Maxim-um drive to reshape e-hailing

Mushfique: Maxim stands out with its ability to combine high-end technology with a human touch.

THE e-hailing industry in Malaysia is a thrilling ride with the occasional change of route, where newbies come in to reshape urban mobility.

Maxim’s lawyer Mushfique Ahmed tells StarBiz 7 that in 2019, the lack of competition in the market drove them to explore alternatives for the people.

“Our first ride order was in Kuantan, Pahang. We started there instead of the Klang Valley because we thought it was a good place to start before penetrating the rest of the market,” he says.

Maxim operates across Malaysia today, including in Sabah and Sarawak, and continues registering thousands of drivers on its platform.

But the group wasn’t without its own share of challenges when it started. Mushfique says the untrusting nature of humans was a major challenge.

“We were new, the big boys were already thriving. So we had to prove to people at the grassroots level that we were here and here to stay.

“Eventually more people began using our service.”

One of its signature features is cars emboldened in red and yellow, Maxim’s brand colour, as well as its GPS logo on the bonnets.

Mushfique says Maxim stands out with its ability to combine high-end technology with a human touch.

“For most players, everything required an app, without much of a personal touch. We decided to create awareness by going to the ground with our advertising and marketing campaigns.”

He says the team decided to go to malls, schools, government offices, driving schools and places of work to create awareness on what Maxim was all about.

“You’d be surprised at how many people did not know how to use e-hailing apps, order food, use promotional codes, or add emergency numbers.

“This gave us a deeper insight on what people wanted and how Maxim could cater to their needs,” he says.

Mushfique stresses that Maxim does not hire the drivers. They are independent gig workers.

“We’ve met drivers through various ways. Some were through career fairs, which we participate in in every city.

“We offer full-time and part-time options. Our goal is not to gain employees, but also give many a way to earn some income,” he adds.

Mushfique says another element that sets Maxim apart from the rest is its drivers can “buy” shifts, and work according to their available times.

“We call it a shift policy. Say you are free for the next two hours. You can purchase that shift and start driving.

“This gives them the freedom to choose when they want to drive. Commission rates vary depending on the timing and availability,” he says.

Maxim caps the number of shifts to eight hours a day so that the drivers are not overworked.

“It’s important that Maxim keeps both drivers and passengers happy. When drivers see more orders coming in, it motivates them to do more.

“Similarly, when there are more drivers, it is easier for passengers to get a ride. But we do not want drivers overworking themselves. This is dangerous to both them and their passengers,” he explains.

One of Maxim’s strategies moving forward will focus on the specially-abled segment.

Mushfique says they have already introduced pitch recognition on their app, in particular to cater to the blind or those who are hard of hearing.

“This group is a big market that we can tap into. We did some analysis and found that there are around 600,000 registered specially-abled people with the government,” he noted.

Taking the cue from a Korean e-hailing company that only caters to specially-abled persons, Mushfique says Maxim thought long and hard about bringing that kind of technology into Malaysia.

“We’re not just talking about a different technology, but also physical aspects of a car that are needed like extra leg space or ramps for wheelchairs. We are exploring all that and working on it,” he says.

Maxim will also look at increasing its drivers in 2025 as well as expanding.

Mushfique says they will look at promoting even further the delivery of goods and food, which is only on a small scale now.

“Another unique feature is our jump-start service. If your car needs a simple jump-start, someone will come to you with the cable. Not every city has this though, just a few for now,” he says.

“We also have a trucking service for people who want to move furniture or large items. It’s slowly picking up.

“One thing we want to maintain is provide our service in all areas – Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.”