According to a report by Polish daily "Rzeczpospolita," Uber plans to introduce special kiosks, dubbed the "uber-o-mats," to facilitate taxi bookings without the need for a smartphone app.
Reaching the digitally excluded
The kiosks are designed for people who are not familiar with smartphone operations or who do not have the Uber app. Uber has already tested these terminals in the Czech Republic and now looks to expand this solution to Poland.
"We are considering this. The tests in the Czech Republic were successful, and we would like to scale this project," confirmed Michał Konowrocki, General Manager of Uber Poland.
While the exact timeline for the installation of these kiosks in Poland remains uncertain, Konowrocki expressed a desire to place them in airports, train stations, and hospitals.
"This solution provides access to our platform and allows ride bookings without the need for an app. It offers us the opportunity to reach a completely new customer base: the elderly and those less digitally savvy," he explained.
Untapped potential among seniors
Experts cited by "Rzeczpospolita" highlight that the senior demographic represents a significant but often underutilized potential for tech companies. In Poland, nearly 10 million people are aged 60 and above. According to the Digital Poland report, 37% of seniors find digital technologies and the internet too complicated.
Despite 57% of seniors using mobile phones, only a small fraction utilize modern smartphones. Poland ranks third from the bottom in the EU for digital skills, with only 44% of Poles possessing basic digital competencies, compared to the EU average of 56%. Among seniors, this figure drops to 13%.
(jh)
Source: PAP, Rzeczpospolita