Korea is one of the leading taxi markets in the world, and Uber is also striving to expand its market share. Uber is focusing on localizing its services to suit the characteristics of the domestic market.
Manager In Yeon-jun (30), who works in the Uber Korea operations team, said, "Persuading the U.S. headquarters is essential in the process of introducing Korea-customized services." Uber Korea solidified its determination to target the Korean market by liquidating "Wooti," a joint venture with T-map, and restructuring the company this past March. Manager In was met on the 14th near Uber Korea's office in Jung-gu, Seoul.
The operations team that Manager In is part of localizes Uber's global services for Korea. For instance, Uber Global has adopted 'surge pricing,' which varies rates in real-time based on supply and demand. This allows drivers to charge higher fares in areas with high passenger demand but few taxis. The surge pricing system acts as a factor to disperse taxi supply to prevent congestion in one area.
However, Korean taxis operate on a meter system based on distance traveled, so surge pricing cannot be implemented. Manager In's team has devised a dispatch method tailored to the domestic market by considering the meter system and the fare cap dictated by current laws. According to Uber, similar dispatch methods used in Korea are being or have been introduced in Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey.
One of Manager In's tasks is to persuade others why 'Korea-customized services' are necessary. This has naturally led to frequent video conferences with the global team. Manager In explained, "I have daily meetings with global stakeholders, so meetings from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. have become routine."
Having majored in business administration at Sogang University, Manager In had to teach herself coding due to the need for development capabilities within the operations team. Even if there are pre-prepared programs, the code must be modified to fit local circumstances. For example, taxi drivers in Busan cannot receive calls from Seoul. However, foreign developers often do not understand the situation in Korea, so the Uber Korea operations team must modify the code themselves.
Manager In studied coding with a focus on SQL (Structured Query Language, data management standard language). She refers to excellent code written by other team members. Manager In said, "As someone from a liberal arts background, learning to code was not easy, so I utilized time outside of work to study. There is an in-house training program, which has been helpful."
Manager In said, "Uber is a company that does not assign work to employees." This means that a high level of voluntary participation from members is required. To enhance work efficiency, she designed and implemented an 'invoice automation' service herself. This improved the process of issuing invoices manually each month to taxi drivers and corporations.
She mentioned, "After automating the entire process through API (Application Programming Interface) integration, I built a monitoring system to verify the accuracy of the results using coding." She added, "What used to take a week manually has been reduced to 2 hours. The accounting team, the taxi drivers, and Uber Korea employees have all seen improved efficiency."
Manager In expressed her ambition, saying, "Currently, I adjust products made by the global team to suit the Korean market, but someday I want to join the global team and design products for the whole world." The following is a Q&A session with Manager In.
- I'm curious about your routine after arriving at work.
"There are a total of 5 members in the operations team. Since it is a small organization, our routines run dense. Basically, we start work at 9 a.m. and finish at 6 p.m., but due to the nature of our work and time differences, we often work late. In the morning, I check emails from the global team that come in overnight. In the afternoon, we have meetings with the domestic team. Especially this year, as we have various new product and service launch plans, there are more meetings than usual.
In the operations team, there is a startup-like atmosphere that is always open to sharing ideas beyond formal meetings. After dinner, meetings with the global team continue. I represent Korea in conveying opinions to global stakeholders."
- You majored in business administration, but you are also working in development.
"To work in the operations team, one must essentially be a generalist. Since the organization operates in a very tight manner, each person needs to have a basic understanding of various areas of development.
- What is the atmosphere like at Uber?
"Uber is an organization where 'communication' is important. Engineers do not just delve into technical aspects alone. Rather, they must collaborate across various departments, such as legal and policy, while dealing with technical matters, so communication skills are essential.
Engineers are a key part of the company. It is not just about writing code; it is important to understand how the technology they create connects to the business and to create value through collaboration.
- Do you have a personal goal?
"Someday, I want to move to the Uber Bulgaria office and work there. Uber has a vibrant internal movement culture. When job postings are released in other countries, I can submit my resume and apply. The Bulgarian office oversees tax-related work. The invoice automation project in Korea ultimately satisfied both the drivers and the sales team. Accounting work is an area where even minor errors can lead to immediate issues. I want to continue to deepen my work in efficiently connecting operations and accounting systems."