Image: techcrunch
Brilio.net/en - Bike taxi passengers in Indonesia will soon be able to chat with their drivers, and send them Cony and Brown stickers, too!
One of worlds largest social networks is in ongoing efforts to be more than just a messaging application for commuting Indonesians. Line app took an interesting turn in worlds fifth largest country with over 250 million people, by teaming up with Go-Jek; a popular online motorbike taxi (which is locally known as ojek) in the country.
Now Go-Jek users are able to request a ride from the Line app.
In fact, integrating on-demand services into a messaging app isnt a new thing. We have formerly seen WeChat integration with Didi Kuaidi, Uber with Messenger in the US. While Line has its own cab service in Japan, yet Line and Go-Jek integration is notable, because its represents the messaging apps farthest integration with a third party to date.
Once a bike driver (ojek) is summoned, passengers can watch via Line app the progress of their driver as he/she travels to pick them up. Passengers can also get in touch with their drivers via Line, too.
Go-Jek, for those who dont know, is one of Indonesias leading bike on-demand, or online ojek service, that is funded by Sequoia.
Go-Jek with its biggest competitor Grab, are taking opportunity in Indonesias huge commuter market, as ojek is a common transport option in big cities in the country, such as Jakarta. Riding an ojek is the fastest and most efficient way to beat Jakartas heavy traffic.
With over 200,000 drivers on its platform in the country, Go-Jek is arguably bigger than either Uber or Grab, making it a promising partner for the Japan native messaging application, which is currently putting much energy into Indonesia.
Lines annual revenue is surpassed US$1 billion for the first time in 2015, but its user growth is decreasing, hence its unclear whether the company is profitable. In response to the challenges, the company last year was rearranging its efforst to penetrate deeper into Asias potential markets, to get better earnings from its existing user base (which is currently sits at 215 million).
Indonesia has been considered as a profitable market, which make it one of Lines top four country in the companys list. With Blackberrys BBM wiped out from Indonesias major chat apps lists, despite of WhatsApps domination, sure there is an opportunity for Line to take over the vacant space left by BBM.
(brl/tis)
