"Our goal is to positively impact the lives of one billion people by 2030," says Arai Bekembayev about inDrive's objectives.

Arai Bekembayev, city – Astana, country manager of inDrive in Kazakhstan

About inDrive in Kazakhstan today

inDrive is a platform for transportation and urban services that has been operating in Kazakhstan for 10 years. We are developing services for urban and intercity travel, freight transportation, and delivery of goods for both individuals and companies. Interestingly, our delivery sector saw active growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our couriers delivered medicines between cities. This solution saved lives of Kazakhstani citizens, and we are proud that during these difficult times we brought such value to people. Today, the courier delivery direction is an important part of our business. Currently, Kazakhstan is a priority market for us. The country hosts our main operational hub, where about 1,000 employees work. And our CEO, Arsen Tomsky, received Kazakhstani citizenship this year.

About new challenges

One of the key challenges for IT companies is considered to be the ability to adapt to current changes. Machine learning is gaining momentum, and companies need to quickly learn and adapt their processes using available tools. Artificial intelligence is both an opportunity and a challenge: it can become a global solution to many problems, but it also represents one of the largest unsolved problems of humanity. Therefore, it is important to be cautious, as every opportunity hides enormous responsibility.

Another serious challenge for global companies can be the geopolitical situation. Conflicts, sanctions, and other political risks can significantly impact business if it lacks geographic diversification. We strive to study the experience of international companies and draw our own conclusions.

About the role of new technologies

At inDrive, we actively explore the opportunities opened up by the use of ML, AI, and so on. Our unique business model consists in the fact that we do not set the price for the service and do not force the driver or courier to accept the order. We provide a free platform for dialogue between the customer and the performer. The influence of AI on pricing is appropriate only in terms of tariff recommendations, but the choice remains with the users.

We improve the quality of recommended prices taking into account historical data, but it is impossible to take into account all pricing cases, for example, weather conditions. The tools we implement analyze existing data better and better, and in the future we will be able to process large volumes of information even better.

We cooperate with the mapping service 2GIS, and we see how their address proposal becomes increasingly high-quality. This also opens up new opportunities for us. Using historical data of specific users, we can automatically offer them desired addresses, and do this more and more accurately.

We also apply artificial intelligence, including computer vision, for data processing to detect fraud, for example, when attempting to register under someone else's name or with fake documents. Or when controlling branded stickers for which we pay drivers bonuses. Such checks, such as photo control, help our data analysts, moderators, and user verification team provide higher quality services.

About the employees of the future

We automate routine operations to free up employee resources for priority tasks. I doubt that it will be possible to completely replace a person within 5-10 years, because cognitive thinking and human qualities still cannot be replaced by robots. In situations where it is necessary to contact a client, listen to him, and involve additional services, the role of a person is irreplaceable. I am sure that in the near future, human competence, the ability to assess the situation and make a decision, will remain in demand.

About the impact of global trends on company strategy

The economy is a complex topic. We are present in 46 countries, and each has its own situation. For example, if there is a devaluation in a country, we may earn less in the future. But this does not mean that the country becomes uninteresting for us. If the business dynamics are positive, and we can cover our expenses, as well as reinvest in social projects, which are considered a priority for our strategy and mission, then the country remains important for us.

We have a separate division called inVision, which includes social projects in the fields of sports, education, culture, and combating gender inequality. Through these projects, we return part of our revenue back to society. This is the mission of our company – to fight injustice.

We actively monitor trends and regularly update our strategy taking into account new challenges, such as artificial intelligence. In the field of innovation, we strive to automate routine operations. For example, our employees can submit an application for vacation or sick leave through a special system, and after approval by the manager, it automatically goes to HR for further processing. Minimum bureaucracy. We also use automation to evaluate employee performance and perform other operations. There are many such processes, but their development and implementation create comfortable working conditions.

We are implementing innovative tools in all areas: HR, finance, procurement, PR. For example, in procurement, we use tools that ensure transparency and impartiality, and in PR – solutions for monitoring social networks and analyzing user sentiment.

Innovation is an integral part of our business strategy, and we constantly adapt to new challenges and trends. Not all solutions turn out to be successful. Sometimes we try new tools, and if this does not meet expectations, we return to old methods or look for an alternative.

What should the leader of the future be like

The leader of the future is a person who is not 100% sure of anything. He always asks questions and doubts. Such a leader is open to change, rather than stubbornly pushing his own line. Doubting is normal; it opens the path for growth.

The leader of the future sees changes around him and can identify something qualitative and quantitative in them, and apply this in his work. But it is important to do this efficiently, without wasting unnecessary effort, because the world is constantly changing, new trends and requests appear, which need to be monitored and thought about several steps ahead.

The leader must plan not only for tomorrow, but also think about how changes will affect the business in a few years.

Moreover, the leader of the future always strives for growth. As Steve Jobs said, it is important to be hungry and ready for reckless acts, but at the same time not to be afraid to doubt and seek advice. Education and continuous learning are an important part of this process.

What will the company be like in 10 years

The mission of our company is to fight injustice. Our goal is to positively influence the lives of one billion people by 2030. It is important for us that our activities bring real benefit to people. If we can carry this mission through the years and achieve the set goal, then this will be an ideal result for us.

About the role of the company in the future

We do not strive to change society, but we want to help it. Freedom of choice is one of our unique selling propositions. We are ready to make certain sacrifices, for example, yielding to competitors in growth rates, but we are not ready to abandon our principles.

For us, these are traditional services for urban and intercity travel. Many people use intercity travel, both to travel themselves between settlements and to send parcels. inDrive.InterCity is a "national" travel service. Everyone knows it, loves it, and uses it. Because the basis of this service is simple human trust. People find each other on our platform, agree on the terms of the trip, and set off on a journey. Simple, clear, and inexpensive.

As for urban travel, this is a separate story. This market is competitive. People are demanding, and they are not ready to sacrifice their comfort. Currently, the development of the urban travel service is a priority for us. We monitor quality, develop safety features, and create interesting collaborations with other brands in the interests of our users. But the principle of operation is the same – the driver and passenger agree on all conditions between themselves. Practice shows that the prices of our service can be up to 20% lower than those of competitors.