How to Earn More Tips in Rideshare
"Thanks for the ride! Here's a little something extra for you…" These are the magic words we wish every passenger told us.
In this short Animo Coach article, we're going to share the results of an experiment we ran with some of our members that helped them get five times more tips than normal and boost total earnings by 10%!* And we'll also share four easy things you can do to start earning more tips in cash (whether you're driving for Lyft or Uber).* Members driving for Uber went from getting tips on 1 out of 15 rides to 1 out of 3 rides.
The Results - How To Earn More Tips
Using the four tips, our members were able to get nearly 1 in 3 passengers to give tips, resulting in an earnings boost of over 10%!
We tried multiple ways to solicit tips and what we've found works best is ensuring your car has:
1. A tip sign (examples in the next section)
2. Charging cables for Android and iPhone
3. A tip jar
4. A reason for the tips
Each of these 4 things plays a crucial role in helping you earn the appreciation (and patronage) of your passenger.
1. The Tip Sign
Uber has done a good job of making riders think that tips are already included, so a tip sign is needed to let passengers know they even have the option.
Your tip sign can be serious, humorous, or heartfelt, but it should definitely be something you feel comfortable having a conversation about. Make sure it's well-lit and visible!
2. Charging cables
Charging cables give passengers a reason to tip. Bring a Car USB Port and a few 6-foot long charging cords for Android and Iphones and offer them to all of your passengers.
Not only is this great for providing a 5-star experience, it also shows you're bringing value above and beyond other rideshare drivers on the road! Passengers will feel more enthusiastic about tipping when you provide a valuable service up front.
3. A tip jar
Have you ever felt awkward handing cash to a valet or bellhop? Or wanted to give a tip, but didn't see an obvious place to put the cash?
Sometimes passengers will feel awkward handing a cash tip to you, even if they want to. So make it easy on them and bring along a clearly marked tip jar!
Pro tip: Put a few bills and coins in the jar before your first drive so that people see exactly what the jar is meant for.
4. A good reason for tips
Psychology research shows that people are more likely to agree to something if they're given a reason, and that it doesn't really matter what the reason is.
What this means is that saying "Can I have a tip?" is less effective than saying "Can I have a tip because I am saving money to buy a gift for my son's 5th birthday?"
Think about the last time you were at your local coffee shop or favorite take-out restaurant. Maybe you didn't plan on dropping your change in the tip jar, but then you saw a sign that said "For my community college fund" above the jar. Suddenly, you're thinking "well... why not" and putting a dollar or two into the jar.
The same principle applies here. Find a reason to start saving and let people know what that is (either in conversation, or in a sign above the tip jar).
Examples of Different Setups
Your tip sign can be as unique and fancy, or minimal, as you like! Here are some examples of what other Animo members and Uber/Lyft drivers have come up with!
Note: Some signs apply more pressure than others - remember that your sign should be something you feel comfortable talking about.
Humor is always a great way to engage with passengers. Humorous signs can lead to conversations where you can tell passengers what you're looking to do (e.g. Saving money for college classes or Christmas presents for your kids) without being forceful or seem demanding.
Some signs can be more direct in a humorous way. In this case, Nemo and Dory are in a fish bowl with a sign that says, "I can only swim in $$$ please don't let me die."
A simple reminder can also work well.
Having a sign with letting passengers know that they can ask to change the music/temperature is a great way to get the passengers to be more comfortable. With the addition of charging cables for different phones, you can't go wrong!
Feedback
We hope you found this week's Animo Coach tips useful! How do you plan to apply these tips to boost your earnings?
Let us know by emailing us at tips@driveanimo.com. And if you have additional tips, please share it with our community by emailing into tips@driveanimo.com!
