poor lyft, stuck in a race for the bottom as uber continually makes the ridesharing market unsustainable and unprofitable

im sure lyft doesnt want to be giving away rides just to match uber’s craziness, but do you really want to be known as the 2nd most expensive rideshare company?

for a while lyft could differentiate itself from uber, among drivers, because lyft was the only one that allowed tipping, and even put it in the app.

but now that uber – once their founder was forced out of the company – has tipping, lyft no longer has that big advantage as being known as the company who gives a shit about its drivers.

so heres my idea: introduce Pre-Tipping

Install a pre-ride tip button in the app that cannot be revoked and the driver sees before he accepts the ride. this will

• encourage drivers to get to the pickup spot faster
• make the driver happier during the trip
• inspire a good vibe in the car where now the pax can ask for a lot more. Aux cable? Fine.

drivers’ attitude and alertness can change with as little as $2 because this does not eliminate the post-ride tip.

if the passenger was going to tip anyway, then do it all upfront. make a friend. be a hero. and guess what, the driver is gonna feel like he sorta owes you when you tip upfront. that is the best time to tip! it will inspire better service and deliver a more enjoyable experience.

and if Lyft really wants to market it right, they would call it a Stoke.

Lyft: where you can Stoke your driver even before you meet.