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Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

economist.com

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Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#31

Post by __jal »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #2

Honestly, how many other companies, government agencies, or other organizations would hold up under the kind of coordinated, orchestrated drubbing that the media has dished out to Uber over the last couple of months?

Can you point to the coordination and orchestration?

Who is the conductor?

Extraordinary claims and all that. We've had enough of this hand wave-whispering of dark plots for one year.

If you are not going to name the bad actor you think is pulling the strings, don't make the claim.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#32

Post by dkarapetyan »

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

But they actually can't survive. You're assuming the current demand can offset all the money they're burning.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#33

Post by vaishaksuresh »

aceinaday wrote: post #15

IMHO as a part-time Uber driver, Uber could fix a lot of their current problems by putting tipping into the app. The self-driving car is not here yet, and Uber does not do enough for its drivers. If they would just add tipping I think that better drivers in better cars would start driving again. Without the tips, it's just not worth it.

No thanks! If drivers need to be compensated better, I would suggest increasing the fare or Uber taking a smaller cut. A lot of people prefer Uber just so they don't have to deal with tipping like in traditional cabs.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#34

Post by smacktoward »

twblalock wrote: post #6

Here's the money quote: > If Mr Gurley and the rest of the board cannot find an experienced candidate willing to work with Mr Kalanick, calls for him to step down may grow louder. But that is his decision to take. Uber is a prominent example of founders’ power at fast-growing tech firms. On its own, Uber’s board does not have the clout to change the CEO, because of his super-voting shares and those of his co-founder,…

It also raises another good question: how big of a fool would you have to be to take the job Gurley and the board are trying to fill? How do you rein in a CEO who has total, unchallengeable control of the company?

(Maybe if they offer enough money, it's worth it even if it's a suicide mission? Though "just cash the checks and wait for your inevitable dismissal" doesn't seem like an attractive offer for anyone who's good enough to have alternatives.)

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#35

Post by bluetidepro »

foota wrote: post #30
robbyking wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's important to remember that Uber users aren't loyal: if a ride isn't immediately available through Uber, they use Lyft; if Lyft isn't available, they go to the next app. While I agree that the service is here to stay, the individual players are likely to shift.

Are uber rides ever not available?

Yes, "available" isn't probably the correct term, but what the author of that comment probably meant was stuff like "surging prices", "wait time", etc.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#36

Post by simonh »

clamprecht wrote: post #14
twblalock wrote: post #6

Here's the money quote: > If Mr Gurley and the rest of the board cannot find an experienced candidate willing to work with Mr Kalanick, calls for him to step down may grow louder. But that is his decision to take. Uber is a prominent example of founders’ power at fast-growing tech firms. On its own, Uber’s board does not have the clout to change the CEO, because of his super-voting shares and those of his co-founder,…

I know Steve Jobs is the exception that proves the rule, but still, Apple fired Steve.

"I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. ..... I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it." - Steve Jobs

The Steve Jobs Apple fired was not the same man that returned to save the company. The caricature portrayal of him with an aggressive, petty, demanding, obnoxious style were all pretty much true back then. If Kalanick is at an equivalent stage, then Uber may really desperately need to get rid of him. Whether he ever vindicates himself and realises a greater potential remains to be seen, but it may well be that remaining at Uber regardless of his behaviour will just feed the negative side of his nature.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#37

Post by sillysaurus3 »

clamprecht wrote: post #14
twblalock wrote: post #6

Here's the money quote: > If Mr Gurley and the rest of the board cannot find an experienced candidate willing to work with Mr Kalanick, calls for him to step down may grow louder. But that is his decision to take. Uber is a prominent example of founders’ power at fast-growing tech firms. On its own, Uber’s board does not have the clout to change the CEO, because of his super-voting shares and those of his co-founder,…

I know Steve Jobs is the exception that proves the rule, but still, Apple fired Steve.

Uber's board can't, though.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#38

Post by Kiro »

aceinaday wrote: post #15

IMHO as a part-time Uber driver, Uber could fix a lot of their current problems by putting tipping into the app. The self-driving car is not here yet, and Uber does not do enough for its drivers. If they would just add tipping I think that better drivers in better cars would start driving again. Without the tips, it's just not worth it.

Tipping should be outlawed.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#39

Post by 9q »

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

The person we got in to fill a spare room in our house uses Uber to pay his rent, so I'm slightly concerned if his income will be affected as well.

I'm hoping not so he can continue to pay rent.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#40

Post by dragonwriter »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #13
trome wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How has it been coordinated? Most of these things, like worker harassment which was reported on twice, once perpetrated by a childish CEO who is still in charge, is self inflicted. Travis didn't have to join Trump's Tech Advisory Committee either, that was a choice he made.

Around twenty people signed on to Trump's advisory committee, many of them very well-known figures in the tech and manufacturing industries. How many others, besides Kalanick, can you name off the top of your head? Thought so.

> Around twenty people signed on to Trump's advisory committee, many of them very well-known figures in the tech and manufacturing industries. How many others, besides Kalanick, can you name off the top of your head?

Given the volume of comments mentioning their role in the committee I've seen on HN, I'd say that HN users are probably at least as likely to know about Elon Musk being on the committee (and unlike Kalanick, staying on it.)

And Musk and Kalanick are the two that have been high profile media figures as part of startup media strategy; most of the rest are big blue-chip finance and manufacturing CEO, who despite leading more powerful firms, normally have lower media profiles.

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