How To Grab a Ride in Singapore – And Six Other S.E. Asian Locations

               David Parmer/Tokyo

In the early 21st century, ride-hailing services service have changed the face of the global transportation system. It would seem that there is not much room in the market for new players, and yet, since 2012, Singapore-based Grab has been moving up as #1 service throughout Southeast Asia. Grab is now in six Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. And according to the company’s website, Grab is also available in Beta form in Myanmar.

The company, which now has a valuation of $3 billion, was founded by two Harvard Business School classmates, Anthony Tan (34) and Tan Hooi Ling (32). They started on a shoestring in Malaysia, and reportedly make their share of mistakes along the way. Grab is now in 31 cities in six countries (plus Myanmar).They have partnered with China’s Didi Chuxing and Lyft in the US.

In Singapore Grab offers a variety of services including:

• Grab Taxi
• Grab Car
• Grab Hitch
• Grab Share
• Grab Coach
• Grab Shuttle

The keys to Grab’s success seem to be two: its tech, and its corporate philosophy. The Grab application for smartphones is designed to be more user-friendly than other applications of the same type. It lets the user connect to the closest Grab vehicle. This works out as being better for both the Grab driver and the prospective passenger.

As for the corporate philosophy, they company set out not only to make ride hailing safer, but also better. Grab screens its drivers in face-to-face interviews before taking them on board, and the company also pays them better by taking a lower-than-market commission from the drivers.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of the Grab corporate organization is GrabPay. This mobile payments application lets customers pay via smartphone. The company hopes to expand the use of GrabPay throughout the region and to have customers use the application not only to pay for transportation, but also to make purchases in shops, malls, restaurants etc.

Grab is headed for regional dominance in its chosen field and beyond. Time alone will tell whether Grab can take its regional success and move onto the world stage.

Photo: Grab website