The ‘science’ dissection used by Uber helps the system work smoothly in 600 cities, in 65 countries, serving more than 75 million users.

Available in 600 cities and 65 countries with more than 75 million users, Uber has become the default travel option for many. Incredible in scale and speed, Uber has brought a unique business model and experience to the driver. But what are the most important customer issues with Uber and how has Uber adjusted it?

The biggest "pain" for Uber customers: The wait!

Imagine 2 o'clock in the morning, you're standing outside in the middle of the winter night, shivering for Uber to come in the dark. Or you might be late for an important meeting if Uber doesn't arrive on time.

In high pressure situations like this, your sense of time is greatly distorted. Every second seems like a minute, and every minute goes by an hour. It is because of a psychological principle called the Peak-end Rule .

The science behind unforgettable customer experience

The Peak-Bottom Rule says that people value an experience based on how they feel at the peak and at the end, not the average of every moment of experience. This is always true whether the experience is good or bad.

For brands, this means customers will remember their entire experience based on two moments – the best (or worst) and the end of their experience.

Waiting time is an important part of creating a good experience. This is also the way Uber applies psychology to perfect its customer experience.

Because waiting time is the key to a great customer experience, Uber has spent a lot of time solving this pain.

In its research, Uber has uncovered three main principles related to how people perceive waiting times: Idle aversion, Activity transparency and Goal Gradient Effect.

1. Idle grudge

Recent studies on psychology, well-being and customer experience have discovered a principle called "Idle Aversion" . It says that people are happier when they are busier, even if they are forced to be busy.

How did Uber use this?

To keep people busy, give them information to get involved – cartoons, games and pictures are ideal.

In the example from Uber below, they use an animation that helps them feel comfortable and notified while waiting for their turn.

2. Transparency in operations

When customers are separate from people and the process creates value for them, they will feel this service is less valuable. They will underestimate the service and value of the service.

Operational transparency is a deliberate openness of the company's operations, enabling customers to see the company's efforts to provide services to its experience.

According to recent research, transparent activity makes customers appreciate your product more and can make people happier.

How did Uber use this?

When giving information to customers, provide key information and help them understand where this information comes from.

In the example from Uber Pool below, Uber provided information on how to calculate arrival time. It provides customers with transparency but does not have too many details that make it difficult for people who do not have much technical knowledge.

3. Goal Gradient effect

The Goal Gradient effect says that people are more motivated when they know how much is left to reach their goal, rather than letting them know how far they've come.

And as people get closer to their goals, they accelerate behavior to achieve them faster.

How did Uber use this?

Think of the Goal Gradient Effect as a virtual ending line. The closer a customer is to the goal, the more they are encouraged.

You can see the Goal Gradient Effect in UX elements like progress bars and profile completion – users are encouraged to complete tasks by achieving goals.

Uber applies this principle by illustrating what is happening while customers are waiting. They explain every step of the process, making customers feel they are making continuous progress toward their goals.

Without a doubt, a large part of Uber's revenue comes from optimizing their experience scientifically. When an experiment conducted with Uber Pool applied Idle Anarchy, Active Transparency and Goal Gradient Effect, the results were impressive:

The Express POOL team tested these ideas in an A / B test and found that the number of trips canceled was reduced by 11%.

If you want to apply these principles to your brand, it's important to have an experimental mentality. You must be willing to test the application in hundreds of different ways before discovering the best solution.

This test mentality comes from the top management at Uber downwards. As its founder Travis Kalanick said:

"I woke up in the morning with a lot of problems, and I went to solve them."

According to the Economic Life / UXD