Ola has been operating as an online network since 2010. They provide a mobile app that makes it easy for users to book taxis. They are bringing together cab drivers with customers and fostering entrepreneurship among drivers. Ola offers different services from economy to luxury. Ola Money is a cashless payment option. It also offers bike sharing, on-demand car sharing and auto sharing.
Key Insights: The company expanded in 7 years to have a network of 600,000 vehicles across 110 cities with a workforce of 6,000. Ola also boasts that it controls 60% of India’s market and receives 150,000 bookings on average per day. Ola expanded their first overseas market to Australia in January 2018. They plan to operate their services in Melbourne, Sydney and other cities.
They have also added an emergency button in the app to help with any emergency. Ola has a lower commission rate for rides than Uber or Taxify, which is 7.5%. Ola has also suffered from huge losses as a result of their discounted and promotional rides. They accounted for $ 458,382,038.89.
Segment to target: Ola’s customers persona includes:
Men and women aged 18-60 who attend AFL matches, concerts, night clubs.
Men and women who travel often for business by airport or public transport.
Men and women aged 20+ still needing to obtain their driving license.
Men and women who enjoy festival and break activities (key dates include: December 31st – January 1st, the 4th of February, the 17th of March, the 4th July, etc.).
Ola’s current strategy is to reward drivers and users for referring them. They both receive discounts on their rides and are rewarded with incentives. They market themselves through Snapchat Advertisements and Websites. The word-of-mouth marketing strategy is still used today and is based on the individual’s experiences.
Uber, Taxify or Didi are some of the direct competitors. The Silver top, 13 Cabs, silver, and yellow taxis compete with Ola indirectly by taking away their potential customers.
Name: Natasha Daly (“LinkedIn- Natasha Daly”, 2018)
Position: Director of Marketing Australia
Daly has 20 years of experience in marketing and branding, which she brings to the table. She will play an important role in helping Ola expand to other cities during the next year. She served as Marketing Director for Caltex in her last position, which lasted 2 Years and 6 Months.
Natasha Daly reports directly to Bhavish Agarawal, the CEO of the Indian headquarters in Bengaluru. She is responsible only for Australia. Ola has been doing well in the current market, despite fierce competition. They offer discounts to customers regularly. They need to build a loyal customer base and engage them with the brand. A company would lose money if it made too many promotions. Ola also needs to offer promotions for professionals and students for everyday events. Customers should be encouraged to use Ola for certain events by offering promotions. You can get an extra 30% discount if you enter your concert ticket code.
