10 ways to improve bike-sharing services
China's app-based bicycle-sharing phenomenon has captured the world's imagination, emboldening the Chinese companies concerned to roll out their services in overseas markets, including the United Kingdom, where the concept was first popularized by London's Boris Bikes.
Like countless others, I've found the bikes convenient and fun. Of late, however, there's been less fun and more fear, foulness and four-letter words - something bike companies ought to take note of if they wish to consolidate their early gains, make bike-sharing a reliable long-term business, burnish Brand China and stay on the right side of regulators.
The following 10 areas need urgent attention:
QR code: Quick response codes? Really? On numerous occasions, users, including me, have found them to be SR (slow response) codes. The scan goes on and on; the bicycle doesn't get unlocked. Then: "This bike is faulty/under repair, use another one".
Worse, the codes are covered by assorted filth on a reflective surface (usually shiny paint, plastic or glass), making it harder for the scanner to read them, especially in the dark when you use the phone's torchlight.
Trip details: Such information was once accurate, immediate. Not anymore. I uninstalled and reinstalled the apps, presuming something was wrong with my phone/the telecom carrier's tools. No improvement. Fellow users have confirmed trip details sometimes are a joke.
Poor customer service: Can't get live help on phone or chat in English. Submitting feedback is a long-winded process. Cost was increased without due notification. And response to feedback hasn't been encouraging. You receive stock replies and corporatespeak ("We're looking into it"/"We're currently unable to blah blah").
SMS: There are far too many SMS texts in Chinese. Bike-sharing is available now in the UK and Singapore, so making the apps and related services multilingual should be a priority. And in-app notifications and promotional messages should suffice. Ads on launch: You launch the app, and the app launches an ad or promotion masking the start screen. Understandable (revenue is important) but annoying.
Rusty chain: Noisy, embarrassing, potentially risky rides are not fun. Maintenance frequency needs to increase.
Adjustable seat: The clamp that allows height adjustment can give way suddenly, mid-ride, sending shocks and shivers from sensitive body areas up your spine.
Brakes: They range from fine to functional, semi-functional or dysfunctional. Carrying a bag in the basket can interfere with brake cables, affecting ride quality.
Pedals, wheels, spokes: I've seen pedal-rods and wheels twisted out of shape, suggesting they are not sturdy enough to bear the weight of, say, 85 kilograms of human flesh, blood and bones encased in skin. And, why is it that every time you try to lock the bike after use, the curvy rod first hits a spoke?
Bell: I like the variety of musical sounds they make, but more often than not their notes are anything but. A mute bell is the last thing you need on a momentum-generating slippery slope with traffic ahead and brakes suboptimal.
