Savaari Car Rentals, an intercity cab service provider, has introduced a Driver Language Preference feature in collaboration with taxi operators across India. This feature, now available in 25 cities, enables customers to request drivers who speak their preferred language, addressing communication challenges in India’s linguistically diverse regions. Taxi operators have also welcomed the initiative, noting its role in improving coordination and customer satisfaction.
The feature addresses a significant challenge in intercity travel, where dialects and languages often change every 50-100 kilometers. By offering this option, Savaari aims to enhance the convenience of travelers who prefer to communicate in their native language. Since its launch, 13% of trips have included this option, with cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata seeing the highest adoption rates.
Gaurav Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Savaari Car Rentals, highlighted the dual benefits of the feature. It improves customer experience while providing opportunities for drivers to earn more by utilizing their language skills. The company reported a 20% increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS) on trips where the feature was used and observed increased repeat bookings in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi.
Drivers proficient in multiple languages are earning 8-10% more than their peers, encouraging upskilling within the industry. Around one-third of drivers associated with Savaari’s taxi operators are now fluent in at least one non-local language, with cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, Madurai, and Mysuru leading in this trend.
Savaari is supporting its taxi operator partners by investing in driver education and language proficiency. The company plans to introduce language quizzes and upskilling modules in its taxi partner app and will provide driver-generated content in local languages through short videos at the time of booking assignment, further enhancing customer confidence in drivers’ communication skills.