

MANILA, Philippines — In just six months after recording two billion rides, Grab, the leading online-to-offline (O2O) mobile platform, hit the 3-billion passenger mark across Southeast Asia. At precisely 21:34:32 (local time) last January 20, 61 concurrent trips took place across 21 cities in 6 countries.

Owing this milestone to its consumers and partners, Grab announced the Better Everyday initiative with eight new app features and enhanced services that improve overall customer experience.

This 2019, Grab affirms its position as the only everyday app in the Philippines, serving the daily essential needs of Filipinos. Over the years, Grab has introduced more services beyond transport—GrabFood, GrabExpress, GrabRewards, and GrabPay. True to its mission of bringing consumers closer to what matters to them, Grab rolled out a series of app enhancements that will make rides safer, more seamless and more rewarding.

Better ride experience

For transport, Grab puts its focus on better ride experience. Consumers can now use new transport features that will redefine customer experience in the ride-hailing industry.

Cancel Anytime (before allocation)

This feature allows consumers to cancel their booking attempt before a driver gets assigned. 

Saved Places 

To make the booking experience easier and faster, consumers can now save their preferred and most frequented places such as home, work, gym, etc. The feature allows the quick selection of frequently used addresses for pickup or drop off, allowing for better personalization of pickup or drop off points. Once a place is saved, the option will be available as a shortcut every time you book.

To use the feature, simply click on the Saved Places from the menu button and save your preferred places.

Rewards points for passengers who were canceled on 

Grab has also taken into consideration the feedback of both passengers and drivers on cancellation of allocated bookings. 

If the driver cancels a consumer booking, he/she will now get 30 GrabRewards points credited within 24 hours. These points can be used to redeem GrabRewards, which features an exciting array of loyalty items such as food, services, and discounts.

Change Destination

In case of incorrect location setting, last minute change in plans or emergencies, consumers may now modify their drop-off points while in transit. They save valuable time and money as this feature takes out the need to book for another ride and the hassle of negotiating with the driver.

Changing can be done by tapping on the drop-off point while in-transit or tapping the “Change” tab on the Driver details screen while in-transit.

Changing destination will update the fare to account for the distance already traveled by the driver and the new distance left to reach the new destination. This feature is only available on GrabCar, GrabCar 6-seater, and GrabCar Premium services only in Metro Manila, Cebu, Bacolod and Pampanga.

Lost and found

Grab has also integrated into the app a new lost and found feature, which helps passengers contact the driver directly after a completed booking. To recover the item left in the car, simply click on the booking history tab, choose the recent booking record, and tap the new call button to reach the driver. The call button function is available within four hours after the trip has ended.   

In compliance with data privacy laws, phone numbers of both passengers and drivers are masked and the app will only show a virtual number. Beyond the four-hour period, passengers may reach the driver via the help center.

Passenger time-out

Grab has also received feedback from drivers who complained about consumers canceling after being allocated, and even if the driver is on the way to the pick-up point. Thus, Grab also introduced a passenger timeout feature, which temporarily bans passengers with excessive cancellations.

Consumers will not be able to book a service for a maximum of 23 hours upon reaching the following limit:

• Maximum of two cancellations per Grab service within 1 hour
• Maximum of three cancellations per Grab service within 24 hour
• Maximum of five cancellations per Grab service within 7 days

The app will clearly convey the time for which a consumer is banned and will set the right expectations on when they can use the Grab’s transport services again.

“This 2019, we continue to underscore our commitment towards a better Grab experience. We are happy to start the year with an introduction of new features that will redefine consumer experience,” Brian Cu, president of Grab Philippines, said.

Filipinos’ everyday app

As the only everyday app in the Philippines, Grab is also improving services beyond transportation.

GrabFood, which has so far grown its completed orders by 12 times since its launch six months ago, is now leading the online food delivery service in the Philippines. After its successful Metro Manila debut, GrabFood was introduced in Cebu last January 17.

It now boasts the widest restaurant selection with over 5000 active merchants from Metro Manila and Cebu. It continues to sustain its hypergrowth stage by continuously partnering with more merchants. One of the newest partners is the company behind the successful Korean chicken brand Bonchon—Scottland Food Group Corp. Over 100 restaurant branches of Bonchon and other brands like Tori Chizu and Go Bento are now available for delivery using the GrabFood platform.

“We continue to sustain our hyper-growth stage in the Philippines. We’re fueled to satisfy more of our consumers' cravings. We will do this by further expanding our restaurant selections and providing more food deals and experiences to our consumers,” EJ dela Vega, head of GrabFood, added.

GrabExpress, on the other hand, continues to be the reliable on-demand delivery partner of Filipinos. Two new features were added to support more micro-entrepreneurs and make simple deliveries faster and more convenient.

1. Multi-stop delivery feature (MSD), which essentially allows users to send deliveries in five different recipients and locations using one single rider.
2. Multiple Concurrent Bookings (MCB), a  feature for social sellers and micro-entrepreneurs, will allow them to send a maximum of 10 parcels using different delivery partners at the same time.

Grab is finding more ways to further improve its services in the Philippines with the goal of serving the daily essential needs of Filipinos -- from transport to food delivery, to parcel service, and to online payments.

“As an everyday app, we continue to use our technology to provide solutions that will improve the daily experience of our fellow Filipinos. Our goal is to serve our consumers better everyday with the challenge to always go above and beyond what is expected,” Cu said.