How Uber Works? Insights into Business and Revenue Model

What Draws The Strengths of This Billionaire Company?

1. Revenue Generation

The soaring need of on-demand rides has triggered a rising need of this big fish in the market. What draws the strength of this the global ridesharing leader? Let’s distill the facts:

2. Brand Equity

Uber is currently valued at over $68 Billion and is slated to progress even more downright. Due to the high valuation of brand, Uber is incessantly attracting investors.

3. Low Fixed Investments

Uber does not require high fixed investment due to its aggregation policy which becomes the main reason behind its rapid expansion.

4. Dynamic Pricing strategy

Uber works on dynamic pricing strategy that is in peak hours, midnight and bad weather the company raises its prize. This becomes extremely beneficial for the company and drivers to earn a good amount of money.

5. Emphasis on Customer Satisfaction

Uber places itself a notch higher to provide better customer satisfaction and enhanced user experience.

6. Growth Rate

Source: Business insider

Other than this, Uber wins in:

• Verified drivers and Cars
• An unlimited fleet of vehicle
• No full-time drivers, as it does not hire the drivers
• A very little competition. But the major competitor is Lyft
• Lower prices compared to traditional taxi operators

Uber’s Interesting Facts

• Uber service is available in 83 countries and over 674 cities worldwide (Source: Uber)
• Uber fulfills 40 million rides monthly and has over 77% of US ride-hailing market (Source: Wiki)
• Total number of rides by 2016 – 2 billion (Source: Forbes)
• Uber gross revenue 2016 – $20 billion (Source: BusinessInsider)
• Uber driver’s average income – $364 / month (Source: Ernest.com)
• Venture capital raised – $11.5 billion (Source: Crunchbase)
• Uber net revenue 2016 – $6.5 billion (Source: BusinessInsider)
• Uber valuation in 2017 – $69 billion (Source: Bloomberg)
• In the US, Uber has over 160,000 active drivers, receiving $656.8m of payments during Q4 2014 (Source: Benenson Strategy Group)
• The top two reasons for drivers to choose Uber are higher income (91%) and work-day flexibility (87%) (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• It’s largest competitor Lyft generates a fraction of net revenue ($700 million) compared to Uber ($6.5 billion) (Source: FutureAdvisor)
• However, Uber has given Lyft a boost – generating greater engagement on the app (Source: Forbes)

Uber’s Business Model Canvas

Uber’s Valuation

Source: CBInsights

In 2013 Uber valuation was $3.9 billion now it jumps to $68 billion in 2017.

Uber’s Weaknesses

1. Privacy Concerns

The CEO less company still continues to serve up fresh embarrassments of privacy policy. The so-called ‘God view’ real-time interface allows Uber employees to spy on users’ rides.

2. Low Barriers to Entry

Apps like Uber prevailing in corners of the world are the direct outcome of low barriers to entry by the ride-hailing company Uber. Eventually, the company has started facing competition from multiple fronts.

3. Drivers Earns less

Despite Uber being the biggest startup company on the planet, it does not serve much to its key workers viz. Uber Drivers.

This chart compiled by Earnest.com compares the average income of Uber workers from Airbnb, TaskRabbit, Etsy, Lyft and several other companies.

Source: Earnest.com