Two weeks ago, Easy Taxi, one of the main taxi booking apps in Singapore, entered into a partnership with chatting app WeChat: WeChat users can now book taxis directly via the messaging app. Users can follow Easy Taxi’s official WeChat account (WeChat ID: EasyTaxiSGP) to be able to use the taxi booking function.
Fast forward two weeks later, EasyTaxi’s Regional Manager and Director for Southeast Asia Joon Chan, told tech blog Tech in Asia that WeChat users have so far booked and took 5,000 taxi rides with EasyTaxi through the WeChat taxi booking feature. That’s an average of over 350 taxi rides per day. Joon also used the term “fantastic” to describe the partnership.
In a few weeks’ time, Easy Taxi will integrate its cashless payment feature on the WeChat platform, giving users a true hassle-free urban travel experience. The partnership will be extended to other countries where both WeChat and Easy Taxi are available, following the pilot programme in Singapore.
“In the age of mobile internet, much of our social interactions are conducted via our smart phones. Integrating Easy Taxi into WeChat is a logical decision, as it gives consumers an integrated experience both online and offline,” said Jianggan Li, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Easy Taxi Singapore when the company first announced the partnership with WeChat two weeks ago.
Easy Taxi is competing against its rival app GrabTaxi in Singapore. While Easy Taxi has been busy, GrabTaxi has not slowed down in terms of getting more users onboard. Earlier this month, GrabTaxi has also entered into a partnership with music streaming site Deezer to provide its riders with access to unlimited music through Deezer’s Premium+ subscriptions. In the month of July, GrabTaxi users are entitled to win a two month Deezer Premium+ subscriptions simply by using the app itself.
The taxi booking scene is definitely heating up in the country. Whose side are you on?