Charlotte Serres, Uber: Assuring safety in Latin America
With more than 25 million active riders in Latin America, present in more than 200 metropolitan areas across 15 countries, business for ride-hail company Uber is growing at a record pace in the region.
Among its main countries of operation in the region are Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru, and today we will hear from Charlotte Serres who heads Uber’s safety and compliance throughout Latin America.
Join Fleet LatAm in a brief discussion with the executive about safety concerns, correlating privacy issues, as well as a new feature being offered by the San Francisco based company.
What is your objective at Uber Mexico and how do you intend to achieve it?
Serres: To quote our CEO: Every day, our technology puts millions of people together in cars in cities around the world. Helping to keep people safe is a huge responsibility and one we do not take lightly.”
As head of Trust and Safety Operations for Latin America, I lead a team in charge of processes, data and technology. I aim to fulfill our mandate of making safety a priority in everything we do and in every city in which we operate in the region.
What are some of the largest safety concerns on the minds of ride-hail app users and drivers?
Serres: A company that makes it possible for millions of trips to be made is not immune to the growing crime rates in complex cities.
At Uber, we are committed to contributing positively to the cities in which we operate in, not only with the functions and processes of our app, but through strategic alliances with public and private actors.
In this sense, we collaborate on issues as diverse as road safety, eradication of violence against women, crime prevention, combating human trafficking, and several others.
Uber headquarters, São Francisco USA (Source: Shutterstock)
Do safety concerns differ between cities and how does Uber tackle this?
Serres: We are aware that each city has particular dynamics and that the phenomena of violence and crime are complex and depend on several factors. As for Mexico, it is a hugely diverse country with distinct situations not only in each state, but in each of the 43 cities we operate in.
Therefore, in addition to designing data driven solutions, we build partnerships with local experts, academics, non-governmental organizations, and public institutions, all of which who contribute to the development of sensible solutions for local needs.
When providing security, privacy is sometimes invaded. How does Uber protect privacy while providing security?
Serres: We absolutely respect the privacy of user and driving partner information, with strict adherence to the regulations of personal data. As such, we can only provide additional information upon a formal request from a competent authority in the case of an open investigation.
Finally, could you tell us about any new and interesting services or app feature Uber will be providing soon?
Serres: Continuing with our commitment to treat safety as a priority, we have recently announced a new mobile app feature. It automatically detects inappropriate language in messages being sent through our in-app chat between users and driver partners.
As established in the Uber Community Guidelines, any behavior of violence, sexual conduct, harassment or discrimination when using the app will not be tolerated and will result in the loss of account privileges. Maintaining a community of respect for everyone is of utmost importance.
For more on the key insights of fleet vehicle safety and a great opportunity for networking and learning, join us at the Fleet LatAm Conference and Training in Mexico City taking place from 23-25 September. It will be the first event in Latin America gathering Fleet & Mobility Leaders with an international scope. See you there!
