Transport News South Africa

Ride-hailing company partners with Orange Business Services

Ride-hailing company Careem has joined forces with Orange Business Services to provide network and contact centre services as it continues expansion into other regions.
Ride-hailing company partners with Orange Business Services

The startup, valued at more than $1bn, is rolling out its services across key markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as in Egypt and Jordan.

Careem was created in the Middle East in response to specific regional transportation challenges. For example, in Saudi Arabia half of the population is unable to drive. At the start of operations in 2013, Careem opened in a new city every three months. Today, by using the Orange Business Services flexible IP network with a digital call centre solution, the company can reportedly open up in a new city in just one day.

How it works

Its customers order a car service from a digital app, and the company can manage calls from customers easily and cost effectively, regardless of where they are physically located. The customer can track the progress of their driver in real time via the app and make payments automatically without having to worry about carrying cash.

The three-year contract includes network services to connect Careem’s corporate offices in Cairo, Dubai and Paris seamlessly. In addition, the Orange contact centre solution enables the startup to reduce fixed voice costs and route calls. The company started with two call centre agents and today has grown to more than 400 agents managing over 10,000 calls a day from more than 80 cities across 13 countries in the region.

“Orange Business Services has exceeded our expectations with their ability to match our demands for agility and speed, and they also bring our company the added advantage of local expertise and presence that our business needed in the region and beyond. We look forward to continuing our dynamic growth with Orange at our side as our trusted partner,” says Qasim Ahmed, CIO, Careem.

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