Uber For Business Explained [& Is It Right For You?]

What is Uber for Business?

Uber for Business is one of the services offered by Uber but it’s designed to cater to the needs of companies and its employees by extending Uber’s core ride-hailing service to the corporate world.

The app offers a suite of special features designed specifically for all businesses that need to manage corporate expenses.

In fact, the list of services Uber for Business offers is quite remarkable and isn’t only limited to travel.

The service features a centralized dashboard that allows companies to provide several features, such as (but aren’t limited to):

• Manage and subsidize commutes: Help employees get to and from the office with company-funded or partially covered rides.
• Special event rides: Ensure attendees have easy transportation to and from your events and even provide ride vouchers as incentives.
• Arranging meal deliveries: Order food deliveries to the office for meetings or directly to employees’ homes.
• Complimentary rides: Allows you to arrange courtesy rides for guests and clients as well as workers

It’s also worth noting that Uber for Business isn’t a new service, as it was launched back in 2014 and has received various updates and improvements over the years. According to Uber, there are currently over 170,000 organizations using the service.

How Uber for Business Works

Understanding how Uber for Business works is essential for making the most out of its features. Here’s a brief overview for companies to get started with Uber for Business.

First, the company will need to set up a central Uber for Business account. The easiest way to achieve this is through the Uber app directly. You can also access the Uber for Business website by signing in using a regular Uber account.

After setting up the accounts, you’ll need to optimize its settings and details according to the company travel policy.

This should also be a fairly easy step, as the Uber for Business dashboard explains all the features in detail. For example, you can add a dedicated corporate credit card for centralized billing.

You can also integrate Uber for Business with existing expense management systems that Uber partners with.

The dashboard also allows you to set up various aspects of your travel policy, including:

• Spending limits
• Type of rides to control costs and maintain a budget
• Location and time of day restrictions
• Outline the basic benefits you’re providing through the service
• Expense reporting options to keep up with your transportation budget

Employees can then connect their own Uber accounts to the company account. This allows them to request rides using the regular Uber app on their smartphone.

Switching between personal and company Uber is easy, as employees will be able to toggle between the two modes.

The only difference here is that commutes and rides you set up will be directly billed to the Uber for Business profile rather than their personal Uber account.

Unique Features and Benefits

Uber for Business stands out for its variety of features and benefits for both corporations and employees. Here’s a closer look at some of the main advantages of using the platform.

Centralized Billing and Flexible Payment Options

Uber for Business allows your employees to book business rides to airports, meetings, or any work destination with relative ease.

You can also choose between a variety of billing methods to suit your company’s expense management system. For instance, you can add single or various credit cards as billing options.

Detailed Reporting for Expense Management

Besides fully controlling your billing options, Uber for Business allows you to organize and keep track of your expenses.

Uber for Business can help you consolidate all expenses into a single, monthly invoice, saving your finance team significant time and effort.

You can also connect and integrate Uber for Business with popular expense management platforms like SAP Concur or Zoho Expense.

Travel Policy Enforcement

You can easily set up specific company travel policies directly within the platform. This prevents mismanagement of funds and ensures employees adhere to spending limits and preferred car types while booking.

Streamlined Scheduling and Commutes

Uber for Business helps employees get to and from work conveniently without worrying about expenses.

It also allows them to focus less on scheduling commutes, which reduces absenteeism and late arrivals.

The platform also lets employers and workers set up trips in advance. This reduces stress associated with punctuality and budgeting, which can improve overall employee satisfaction.

More Than Just Travel Management

Another aspect that sets Uber for Business apart from regular commute management is that it’s not only limited to trips.

The service can also handle meal delivery options for work. This can boost employees’ morale and productivity while reducing the downtime associated with sourcing meals while on the job.

Employee Satisfaction Means Enhanced Efficiency

Since you have one platform handling all these functions, it gives your team more time to focus on work and reduces the burdens and tasks your financial and human resource team has to take care of.

This enhances the satisfaction levels among employees, which improves their overall efficiency and encourages them to increase productivity and innovation at work.

Understanding the Uber Business Pricing and Subscription Model

Another remarkable advantage of Uber for Business is that it doesn’t really cost more than regular Uber.

Companies that offer ride management for businesses typically have a unique subscription model to use the service’s features. However, Uber for Business doesn’t charge any extra costs.

In other words, businesses pay the same standard fares as individual users, which can vary depending on some factors, such as:

• Distance of the ride
• Time of booking
• Level of demand
• Geographical location, as the fare in some cities might be much higher than in smaller towns
• The chosen service tier (UberX, Uber Black, Uber SUV, etc.)

The same also goes for meal deliveries, which typically cost almost the same as when an individual user orders the same food through Uber Eats. The only difference here is that Uber for Business will forward the receipt to the company.

However, Uber for Business offers customized solutions and travel benefits for companies that need them, especially larger ones. In that case, the platform may also charge an additional fee for its services.

How to Use Uber for Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a simple guide to show you how to set up Uber for Business and use it for both corporates and employees.

Registration

First, the company sets up the Uber for Business account, both of which are through the app of the official website. There are two ways to sign up for Uber for Business:

• Self-serve Sign Up: This is a simple signup process similar to registering your Uber account. The quick and easy process offers the standard features of Uber for Business and is ideal for smaller businesses.
• Contacting Sales: For larger companies of 250 employees or more, Uber offers a more tailored experience with features like dedicated support and invoicing options. For this method, you only need to contact sales, as they’ll handle account setup for you.

Adjusting Your Uber for Business

After setting up your account, you’ll access the dashboard. This is your control center where you can create and manage different features of the service, such as:

• Set guidelines for employees, inducing spending limits, preferred car types, and time restrictions for business trips.
• Offer meal allowances and programs for your employees.
• Provide employees or clients with prepaid credits as incentives or rewards.
• Control the switching between Uber for Business and regular Uber within the app
• Create employee profiles or send them invitations
• Keep track of your spending and utilize reporting tools for insights.

Using the Service

Using Uber for Business is practically the same as using traditional Uber. You’ll adjust your ride details, but before confirming the ride, you’ll switch from “Personal” to “Company Account”. Here’s a quick video by Uber explaining the process for first-time users.

Is Uber for Business Worth It? An Analysis

Uber for Business can be a valuable solution for companies looking for a method to handle employee transportation easily.

Booking rides and meals through a familiar app simplifies and makes it much easier for employees to use the app.

The dashboard controls enhance expense management and eliminate the need for alternative transportation systems like taxis or buses while reducing time wasted on logistics.

The best thing about Uber for Business is that it also doesn’t incur any extra fees, as it costs practically the same as booking any regular Uber ride.

Of course, Uber rides could be a little more expensive than using company vehicles. However, it eliminates other costly aspects, such as maintenance, driver salaries, parking, buying vehicles, etc.

For that reason, Uber for Business can be a valuable tool for companies of all sizes, especially those with frequent business travel or a mobile workforce.

Other Useful Information

While traditional car services typically offer fixed contracts and limited flexibility, Uber for Business provides on-demand rides with real-time tracking and expense management.

However, Uber for Business is not one of a kind, as you can also find similar services in competitors like Lyft Business

That being said, Uber’s service is more polished and offers better features for centralized control while costing no additional fees.

Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t reveal Uber for Business users, but startups and large corporations with frequent travel or remote workers typically benefit most from the app’s features.

Conclusion: Deciding if Uber for Business is Right for You

Uber for Business simplifies expense reports, offers real-time tracking, and empowers flexible travel management.

The revolutionary service has the ability to change corporate transportation by creating a budget-conscious alternative that considers business needs, especially for workplaces that involve commutes and plenty of business meetings.

However, before setting up your business account, you need to consider your business requirements and whether the service will fulfill those needs. These include frequency of trips, setting budget limits, tracking commutes, etc.