Careem partners with what3words to simplify location finding in Saudi Arabia
Careem, the technology platform for the greater Middle East, has partnered with what3words, the location technology company to provide a precise addressing system that will improve the pick up and drop off experience for customers and captains. This partnership will enable customers to enter a what3words address for their location within the Careem app, meaning they will no longer have to enter a long or complex traditional address. Three words are now all they need to get exactly where they need to be.
what3words has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and given each square a what3words address. So, for example, if you were visiting the Careem Riyadh head office, you could simply type ///chuckle.readers.path for the exact entrance instead of 2869 Dammam Branch Rd, Ash Shuhada, Riyadh 13241 8142, Saudi Arabia which points to the building.
‘Careem is providing a valuable and trusted service to Saudi Arabia and the region. Careem’s app simplifies the way that people move around, order food, and transact. Partnering with what3words will make the experience even smoother, as customers will know they’re getting picked up or arriving at precisely the correct location, without the need for adding step-by-step directions’ explains Chris Sheldrick, CEO and co-founder of what3words.
‘Directing people or finding an address is done in so many different ways in Saudi Arabia – often with mixed results. Using three words and good technology to pinpoint a spot is a game-changer for our customers and captains and we are excited to see how this partnership can help Careem give them a much better experience.’ adds Hashim Larry, Careem KSA, AGM.
Moving around Saudi Arabia will now be simpler than ever before. Captains will no longer have to search for the correct pickup or drop-off locations or ask for additional directions. Whether it's a specific door, shopping mall entrance, office, street corner or park gate, allowing customers to enter a what3words address will enable the fastest possible route planning. The Careem experience will also be more convenient for customers, who will know they’re going to the correct place the first time, every time.
what3words solves many of the difficulties that people struggle with when technology fails. Pins that drop in the middle of a building make it hard to know which is the correct drop-off point. Mistakes can easily be made when typing a full address, and points of interest can often return multiple results. what3words built-in AutoSuggest feature uses error prevention to suggest the correct what3words address, even if your search contained typos or other mistakes. what3words input will be available in the Careem app in both Arabic and English.
Despite a rocky first half of the year, Saudi Arabia’s startup funding increased by 102% from H1 2019 to H1 2020, with H1 2020 already surpassing full-year 2019 by the amount of funding. Discover more data by downloading our FREE H1 2020 Saudi Arabia Venture Capital Snapshot.
هذا التقرير متوفّر أيضاً باللغة العربية على الرابط التالي: تقرير الاستثمار الجريء في المملكة العربية السعودية في النصف الأول من عام ٢٠٢٠