The Careem Experience 

Careem has recently launched its services in the Twin Cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad amidst much fanfare. All roads leading into and out of Islamabad were adorned with banners advertising Careem’s launch. A recent unplanned  shopping spree by my spouse left me pretty much without a ride for a whole day. With colleagues waiting at the dinner table in nearby DHA 2, I was left with limited choices to reach the destination in time, that’s when it Careemed upon me to make use of the already installed (Careem) app in my smartphone.

A single click on the app told me the nearest Captain was 13 minutes away, thus turning my grief to happiness. On clicking Ride Now he was on his way. Sure enough the man reached my place on the dot with live coverage of his journey to my place on the smartphone’s screen. Also visible on the screen was his name, cell phone number, car registration number and rating: 4.5.

I found the driver very courteous and careful, the brand new Corolla smelt good and the ride was a pleasure. The 15 minutes ride, about 6 kms travel  cost me Rs 264. Not bad for a brand new Toyota Corolla 2015. The amount was paid in cash and the balance deftly credited to my account. I got an email instantly containing the travel receipt and credit balance details. Impressed by the good quality of service I gave him a 5 star rating (feedback). I found the Careem app very easy to use and came to know that one can book rides for a later time also. The cars come in three distinct categories i.e. economy, business and WiFi! The young man driving me to my destination told me the car belonged to his friend and he had it registered with Careem. After every two weeks the payment between Careem and Car owner is settled. I think its a very good business idea, we (the users) get good service with complete peace of mind considering today’s security situation, clean well maintained cars, transparent procedure; the car owner makes a profit, the company makes a profit and the driver makes a living. Its a win-win for everyone.