“...starting this week, we are rolling out a new service that gives people the option to book an Uber ride via an official Uber WhatsApp chatbot,” read a post on Uber India’s blog. It means that Indians will not need to download the Uber app to book a ride as everything from user registration to trip receipts will be done within the WhatsApp chat interface, the post added. Uber is going to introduce this integration in Lucknow first, followed by New Delhi. The company said that it is looking to roll out this service across India by next year. The chat booking facility will not be limited to existing users, and even new users will be able to book a ride with their phone number. The company pointed out that the service is only available in the English language but they will introduce other Indian languages soon. This is the first time Uber has introduced such an option in more than 60 countries where it is operational. It can also offer Uber’s mobility to more than 400 million Indians who use WhatsApp. How will it work? The post explains that WhatsApp users can book an Uber ride in three ways: Drop a message to Uber’s business account number Scan a QR code Click a link to open the chat window directly Prospective riders will then have to provide their pickup and drop-off locations. What about driver details? Uber will convey the name of the driver and license plate of the…
