The founder of GetTransfer.com and GetExperience.com - on expanding business, including in Azerbaijan

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- What was the purpose of your visit to Baku? Are you satisfied with it and what did you discuss?

- The tourist season is starting and in this connection we had meetings with partners, reviewed readiness of tourism infrastructure facilities and new opportunities. Also, it is pleasant to note the developing interest to innovations from both government agencies and private businesses. The negotiations were productive, we discussed many proposals and outlined plans.

During our visit we held presentations on the possibilities of GetTransfer.com and GetExperience.com for travel service providers in Azerbaijan.

Recall that GetTransfer.com is an international marketplace for booking transfers and renting cars with a driver. Today our application is used by more than 50.000 customers in Azerbaijan and they are served by about 1000 drivers. Also, we receive income from the commission not being involved in the process of "transaction" between the client and the driver.

In turn, GetTransfer.com has brought an excellent offer to Azerbaijan: we provide local cab operators with modern software, as well as the opportunity to receive clients for 5% of a trip. And with those taxi fleets that are willing to become our partners, our commission will be close to 0% at all.

At present, our Internet-service is available in more than 180 countries all over the world (with the single application regardless of the geographical location), and more than 100.000 drivers are involved in the implementation of our services.

Our business model is different from that offered, for example, by Uber (the world leader at the market of these services - Ed.).

We do not affect the price of the trip; we just help with the communication between the participants in the process. Prices are offered by the drivers themselves. They also are assigned ratings depending on the class of the car and other nuances.

Lada Evgrashina interviews Alexander Pershikov

With Uber the price of the trip is made by the aggregator, the service is hyper-centralized, the rate schedule is sometimes unreasonably tough, forcing this company to increase its commissions due to the risk of such a rate system, as well as the cost of the software and the number of employees they need to implement the service.

- Are GetTransfer.com and GetExperience.com being improved to meet market demands?

- Of course, it happens practically on a daily basis. We are participants in the travel market, and we can't help but respond to emerging trends, both under COVID-19 restrictions and after they are lifted. We pay increased attention to User Experience (user experience), carefully assess the opinions of customers, partners, competitors' actions, and constantly make upgrades (improvements).

- Do you expect successful development of these two products in Azerbaijan?

- Our main customers are tourists and locals. We asked the question "Will tourists go to Azerbaijan?" and answered it in the affirmative. Azerbaijan has huge tourism potential, competitive hotels, and the necessary infrastructure. In this regard, at meetings in Baku we discussed the idea of partnership in attracting tourist traffic to Azerbaijan. Also, we are  interested in that role, especially as we have relevant experience.-

-What is uniqueness of your new product, GetExperience.com? 

- In the first place, it is related to the tourism sector and, in particular, to help with organizing excursions (there are more than 50.000 real excursions in the database) and other activities related to the recreation industry. The uniqueness of GetExperience.com lies in its tender algorithms. You just need to fill in the necessary information about your available budget and tour dates, and the guides will respond to your request themselves. This encourages the service providers to live competition, while the client will end up with a personalized offer and a personal discount.

When it comes to the online products of this site, the lineup involves virtaual tours, an opportunity to learn to cook with chefs from around the world through ZOOM, fitness classes, playing online games, etc. Users themselves create the rating and marketplace of the experience - User Generated Content.  

Besides, the site has a section called "Metaverse" - a completely new direction which allows through virtual reality gadgets (special glasses) to immerse themselves in the experience of obtaining impressions or experiences. 

- The "Metaverse" is an entirely new experience. Tell us more about it

- The "Metaverse" is based on social communication, and it has a great prospect for the future. "Bloomberg" estimates its potential in the next 2-3 years at nearly $1 trillion (by comparison, the U.S. logistics industry makes up approximately $3 trillion and the e-commerce industry about $6 trillion). Today, major players not only create the "Metaverse", but also provide access to this virtual universe with special glasses - it is Meta (former Facebook) and Apple. In the next six months-a year, both of these companies will present a special matrix that allows to reach a resolution of 8-12K (that is, in these glasses, the difference between the real object and the virtual transmitted from the computer station will practically disappear).

Potential users are Generation Z, Alpha and Meta, i.e. teenagers and children who are already used to gadgets and game consoles, perfectly adapted to virtual communication, digitalization and high-tech novelties, and are expecting a further development, in particular through the use of head-sets (touch helmets or glasses).  

Many industries are already trying their hand at the "Metaverse". These are about: 1) fashion and retail, 2) sports and entertainment, 3) advertising and marketing, 4) real estate, 5) education and 6) tourism.

For instance, virtual closet items in NFT (a non-interchangeable token - a unit of account through which a digital "cast" of any unique item or content is created) with monetization (trade) function, fashion shows with digital installations are held and there is no need in real stores.

In sports - in the near future, "Metaverse" will make it possible to be inside a Formula 1 racing driver's car and experience the feelings of a race driver himself, go through a virtual training session with a famous player, etc.

Advertising, concert activities, and tourism also perfectly fit into the "Metaverse" which gives new prospects for the development of industries.

When it comes to real estate - augmented reality technology will make the user happy in any place of residence, it is worth putting on special glasses, or it will create the perfect virtual home as an individual needs.   

Also, there is a great potential in education through spreading the interactive method of teaching. Sensors on glasses (helmet) will help determine the depth of perception of the educational material. By the way, many schools in the U.S. and Canada are already learning from the game "Minecraft" (which is also the "Meta universe"). 

At the same time, Meta and Apple are concerned about the fact that the augmented reality glasses they create will be sold at affordable prices, and access to the technology will not be limited to high-income individuals. Meanwhile, other tech companies, realizing the benefits of "Metaverse", are also taking specific steps in this direction. 

As an entrepreneur, I see "Metaverse" as a great business opportunity.

Of course, there's the issue of generational differences in how these innovations are perceived, but we shouldn't fear for the younger generations - they can improve this world through modern technology.

This also concerns the development of Azerbaijan.

It is worth mentioning that at the beginning of his career Pershikov was engaged in banking and finance (after graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Higher School of Economics), headed the board of directors of Key Group Investment Fund which is specialized in venture capital investment, creating and accelerating the development of projects and attracting investments.

This experience helped him to find himself in a new field and move forward.