SOCAR – Malaysia’s No. 1 car-rental app, is confident in its growth prospects in 2023, strengthened by promising numbers achieved across 2022, when Malaysians increasingly embraced the sustainable mobility solution offered by SOCAR. Amidst bearish trends in the global economy and local political uncertainty, even as Malaysia relaxed travel restrictions, SOCAR’s service offerings proved appealing to drivers, enabling the company to record healthy growth in 2022.
“At a time when many among the public are reevaluating their financial commitments, SOCAR offers drivers a convenient way to access a range of car models to suit their needs on demand while providing the possibility of living car-free the rest of the time. Car-sharing also offers another sustainable mode of mobility that reduces the number of private cars on our roads, complementing other means such as public transportation and e-hailing,” said Shylendra Nathan, CEO of SOCAR Mobility Malaysia.
Since travel restrictions were lifted, SOCAR has recorded robust month-on-month growth, with a 60% increase in users, from 5,000 during the CMCO period to over 20,000 when travel restrictions were lifted, indicating a demand for mobility options and the relevance of car-sharing as a choice for drivers. Support services that improve the experience, such as the SOCAR-2-YOU delivery and pickup services also saw a rise in demand. The new 24-hour pickup only service, introduced in Dec 2022 is the latest in SOCAR’s range of services designed to elevate the end-to-end shared mobility experience for users.
To further cater to a growing customer base, SOCAR expanded the range of car models in its fleet to more than 40, including compact, sedan, hatchback, SUV and MPV options to suit a variety of lifestyles and use cases. At the same time, SOCAR has optimised the number of its car park zones to ensure ample availability across the country in response to customer demand.
Another key expansion was the arrival of SOCAR in Kota Kinabalu, joining existing locations in the Klang Valley, Penang, Ipoh, Seremban, Melaka and Johor Bahru. With the Land Below the Wind being a popular tourist destination, SOCAR vehicles are ready to serve travellers, whether they’re on a road-trip to enjoy nature or just chilling out on the beach. In the 9 months since arriving in Kota Kinabalu, SOCAR has seen over 2,000 bookings completed, a promising growth indicator for East Malaysia.
Meanwhile, in line with SOCAR’s aim to enhance sustainable mobility, the company entered into a strategic partnership with BOSCH to maintain both customer satisfaction and the good condition of its cars by implementing BOSCH’s 3S IoT system featuring sensors, software and services. Using an in-vehicle sensing solution that is sensitive to smoke and able to detect damage, SOCAR is able to enhance customer comfort when using the car by tracking unusual car usage behaviours, as well as perform quick repairs and maintenance works on any cars found needing a touch-up, thus extending their lifecycle.
As SOCAR revs up in 2023, it is committed to adding customer-focused improvements and new services to meet customer demand, refreshing the fleet as well as forming new collaborations to elevate sustainable mobility options. With growing public awareness on the importance of sustainable mobility and increasing willingness to consider new models of car ownership and access to private vehicles, SOCAR is well-positioned to turn interested consumers into new customers with the right service offerings. To learn more about SOCAR, visit.
Keyword: SOCAR geared up for further growth in 2023