FOLLOWING the implementation of the effort-based model, leaders from the Grab rider community have reported a stable to slight increase in their earnings.
For its part, Grab has been firm against misinformation discrediting the company and the new earning model.
Leaders from the Grab delivery partner community expressed their cautious optimism about the newly introduced effort-based model. Over the past 2 weeks since the launch of the restructured earning model, the community leaders have noted that their average income has either remained at par or has incrementally improved.
Grab delivery partners actively participate in a series of fora and town hall meetings, engaging in discussion with Grab as the platform introduces the effort-based earning model. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The rider leaders highlighted how the new effort-based model addressed their existing concerns by incorporating pick-up distance and the merchant waiting time in their earnings computation.
“I am happy to see that Grab now takes into consideration the effort going to the merchant and the waiting time for the order. I’ve noticed that my earnings have not gone down and, sometimes, have even gone up,” said in Filipino by Jerry, a member of the Grab delivery-partner community.
Continued assessment and observation
The initial results of the Metro Manila implementation of the effort-based model have attested to its efficacy. Following this, rider leaders began pushing for continued collaboration with Grab to assess and calibrate the earning model in response to emerging trends and the ever-evolving macroeconomic landscape.
“The initial results of the new Grab earning model are fairly good. However, because this new model is still in its early stages, we are reassuring every member of our community that we are in continuous dialogue with Grab in order to improve the programs such as the effort-based earning model,” said in Filipino by John, a rider from Gen T Valenzuela Tambayan.
In a separate statement, Grab committed to closely monitoring the outcomes of the new earning model. Grab has been complementing the effort-based model with guaranteed minimum fares and holistic incentive programs to ensure earning viability for riders.
Two-way communication
The rider leaders relayed their community’s gratitude for Grab’s proactive approach in fostering open dialogue with the rider community.
Among the leaders was Mon, who underscored the significance of actively participating in Grab’s fora and discussion platforms to facilitate a constructive exchange of ideas with the company’s leadership.
He said: “I actively join Grab discussion, especially when I know that our earnings will be affected. I am pleased that there are these kinds of opportunities in order for us to communicate our feedback and suggestions to the leadership of Grab.”
Mon also expressed appreciation for Grab’s feedback and dispute mechanisms, which are available for its delivery-partners. In light of the effort-based model launch, Mon shared that Grab activated a new help portal for riders to file reports, regarding concerns such as fare computation and actual merchant waiting time. This has been crucial in ensuring that the riders’ earnings calculations adhered to the model.
Trust in the platform
The rider leaders have recognized their industry colleagues’ apprehension, acknowledging that changes could often be overwhelming.
However, one leader, Bong, was confident that as Grab continues to reach out, educate and obtain riders’ feedback regarding the new effort-based model, riders would gain a clearer understanding of its advantages and how it aligned with the current market and economic conditions, ultimately ensuring the platform’s sustainability.
Bond explained: “In all my years with Grab, as one of the pioneers in 2018, I’ve already been part of many changes. It’s fair that there would be some questions upon the implementation of new policies such as these. But I do trust Grab with the rollout of its programs because I’ve seen first hand how they’ve been consistent in delivering results equally beneficial to riders like us. I encourage my fellow riders to try to understand the new model further.”
Bong said the rider community acknowledged that Grab still offered the most competitive earning model versus other delivery platforms in the Philippines. In the same forum with Grab, leaders from various delivery partner communities recognized the company’s commitment to optimizing the earning potential of its delivery-partners, enabling them to earn substantially above the minimum wage.
Battling misinformation
For its part, Grab Philippines emphasized its firm stance against the misinformation being propagated to malign Grab and the new earning model to the delivery partners. Grab has been committed to imposing sanctions on entities that disseminated false information both within and outside the Grab delivery partner community.
Delivery partners were, instead, encouraged to approach any rider leader to clarify their questions and check relevant content shared via the Grab driver app.