Yesterday was Father’s Day and in case you didn’t notice, social media platforms were flooded with appreciation posts of all kinds.
While most take the time out to treat their dads to a good (and expensive) meal, there are some fathers out there who, on special days like these, were out working to support their families.
A perfect example would be the dads who happen to be the driver and restaurant partners for Uber and uberEATS.
On Father’s Day, these dads might have driven you to that lunch or dinner to meet your own dad, or delivered that sumptuous meal that you ordered for the family to eat in.
The Dads Of Uber Singapore
Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to talk to some of these ‘Uber Dads’ to find out how they are balancing work and family, and also, any of their memorable moments being a partner at Uber.
Here’s what they have to say in our little Q&A with each of them.
William Lim, 44, Driver-Partner
How many kids do you have and how old are they?
2 children, 10-years-old and 4-years-old.
How long have you been with Uber?
1 month.
What were you working as before joining Uber?
Head of Regional Operations for a training company.
How has becoming a partner at Uber helped you as a dad?
Flexible working hours allow me to spend more quality time with my family.
Any memorable rider stories?
Many. I once picked a wheelchair-bound elderly lady in her 80s and her maid, and they were both heading home. She looked pretty unwell when she board my car and I started to talk to her in her dialect, hoping to cheer her up.
Although the ride was short, our conversation was really like me talking to my mom and what makes it memorable was the elderly lady’s big bright smile when she got out of my car.
It may seem pretty ordinary to many, but to me, being able to make another person’s day better makes mine a whole lot better.
Lots of riders asked me why I chose to become an Uber driver, and when I share with them my reasons, most agreed that family is more important, and the value of the time with your children can never be bought.”
One thing that you would like your kids to know about your job.
I am doing this so that I can spend more time with them and driving Uber is not about just driving people around, it is about offering affordable convenience to the community.
Advice for dads-to-be?
A career is a must to provide for your family, but never at the expense of neglecting your family, especially when your children are growing up. The short few years that you spend with them when they are growing up will help shape their character and the decades of their life.
Hamad G Fauzi, 32, Driver-Partner
How many kids do you have and how old are they?
2 kids, one turning 3 this august, and the youngest just turned 1 last month.
How long have you been with Uber?
Almost 2 years.
What were you working as before joining Uber?
I was an ambassador for a limousine company and I was the one who fetched high rollers, VVIPs & international celebrities (like Gordon Ramsey and David Beckham) who came to Singapore.
How has becoming a partner at Uber helped you as a dad?
It gives me time with my wife and my children.
Any memorable rider stories?
Too many. Maybe if you were to ask those pregnant moms who were riders in my car, they will remember me.
One thing that you would like your kids to know about your job.
It’s the habit of going extra mile.
Advice for dads-to-be?
Ask your children – ‘How deep you love your daddy?’ That’s your answer.
Arif Salahuddin, Chef-Owner of Bismillah Biryani, a Michelin rated restaurant and UberEATS partner
How many kids do you have and how old are they?
2 kids, Zara’s 26 and Azan’s 22.
How long have you been with UberEATS?
We’ve been on the UberEATS platform for about 9 months.
We started getting in contact with Uber Eats in October 2016 when we only had 2 outlets, now we have 5 with the latest at 64 Joo Chiat place – which delivers exclusively with UberEats.
How did your daughter convince you to come on this platform?
My daughter, Zara, was talking me into it when she first came on board, showing me that many other companies have done so and how easy it is for her to order food from home.
She said we can always try it out, and if we don’t like it we’ll pass but here we are… still on Uber Eats with 5 outlets and counting.
It’s easy to use for both the restaurant and our customers so what’s there not to love? It has also helped us reach customers both new and old and increased our overall business by 15%-20%. We have since employed additional manpower to cope with this increase in demand.
With limited seating in the restaurant especially during peak hours, takeaways and deliveries are a great option to boost revenue. We have looked into creating more menu options for takeaways, even working on special family-sized options. For example, after joining UberEATS we looked into a family pack for our frozen Indian dessert, Kulfi, that would be withstand the Singapore heat. Before, they were only available in individual portions to be consumed as soon as it is taken out of the fridge.
Any memorable stories?
Zara: Every night when my dad comes home, we have a mini-meeting where he shares his philosophies and his game plans with my brother and I. It’s become somewhat of a ritual now, so we know to gravitate to the common room once my dad gets back.
We do a quick update of all the outlets and how everything is going. We also run the numbers if we aren’t too tired.
I came into this hating were numbers, and never liked math. I still kinda hate it but the wise words from my dad are “numbers will show you the way”.
If you don’t constantly see how you are doing and forecast how you can do better, then you won’t be able to move in the right direction.
Advice for dads-to-be?
I haven’t been in that position for over 20 years but let me recall. You’ll live to regret it… just joking, but on a serious note, try to be a friendly dad.
It’s fun to work with your kids and encourage them to share your dreams. Prepare whatever you are doing in light of the new way things are being done so they can participate in it.
Make difficult concepts easy for them to grasp making it more enticing to come on board. At least that is my approach.
A Father’s Work Is Never Over
These dads all prove that in whatever they choose to do, they always have their children and family as their top priority. So the next time you hop on a ride using Uber, remember that there are dads out there who are working to support their families regardless of the occasion.
If you happen to see any of the awesome dads above in your future rides (or when you pop by for some fantastic biryani) give them some words of encouragement for taking on a path not may want to embark on.
