For those who used Uber here in Thailand, you know that it was bought out by Grab.  Uber had its' share of problems in terms of customer satisfaction but the one thing that was outstanding was their app.  Basically it used Google Maps' location-database so keyword searches were very efficient.  What's more, if you saved places in Google Maps with a custom name, the Uber app would recognize your saved name so it was real easy to find your precise destination in the app.

 

Grab has far better service (i.e.: drivers show up very quickly), but the Grab app is GOD AWFUL HORRIBLE!!!!  Even major landmarks do not show up in destination searches.  If you were to search for the Immigration office at Promenada Mall, for instance, it would not show up, but all sorts of unrelated stuff would, like a complete listing of every office in Chiang Mai University LOL!    if you put in an exact street address, the app can't find it and defaults to the "every office in CMU again, hahahaha!  It's a total joke, and it's incredibly frustrating if you're in a hurry to book a trip.

 

There is a easy solution though!

 

Don't use the grab app to find your destination.  Instead, use Google Maps app to find your destination, and then click the "Hailing taxi" navigation icon" (see attached picture), and it will show you the Grab booking options.  Then, simply click the "Open app" button in lower right (see picture), and your selected destination will open in the Grab app, with the precise destination entered.  Then you simply book your trip through the Grab app.

 

I have no idea why Grab doesn't just incorporate the Google Map database directly into their app like Uber does, or even provide this tip to their users, but this is how to do it, and it works perfectly!

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by Kohsamida

1. you can contact them to add a specific condo - I know, I had them add mine.

2. if you can't get Grab to find Promenada the problem isn't the app ?

Kohsamida - thanks for the tip.  ? I used Grab for the first time last night (being a previous satisfied Uber customer), & it took almost 20 mins to find a destination point which was acceptable! As you say, the App is rubbish at the moment, but hopefully improvements will be made in the near future.

 

PS I was travelling from central Chiang Mai to my home about 20kms away.

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by Pesky

I've never had a problem with the destination you can just mark where you want to go on the map but it wont allow this for the pick up point. I can't even get my home address (khon kaen) as it defaults to an address 2 streets away even when you hit the location button.

Agree awful app and wont use it.

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by parryhandy

Never had issues with the destination address, but always with the pickup address. Grab won't find any home in my moobaan so I wait for the driver to arrive on the main street then I have to call him and tell him to go inside. It sucks and it's really annoying. I'll try your tip next time.

Ive had issues with BOTH pick up and destination.  Today I tried to book for a pick up at Maya.  The Grab app put my pickup point about almost 0.5 km east on Huay Kaew, and on the westbound side when my destination was in the Old City, with no way to adjust pickup point.  Needless to say, the driver couldn't find me as he was looking for me down around Bikky Bike rentals!

 

The Grab App is complete trash, and of course, Grab Support staff act like this is all news to them.  Really have an intense dislike for big-company attitudes towards their customers!  All I can say is Google Maps is the way to go.

 

Another tip though:  Be sure you shut down the Grab App before using Google Map, otherwise Grab will not accept info from Google Maps correctly.  That's how I got screwed at Maya!

 

Just an interesting fact:  Uber spent millions of dollars developing their app and mapping system.  They even paid for special satellite usage for ultra-precise positioning.  The way they integrated Google Maps' database into their own destination look-up feature was outstanding.  You'd think if Grab has bought out Uber/Asia they would utilize all of this.  Maybe, in time.

3 hours ago, lordblackader said:

1. you can contact them to add a specific condo - I know, I had them add mine.

2. if you can't get Grab to find Promenada the problem isn't the app ?

As the customer, you shouldn't have to do that.  The app should be able to find ANY location that Google Maps can find.  Uber worked that way, and so could Grab if they got their act together.  It's kind of funny that with Uber, the app was 5-star but the drivers were 1-star (deciding which fares that wanted to pick up and rejecting the ones they didn't).  With Grab, it's opposite.  The drivers are amazing, picking you up in just a few minutes most of the time, but the App and management are absolutely horrible.  Go figure???

2 hours ago, parryhandy said:

I've never had a problem with the destination you can just mark where you want to go on the map but it wont allow this for the pick up point. I can't even get my home address (khon kaen) as it defaults to an address 2 streets away even when you hit the location button.

Agree awful app and wont use it.

The problem with marking a destination on the map is that you cant see street names or landmarks or anything helpful in finding a destination unless you zoom in to the maximum, and then you have to scroll over and over and over, hunting for your spot.  And this is usually unsuccessful because the app will snap onto a random landmark or street and then make it your destination. 

I tried to search for Immigration Office at Promenada and it wasn't in any search results, even though it is marked as a landmark on the map.  So, the best you can do in the Grab App is select Promenada Mall (but you have to use the Thai spelling to do that), and then tell the driver you really want Immigration.  How Lame!!!

 

The Grab App just plain SUCKS, and should be totally trashed by management for a new one.  I don't think I've ever seen a mainstream company's app that is so hopelessly flawed!

 

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by Kohsamida

Given up with it. Twice I've informed them of  these issues via feedback but just got automated email replies. Just shows how utterly false modern economies are when supposed billion dollar companies are this crap.

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by parryhandy

I never seemed to be able to make my home the destination, it always jumped to a nearby point that it seemed to know, but wasn't where I wanted to go!

15 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

As the customer, you shouldn't have to do that.  The app should be able to find ANY location that Google Maps can find.  Uber worked that way, and so could Grab if they got their act together.  It's kind of funny that with Uber, the app was 5-star but the drivers were 1-star (deciding which fares that wanted to pick up and rejecting the ones they didn't).  With Grab, it's opposite.  The drivers are amazing, picking you up in just a few minutes most of the time, but the App and management are absolutely horrible.  Go figure???

The same crap drivers generally drive for both in bkk

I've been watching them using both apps at the same time to choose which fare to accept next 

I just used their app, and again fantastic. Pick up in 3 min at the hotel a side soi close to Terminal 21. The security tried to «grab» 3 passing taxies, but all of them denied to use meter. Picked up my phone, the app found me, I typed my destination, got the pice they would charge (50 baht less han lowest taxi) and in less than 30 sec I had a driver close by accepting my destination and I could accept the car Toyota  vios and the driver. I cant understand the taxies in Bkk will survive with such a great service they have and give.

 

2. Time I use grab now, and no more Local taxi

Edited May 23, 20188 yr by Hummin

All of Grab sucks! At least with Uber there were replies to emails about issues within 2 or 3 hours,of course it wasn’t Thai based customer service.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

And reciept in mail after trip.

 

 

I just had some friends come to stay here in Bangkok, Grab was a godsend for them, and myself. No more walking the kilometer to the main street to find a taxi, no more drivers not using their meters, no more picking them up at the MRT station, and best of all, the drivers can find my house which is almost impossible for someone that's never been there, or for a visitor who is unfamiliar with the neighborhood.  

 

From now on, anyone that comes to stay at our house will be given a phone with data, and Grab installed. 

18 hours ago, clokwise said:

Never had issues with the destination address, but always with the pickup address. Grab won't find any home in my moobaan so I wait for the driver to arrive on the main street then I have to call him and tell him to go inside. It sucks and it's really annoying. I'll try your tip next time.

I had same issue, I contacted grab support and they added my house to their map.

 

The worst part about grab is how the location jumps to the nearest point.. hard to explain but let's just say that it sucks...

 

I am having the same experience as many others have noted here regarding pickup and destination locations. Note that there was already a thread in the Chiang Mai section regarding Grab experiences:

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1035678-grab-in-chiang-mai/

 

It's not just riders, I am hearing the frustrations of drivers who have converted from Uber who cannot find their pickups. They are becoming increasingly frustrated with wasting time driving around looking for their pickup, since the app has selected an incorrect location. Many do not have to English language skills to speak with the rider concerning pickup and destinations, which was one of the big advantages with Uber. If a tourist wants to go to, say, Promenade, they type that search in English and Grab doesn't find it, how are they supposed to find it and pin it on a map if they have no idea where it is? I have heard former Uber Grab drivers say that the app is so ineffective and they are wasting so much time with locating pickups and requested destinations, they are seriously considering giving up on it.

 

Here are some other comments I posted in the earlier thread:

 

- Unlike Uber, Grab did not plot the route to my destination, so you have no way of knowing whether the driver is taking the most direct or correct route. 

 

- My position on the map while enroute did not update, but lagged by as much as several minutes.

 

- You don't get all those interesting driver details like Uber did, but we can live without that.

 

- Yes, Grab was far more expensive compared to Uber for the same trip, by about 35%, but it's still relatively cheap.

 

- The emailed receipt details from Grab were in Thai (too bad if you do not read Thai) and didn't show the route taken, as Uber's receipts did.

 

- I didn't have a driver route problem, but after my ride just to check out the app, I looked into how to obtain a fare refund or adjustment for a driver taking a poor route. That was simple with Uber and they always promptly responded with a resolution. Tapping "Report a Past Issue" you get taken through a series of Help Centre pages in broken English only to find out that there is no apparent way to make such a request. In fact they seem to admonish the rider by saying "In every ride, we advise you to drop your preferred route in NOTE TO DRIVER so driver can follow your request". Sure, and what if you are not a local and have no idea what the route should be? Keep in mind that the route is not plotted on the rider's map so you have no idea where you are or which route the driver is taking.

 

- Popup adverts...why? I am already paying to use this service.

 

I have yet to receive a discount promotion from Grab, while I used to get them once or twice per month from Uber. The Grab driver I had told me he used to drive for Uber but now on Grab he gets a fraction of the rides he used to get on Uber and was reconsidering driving for Grab at all. He said he found the Grab app not as easy to use and found it more difficult to locate his pickups, probably because the mapping and locations database are both inferior to Uber's.

 

If Grab wants to keep or grow both riders and drivers alike, they need to devote some serious attention to fixing their app. I have a car but often used Uber for convenience when going to places where parking would be difficult. I think I will be doing more of my own driving now.

16 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

Ive had issues with BOTH pick up and destination.  Today I tried to book for a pick up at Maya.  The Grab app put my pickup point about almost 0.5 km east on Huay Kaew, and on the westbound side when my destination was in the Old City, with no way to adjust pickup point.  Needless to say, the driver couldn't find me as he was looking for me down around Bikky Bike rentals!

 

The Grab App is complete trash, and of course, Grab Support staff act like this is all news to them.  Really have an intense dislike for big-company attitudes towards their customers!  All I can say is Google Maps is the way to go.

 

Another tip though:  Be sure you shut down the Grab App before using Google Map, otherwise Grab will not accept info from Google Maps correctly.  That's how I got screwed at Maya!

 

Just an interesting fact:  Uber spent millions of dollars developing their app and mapping system.  They even paid for special satellite usage for ultra-precise positioning.  The way they integrated Google Maps' database into their own destination look-up feature was outstanding.  You'd think if Grab has bought out Uber/Asia they would utilize all of this.  Maybe, in time.

Well you could have dashed across the superhighway so you the driver could find you, and even better if it was raining! But seriously, this is not only an issue of convenience, but also one of safety when riders cannot even select the correct pickup location and must dash across traffic to be at the point that Grab selected for them.

20 hours ago, lordblackader said:

1. you can contact them to add a specific condo - I know, I had them add mine.

2. if you can't get Grab to find Promenada the problem isn't the app ?

When you first arrived in Chiang Mai, could you find Promenade on a map?

 

What about a tourist who wants to go to Promenade?

 

Yes, the app is the problem.

16 hours ago, parryhandy said:

Given up with it. Twice I've informed them of  these issues via feedback but just got automated email replies. Just shows how utterly false modern economies are when supposed billion dollar companies are this crap.

Totally agree about Grab's incredibly poor interaction with customers regarding issues.  All I usually get are computer generated, totally disingenuous apologies with absolutely no follow-up or resolution.  It makes me so mad!  The basic concept of Uber / Grab is amazing, and when it all works, it's amazing, but I'd say my success rate on trips is about 50%.

 

One thing I'll say in favor of Grab over Uber is that the drivers are terrific!  I'd say the average time I wait for a Grab driver to appear is under 5 minutes (provided my app gives him the correct location).  Most of the drivers seems to speak English, and some are very fluent.  I've never had a Grab driver that wasn't friendly and engaging so most trips are quite pleasant.

 

Grab management people however simply suck!  They know they have a severely flawed app, judging by all the complaints that come up in a simple Google query, yet they do nothing to correct it, or even admit that there is a problem. 

 

These days it just seems that more and more businesses that operate solely online have no genuine regard at all for customer feedback.  Grab makes it VERY difficult for customers to interact.  They hide behind computer-generated replies, have no phone contact, and generally show little if any regard for their customer base.  I know if I handled my own clients the way they do, I'd be out of business in a heartbeat.  I just don't get it!

Edited May 23, 20188 yr by Kohsamida

I think the only reason the pick-ups are faster with Grab in Chiang Mai now is because the former Uber drivers are now working for Grab.  And yes, I've encountered many frustrated former Uber drivers.  

 

Fortunately, I live in a large condo and was able to get it located on the Grab app, but many of my common destinations are a problem, even when the name of the destination shows on the map, I have to drop a pin and then the app moves the pin to another location!  

 

Like Uber, the Grab drivers have problems with a pick-up at McKean.  Google maps doesn't have it right, the directions they gave to get to McKean were trash and Grab isn't better.  A couple Grab drivers have refused to go there from the city without an extra off-the record surcharge because it's "outside their area" and I never encountered this with Uber.  Apparently, with both apps, the drivers don't know where you're going when they agree to pick you up.  

3 hours ago, bubba said:

When you first arrived in Chiang Mai, could you find Promenade on a map?

 

What about a tourist who wants to go to Promenade?

 

Yes, the app is the problem.

Well, being able to spell Promenada properly would be a start ?

A map is irrelevant - you type "Promenada" into the app, it gives you "Promenada," you tap "Promenada" and magic - you've told it where you are going. It's not rocket science and it's certainly not the app. 

 

And for the record - I've been back and forward from Promenada plenty of times using Grab with ZERO issues. Maybe I'm a secret rocket scientist? ?

The Grab App is certainly a little clunky.... 

 

It does not recognize my written address... (which is quite simple). 

When I manually place the 'location point' at my address and accept, the location then moves 500m away. 

I've found that this gets the driver into the vicinity, however, I have to message the driver my address.

This only works if the driver has more than half a brain and decides to actually look at the houses numbers on my street instead of randomly driving up and down the soi and next soi !!!

 

That said, its better than a taxi, the drivers (in GrabCar) are definitely better than a taxi, there is a record of the journey (incase there are issues), and I don't need to walk to the end of my street to flag a taxi down.

 

So Grab App - It could be much better, but its workable. The UBER App was much better.

10 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

Well, being able to spell Promenada properly would be a start ?

A map is irrelevant - you type "Promenada" into the app, it gives you "Promenada," you tap "Promenada" and magic - you've told it where you are going. It's not rocket science and it's certainly not the app. 

 

And for the record - I've been back and forward from Promenada plenty of times using Grab with ZERO issues. Maybe I'm a secret rocket scientist? ?

 

Respecting that you are a potential "secret rocket scientist" and may succumb to auto-spelling, I do appreciate your pedantic reply; however,  the point that many are making here is that compared to Uber, the Grab app is extremely lacking in a complete POI database. When the POI is not there, the user must manually select the destination point from the map and that is not an effective and user-friendly feature for those who are not already familiar with the city.

Hey, the App SUCKS!  Pure and simple!  There are almost no relevant Point of Interest in the look-up database, even ones printed on their base map.  For instance, try to book a trip to the immigration office at Promenada.  Can't do it unless you manually drag the screen.  Even doing that is impossible because the point of interest only shows up if you are zoomed in entirely...so if you're not familiar where the destination is in a wider view, you'll never be able to select it.  What's more, if you scroll over another POI in the process, Grab will just automatically select it instead.

 

The only way to use Grab for many destinations or pick up points is to FIRST use Google Maps and then have Google Maps open your route in Grab (see my post from a few days ago).  THAT works and works well.  If you save your own custom map pins in Google Maps, it can use those as well!

 

When Uber was around, they incorporated Google Maps POI database into their app and it worked beautifully!  What's more, if you save your own custom map pins in Google Maps, it would even show those!  Why Grab doesn't do that is beyond me, especially since they have bought out Uber in Asia. 

 

I think when companies grow big very fast and they don't have competition, they loose respect for their customers.  Instead of truly trying to make a better product / service, they instead expect the customer to just adapt to compromise.  Not a very good business model, if you ask me!

Edited May 23, 20188 yr by Kohsamida

5 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

The same crap drivers generally drive for both in bkk

I've been watching them using both apps at the same time to choose which fare to accept next 

curious as to how you manage that as grab is the only one of the 2 that remains in business in SE Asia.

Uber left a big hole here in the Philippines where I spend half my time,  with grab drivers arbitrarily doubling fares.

when in thailand now, i use a private driver where possible for planned trips, and spontaneous ones i will try grab, but usually end up just taking a passing taxi ans they are way more abundant in  thailand.

hailing a taxi on the street in phils can take up to an hour at certain times of the day,  

27 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

curious as to how you manage that as grab is the only one of the 2 that remains in business in SE Asia.

Uber left a big hole here in the Philippines where I spend half my time,  with grab drivers arbitrarily doubling fares.

when in thailand now, i use a private driver where possible for planned trips, and spontaneous ones i will try grab, but usually end up just taking a passing taxi ans they are way more abundant in  thailand.

hailing a taxi on the street in phils can take up to an hour at certain times of the day,  

I had that happen with Uber when they were in Thailand often!  I would book a trip and an Uber driver would immediately accept it.  Then I'd watch his car icon on the app aimlessly drive around for maybe 10 minutes, then he'd call or text me asking where I was going, and then reply that he didn't want the trip (which was supposed to be forbidden for them to do by Uber).  Or, even worse, he wouldn't even reply and just leaving me hanging for 10-15 minutes until he would just arbitrarily cancel the trip, and sometimes even charge me a cancellation fee!  It was just ridiculous and infuriating! 

 

I think it's obvious they were just accepting every trip the could, driving for BOTH Uber and Grab, and then just decide which trip they liked better.  Often, I'd have to re-book up to five times to finally get a driver to show up, and so, a trip that should have only taken a few minutes would involve a delay of up to an hour sometimes!  When I was in Pattaya, I relied on Uber a lot and I'd say 7 out of ten trips would go like this.  It was truly horrible.  At least now, Grab drivers seem to show up promptly (if the App gives them your correct location, and that is a total crap shoot because the App is so crappy!

Edited May 23, 20188 yr by Kohsamida

 Grab consistently refuses to recognize my pick up point often moving it about 200 mtrs.

I often stand as far as is safe in road waving my phone and this normally works.

I agree with original post the Uber map was far superior.

 

john

4 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

 Grab consistently refuses to recognize my pick up point often moving it about 200 mtrs.

I often stand as far as is safe in road waving my phone and this normally works.

I agree with original post the Uber map was far superior.

 

john

LOL...me too!  I hope they fix their app because so many people are really pissed off by how poorly the app works, and that includes the drivers!  At this point, I can’t rely on Grab, especially if I am in a rush.  What’s really appalling is how little Grab management seems to care about such a MAJOR issue.  When you provide feedback to them about this issue, they just reply with a computer-generated and disingenuous apology, and that’s it!  No follow-up, no resolution, nothing!

23 hours ago, bubba said:

Well you could have dashed across the superhighway so you the driver could find you, and even better if it was raining! But seriously, this is not only an issue of convenience, but also one of safety when riders cannot even select the correct pickup location and must dash across traffic to be at the point that Grab selected for them.

Totally agree...been there, done that. Very dangerous, especially on busy roads and complex intersection here in CNX!