ComfortDelGro's jab at Grab for SG$1 fee hike, shares what you can do with a dollar

Transport company, ComfortDelGro has taken a swift and sly jab at its competitor Grab after Grab made the announcement to raise its base fare by a dollar starting 1 June 2021.  Grab announced its fare increment on its website, attributing the revision to the period of uncertainty Phase 2 Heightened Alert has brought upon its drivers. It also said that this was the first time since 2017 that it had adjusted its fare structure.

ComfortDelgro said on its Facebook and newsletter that any increase of even a dollar could be "too much to bear in times like these".

ComfortDelGro's Facebook post, which has received 992 positive reactions at the time of writing, also stated that it does not have any platform fees currently and that it was reducing the daily rental of its taxis by 50% until 13 June this year. "[This was done] so that we neither pass the financial burden to our cabbies nor our customers," the post said.

The positive reactions to the post was accompanied with 131 comments and 227 shares at the time of writing. Sentiments sharing a theme of appreciation were scattered in the comment section, however some netizens took this opportunity to call out ComfortDelGro's move. One comment even labelled the announcement as "failed marketing" and explained that the increase of fares goes to the driver and that even though times are bad, commuters can still afford a SG$1 dollar increase.

Following its announcement, ComfortDelGro shared a promotional video on its Facebook page, stating the various things one can do with a dollar. 

"What can you get with SG$1? SG$1 may not seem like much but you can probably get a plain roti prata kosong, a hotdog bun from IKEA or an ice-cream cone. Save all the SG$1 you need to satisfy your food cravings when you ride with ComfortDelGro taxis," the post said. 

Separately, in April this year, eCommerce platform, Lazada, announced a partnership with ComfortDelGro that will allow shoppers in Singapore to book ComfortDelGro cabs within the Lazada app.  The Integrated taxi-booking services within the app was first for an eCommerce platform in Singapore. The partnership saw ComfortDelGro Taxi expand its reach by tapping into Lazada's customer base. 

Aside from this, ComfortDelGro also recently launched a lifestyle and mobility app titled "Zig" in March this year, stepping into the ring with its competitors Grab and Google Pay. Conceptualised and operated by CDG Zig Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ComfortDelGro Group, the app marked the group’s entry into the lifestyle arena while leveraging on its strength in the mobility business. ComfortDelGro said that app has an interactive map-based interface to allow users to search for lifestyle services.

The app allows users to make a reservation at a dining venue, purchase tickets to entertainment outlets and attractions, and plan journeys from one point to another. It is added that each experience can be customised to fit a user’s personal preferences, whether they are adventure seekers or creatures of habits. 

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