STARTING CONVERSATIONS

Consider Your Rider’s Demeanor

Stay attentive to how much or little your riders want to talk. Joshua recommends focusing on interpreting the personality of riders. “It’s all in the personality of the customer. I can kind of see if there’s a conversation that’s going to start up or if it’ll be dead. When I say, ‘How are you doing?’ and they say, ‘Good,’ and it falls flat, then I usually know the rider doesn’t want to chat.”

Of course, do what’s comfortable for you. Amjad tends to leave the conversation to his riders. Overall, “people are friendly and respect each other,” according to Mehmed.

Start Cheerful Chats

Initiate friendly conversations with your riders. Depending on the time of day, Zach will ask, “How was your morning?” or “How was your evening?” On early-morning rides, Zach inquires if they have anything planned for the day ahead. He also uses the context of the pickup area or destination. For example, if it’s at the airport, he’ll ask where they’re heading to or from.

His personal pulse-check is a “three-question rule of thumb.” When three questions are met with abrupt responses, he “takes the hint that they don’t want to talk. And that’s something I respect.” Kory recommends weather as a topic since “everyone has an opinion and no one can be offended by conversation about weather!”

Project a Friendly Attitude

Whatever your natural demeanor might be, just sharing a smile or friendly greeting eases riders and creates a great riding experience. Sometimes riders just sit in silence and keep busy with their phones and other times they strike up a conversation. Scott shares, “I try to be a social and inviting driver to everyone and that energy just fills my car.”

Samuel enjoys the social elements of uberPOOL. “I really like the fact that people can have a conversation and meet others. Most of the time, I try to start a conversation to break the ice.”