I was using Uber frequently after having moved to Ann Arbor in the fall of 2015. However, a recent event has left me shaking my head in disgust. Uber marketed that they were going to have an Ice Cream Delivery Day....even sent me a friendly reminder. When I tried to order the ice cream delivery, the driver knew absolutely nothing about it. I found out later that you have to install an application called UberEats for the ice cream delivery; but they did not tell me that in advance AND they did not even tell their drivers the event existed! So there we were on the phone, the driver and I - he said, "I don't want to cancel the trip because they will penalize me." I replied, "I don't want to cancel the trip because they will charge me." We left it in limbo for awhile. I did notice later that the driver cancelled it.
I went online to find our about the ice cream delivery offer, which was SUPPOSED TO BE A FUN THING. That is where I found out that you had to install UberEats, and I verified on their website that the offer WAS available in Ann Arbor. It was a one-day event. So I installed the UberEats app and tried again to order the Ice Cream Day delivery. I like for things to work the way they are advertised to, and yes, I can be persistent. The app on my phone said, "This is not available in your area." Now, they had marketed it directly to me, and their website stated very clearly that it was available in Ann Arbor. I looked all over for a phone number to call Uber and get this straightened out. They do not have a phone number - and the driver told me that even the drivers can not contact them by phone! - so I sent Uber an email, asking that the driver not be penalized and explaining that the UberEats app does not work in Ann Arbor, despite being advertised as live on their website.
Since then I have been receiving 3 or 4 emails every day from Uber, with different messages from various administrative employees. Some of them scold me for using the Uber app and insist that I install the UberEats app. One promised me a $10 credit to try their service again. And today, two days AFTER their Ice Cream Day fiasco ended, they are still sending me emails encouraging me to order the ice cream, saying that this is just one of their occasional fun events to reward their customers. An ice cream delivery is simply not all that important, of course, but I had looked forward to it, and the fact that Uber made an offer and then did not honor it makes me feel very uneasy about Uber.
I would have given a one-star "EEKS Methinks not" review, except that I have used Uber in the past and the service was acceptable. Some of the Uber drivers were indeed very nice. Some of the cars were well-maintained and clean, and others (as described in the review by Christopher K. above) were substandard and smelled of tobacco. Most of the drivers have been quite nice.
The last email Uber sent me today was telling me to download the UberEats app and inviting me to order the ice cream for Ice Cream Day (which ENDED two days ago). I replied by asking them not to email me anymore over this issue, reminding them that Ice Cream Day is OVER, telling them that I am uninstalling UberEats because it does NOT work, and stating that I expect them to provide me the $10 credit they promised. But, since they have proven themselves to be unreliable administratively....next time I will call Lyft.
If anyone from Uber reads this, please take it to heart that you need to honor the offers you make or simply do not make them. And please do clean up the communication glitches in your offices. By the way, the Uber driver also said that there is no way for your drivers to contact you by phone. That IS a problem. I cannot imagine having an employer and not being able to talk to that employer. Now I feel sad for the drivers. read more