Introduction
Bykea a motorcycle-focused ride-hailing and courier app local to Pakistan. The company was founded in 2016 by Muneeb Maayr, Abdul Mannan, Ishaq Kothwala, and Rafiq Malik (Menabytes, 2020). Their aim is to solve the problem of transportation and delivery while providing an income opportunity for the lower income sector. It operates currently in three cities: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan. In the short time since its founding, the firm has skyrocketed to popularity and received favorable reviews from significant investors in the area. They recently gained attention when their 30 million valuation earned them the mark (Brandinginasia, 2020).
The consumer market is brimming with development potential. Every market has a turning moment. Consumers’ need for discounts drives them to lash out against venture capitalists in the case of e-tailors. In Pakistan, the market for passenger vehicles is one of the most competitive and rapidly expanding. Limited infrastructure and a growing population contribute to the chance to expand, particularly luring investors and sons of soil to invest in a competitive way, which in turn results in more desirable services for clients at more reasonable prices (1). Taxi service providers like Careem, Cheetas, Shadow Fax, Parsel, etc., are expanding significantly. It is the drivers in the case of on-demand cab aggregators like Careem, Cheetas, and Bykea bike (Fahad Javed Siddiqui, 2018).
The bike market scenario in Pakistan is a huge market. In 2020, 951.093 bikes were sold, with the growth rate of up to 66.8%. The bike market is a recently emerged segment in the market scenario in Pakistan (riazhaq.com, 2020).
Literature review
Global positioning systems (GPS) and improvements in cellular technology have made ride-hailing platforms available to a variety of customers (OECD, 2018). Ridesharing businesses, sometimes referred to as online transportation services, are examples of such private transportation services where the customer may order or book a trip using a mobile app and the driver of the vehicle can reply to the order or booking using the related mobile app (Wallsten, 2015).
Consumer satisfaction is the degree to which a user finds a service or product to be satisfactory or unsatisfactory in comparison to the expected performance or standard of that service or product (Kotler and Keller, 2006). Oliver (1980) asserts that customer satisfaction is a result of service evaluation, which can lead to either a satisfied or dissatisfied client depending on whether the evaluation is positive or negative. Customer satisfaction is a result of how well the service is received by the consumers (Su and Huang, 2016).
A privately owned car or motorcycle is the preferred method of transportation for frequent commuters in Pakistan due to the dearth of public transportation choices. In Pakistan’s taxi sector, the rise of ridesharing businesses based on smartphone apps has proven to be a popular means of transportation. Currently, Pakistan has two major ride-hailing businesses functioning there: Uber and Careem. In March 2019, Careem changed its status to a wholly owned subsidiary of Uber and began conducting business independently under the name Careem (2019). The creation of a real edge over competitors is essential for ridesharing firms. It is imperative for TNCs to keep raising the bar on the quality of their services. Measuring service quality, in the opinion of Caro and Garcia (2007), can result in long-term success and provide service providers a major competitive advantage. As a result, defining factors in determining consumer happiness include service quality. Patterson advises service companies to continually assess and monitor customer satisfaction in order to keep a competitive edge in their key areas (Patterson, 1993).
In Karachi, Kamran Khan (2019) investigates consumer satisfaction with Bykea and brand awareness. Compared to Careem and Cheetas in Karachi, customers looking for personal transportation services have a favorable perception of Bykea as a brand. He came to the conclusion that the Bykea market is dependent on consumer preference, raising awareness, and customer happiness. Convenience, brand, affordability, speed and safety, ease of booking, prompt pick-up and drop-off options, etc., impact a customer’s choice to use Bykea. According to the literature, a study was required to determine how different service quality parameters in the ridesharing business in Pakistan affected user satisfaction.
Statement of the problem
Prior research projects and studies focused mostly on brand recognition and customer satisfaction in relation to goods and services in the consumer durables industry, both in urban and rural locations. In the service industry, there have only been a few studies regarding customer satisfaction and brand awareness in relation to personal transportation. This study report makes an effort to investigate customer satisfaction and brand awareness for Bykea e-bikes in Karachi. This study offers some conclusions and data that other personal transportation bike service companies might use to build their brands and foster customer loyalty.
Objectives of the study
1. To investigate how customers’ perceptions of pricing affect their choice of Bykea e-bike.
2. To determine the influence of consumer innovation in choosing a Bykea e-bike.
3. To research how customer coupon redemption habits affect their choice of Bykea e-bike.
Scope of the study
The current study examines elements, including inventiveness, price sensitivity, and coupon redemption patterns. Other aspects that the research did not address might be impacting how consumers choose e-bike services. The impact of demographic traits on other psychographic factors was not examined in this study.
Limitations of the study
Only 276 respondents participated in this survey, which was conducted only in Karachi. The conclusions are only based on research done in Karachi city. A future study on Bykea e-bike services may encompass any state with a significant number of responses, including the full state of Punjab. Research that compares firms that offer personal transportation services, such as Uber and Careem, is also necessary.
Research methodology
The research challenge may be approached methodically using research techniques. It may be thought of as a branch of science that studies how scientific research is conducted. It is the duty of the researcher to make research decisions public so that they may be evaluated prior to implementation. In order for others to assess the research, the researcher must be very explicit and detailed about the decisions made, their rationale, and their selection.
Research design
A research design serves as a road map for achieving objectives and responding to inquiries. A research design is an arrangement of parameters for data collection and analysis that seeks to balance procedural economy with relevance to the study goal.
In order to answer the questions of where, when, and how they relate to a subject or area, the researcher has undergone a description of the characteristics of the population or presentation of the information. This research will outline the current situation as it is. This kind of research mostly aids in understanding the past and forecasting the future.
Area of the study
The location of this study was “Bykea cycle,” Karachi.
Sampling design
An organized strategy for selecting a sample from a specific population is known as a sample design. For this investigation, a simple random sampling is employed.
Sample size
A sample is a subset of that population specifically chosen to reflect the target population. In order to create a sample, a certain number of objects must be chosen from the entire universe. However, 276 samples have been chosen by the researchers from the population.
Methods for data collection
It is evident that data alone are insufficient for addressing any real-world issues; hence, it is vital to gather proper data. The types of data that are now accessible depend on the information’s sources: primary data and secondary data.
Primary data
The term “primary data” refers to information that has just been gathered. A questionnaire was used for the initial data collection, and it was successful in gathering the necessary details on the preferences of the clients.
Secondary data
Secondary data is research conducted by others for their own interests. Secondary data was gathered from publications, including books, journals, websites, and other material.
Tools and techniques for analysis
The following statistical methods were employed to analyze the data:
Hypothesis
HO—The Bykea e-bike is not well known among the general public.
H1—People are aware of the Bykea electric bike.
HO—The Bykea e-bike is not popular with customers.
H1—Customers are happy with Bykea’s electric bicycle.
Data evaluation and conclusions
Table 1. The socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Hypothesis Testing
Chi-square AnalysisPeople are aware of Bykea Bike service
Test Results
0 cells (or 0%) are expected to have frequencies under 5 of 138 cells per second are anticipated.
Conclusion: The estimated Chi-Square value at the 5% level of significance is 178.565, which is higher than the table value (3.84). The alternative theory is, therefore, accepted.
Analysis: The aforementioned conclusion indicates that people are aware of Bykea’s e-bike services.
(2) Customers are satisfied toward Bykea e-bike Services
Test Results
0 cells (or 0%) have anticipated frequencies below 5. The lowest anticipated cell frequency is 55.2.
Conclusion: At a significance level of 5%, the estimated Chi-square value is 182.731, which is higher than the table value (9.49). The alternative theory is, therefore, accepted.
Analysis: The aforementioned inference makes it clear that Bykea’s e-bike services are well liked by its customers.
Findings
1. Among the male respondents, 51% make up 51% of the total. However, 51% are less than 21 years old, 60% are single, 66% are students, 69% are pursuing degrees, and 69% have annual incomes of less than Rs. 25,000.
2. Most people who responded (73%) learned about Bykea’s e-bike services via friends and family, with social media sites receiving the second-highest share (14%).
3. The majority of respondents (39%) use Bykea e-bikes because they are less expensive; 14% do so because of their prompt pick-up and drop-off service; and 13% do so because of their simple booking process.
4. The respondents were “highly satisfied” with the prompt pick-up and drop-off service, pricing, and ease of booking; they were “satisfied” with the other elements, such as convenience, speed, and safety.
5. The overwhelming majority of participants (48%) report being “satisfied” with Bykea e-bike services in general.
6. The majority of respondents (90.22%) claim to be familiar with Bykea e-bikes in Karachi’s north and south.
Conclusion
In conclusion, client preference, awareness-raising, and customer satisfaction are key factors in the market for Bykea e-bike services. Convenience, brand, affordability, speed, safety, ease of booking, prompt pick-up and drop-off options, etc., are some of the aspects that affect a customer’s decision to use Bykea e-bike services. Additionally, client satisfaction and brand positioning will occur.
Personal transportation providers (like bike rentals) differ in terms of cost, scheduling, accessibility, and other features. In conclusion, Bykea e-bike has successfully positioned its brand and developed a positive brand perception among clients concerned with personal transportation services in Karachi, as opposed to Uber and Careem.
References
1. Abbasi E, Siddiqui FJ, Nasir F, Baig H, Tariq N, Waseem S. Price Perception of Careem in Relation to Competitor and Corrective Action. (2020).
3. Shah SAH, Hisashi K. Analyzing travelers’ attitude towards ride-hailing services in developing countries: case of Lahore, Pakistan. IATSS Res. (2021).
4. Wadud Z. The effects of e-ride hailing on motorcycle ownership in an emerging-country megacity. Transport Res Part A Policy Pract. (2020) 137:301–12.
5. Khan NA. Development of App to Provide Blue Collar Services to the Public. Ph.D. thesis. Koderma: Capital University (2020).
6. Ranci P. From Scooter to Boat: Innovations in Electric Transport in Cities of Southeast Asia1 in Standing up for a Sustainable World. London: Edward Elgar Publishing (2020).
7. Mushtaq A, Zaman D. Disinclination in adopting digitalized ride sharing services or e-hailing services in Karachi. J Bus Strateg. (2021) 15:99–112.
8. Martins RS, Saqib SU, Gillani M, Sania SRT, Junaid MU, Zafar H. Patterns of traumatic injuries and outcomes to motorcyclists in a developing country: a cross-sectional study. Traffic Injury Prev. (2021) 22:162–6.
9. Asghar R, Rehman F, Ullah Z, Qamar A, Ullah K, Iqbal K, et al. Electric vehicles and key adaptation challenges and prospects in Pakistan: a comprehensive review. J Clean Prod. (2021) 278:12 3375.
10. Alharthi M, Alamoudi H, Sheikh AA, Bhutto MH. “Your ride has arrived”–Exploring the nexus between subjective well-being, socio-cultural beliefs, COVID-19, and the sharing economy. Telemat Inform. (2021) 63:101663.