In a travel operation that will enable shoppers to visit malls in style, Uber is going into partnership with Westfield Corp. by designating pick-up and drop-off points known as Uber Lounges across the US in all the 33 shopping malls run by the company.
The first mall that will provide an Uber lounge where shoppers will leisurely wait for their rides is Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The company announced that it will take almost $1 billion to revamped and renovate the waiting area which will include different amenities for customers, comfortable seating and ultra-modern designs. It is expected that the work on the lounge will be finished in the fall.
As part of its mission to give superior shopping experiences for all its retail customers by creating excellent physical environments for shoppers, the retailer said it is leveraging on technology to meet its goals.
In a statement released by William Hecht, the COO of the company in the US, he expressed great joy that they will make traveling to and from all the shopping destinations more enjoyable and convenient than ever before by leveraging on technological innovations.
Shoppers will be able to decide where they could be dropped-off or picked-up within the shopping malls by locating points of their preferences by use of the Uber app. In an imitation of ridesharing points for pick-ups or dedicated stands for taxis found in significant transport venues and entertainment spots, Westfield will also equip all its malls with up to 10 stations for Uber that will be prominently visible. Uber’s employees specializing in customer care will also be available in kiosks situated in some malls.
The head of experiential marketing and business development for Uber, Amy Friedlander Hoffman said that although Uber intended to make transportation everywhere seamless for everyone, they could not do that independently.
He added that partners like the retailer played an essential part in how people moved within and around cities, and so they were excited at the prospect of working together on this unique initiative focusing on the provision of first class travel experience to the shoppers when they are riding to movies, to dinners or just shopping.
In a deal targeting to streamline the services offered by taxis to and from the two of the organizations’ shopping malls in London, the company is the first outlet for retail shopping from the UK to partner with Uber. At both Stratford City and London, there are already specific drop-off and pick-up points that have been established. The shoppers will have access to all the services offered by like LUX, EXEC, ZL, and X. Also available from valet stations for the retailer will be other premium services that Uber offers.
The Uber app will function normally for customers within the store, but to access any of the new Uber lounges in the shopping center, the customers will have to follow the installed new signage. Paul Buttigieg, the operations director for the company said that the organization was proud to be the first shopping outlet to deliver improved services to customers by partnering with Uber.
