Meet Noah, goal-getter and Greenlight Hub Expert

We sat down with 4 Uber employees to learn how they’re making 2018 their year, from pursuing lifelong passions to finding the confidence to try new things. First up, Noah. Here’s his story:

Hey, Noah! Tell us about what you do at Uber.

I’m what’s called an Expert at one of our driver-partner support centers—we call them Greenlight Hubs—in San Francisco. Driver-partners come in because they’re having a problem.

There are problems we can solve quickly in person that are harder to solve with online customer support, like giving a driver-partner an extra Uber sticker for his car so he can meet city requirements.

What kinds of questions do drivers have?

We help with anything and everything. If a driver-partner forgot to start a trip in the app when he started driving, I can show him how to handle that in the app. If another driver-partner had an issue like an unruly rider in their car, I can talk them through it to reach a solution and escalate their concerns to the proper departments. Driver-partners often ask about Uber’s plans for products moving forward, including marketing and in-app changes. Sometimes, they just want to talk.

It’s great to be able to talk to someone face to face and have them leave the Hub happier than they came in. If someone leaves happy, I’ve done my job.

How many people are on your team?

There are 4 of us, plus a mechanic on site most days to perform the 19-point vehicle inspection that’s required for all driver-partners. Since it’s a smaller office, it really feels like a family.

How do you work with Uber HQ?

We log driver-partner pain points and feed that information back to the team building the app. For example, a while back some driver-partners complained that not all riders knew about the car seat law, and were asking driver-partners to carry children without car seats. After that, we added some info about car seats to the Uber rider app. That might seem small, but it’s made a difference for people who drive with Uber.

What do you love about your job?

I love following up with people I’ve helped and connecting with them on a more personal level. It’s the best feeling to have a driver-partner wait in line until I’m free just so he can talk to me. Some driver-partners even come in when they don’t need help, just to show me their new car or photos of their daughter’s quinceañera.

What are your goals for 2018?

I’m trying to advance in 3 core areas: career, health, and hobbies.

Career-wise, we’re working on standardizing Greenlight Hubs across the board, so a driver-partner can go to any Greenlight Hub anywhere, see someone like me, and get the exact same level of help. I love building relationships with driver-partners; they mean a lot to me.

Health-wise, as long as I’m moving, whether that’s hiking or football or even throwing a frisbee around, I’m happier. As I grow that discipline, it helps me in every other area of my life.

On the hobby front, I bought a motorcycle last summer and taught myself to maintain it, so every outing is a chance to  learn. I love the exhilaration I get from riding, as well as the community of riders I’ve met so far.

Any advice for someone trying to stick to their resolutions?

No zero days. Do one thing to get closer to your goal, every day. Do one pushup,
read one page, write one sentence. By the time you’ve finished with one, you’ll already be in the
position to continue and you may just feel ready to do ten more.

And if you slip, don’t beat yourself up. Jon Kabat-Zinn has a great quote that reads, “If you can’t change the waves, you might as well learn to surf.”

The statements contained herein are those of the individuals and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views, opinions, or policies of Uber Technologies, Inc.