In 2022, Grab faced a drastic reduction in their driver and rider base to less than 70% of pre-pandemic levels. The preference among Malaysians to return to their offices, combined with a surge in food delivery demand, introduced intense rivalry in the market. With 33 competitors, including major players like Foodpanda and AirAsia, vying for the same workforce, Grab's service faced hurdles such as price surges and extended wait times due to a shortage of drivers, especially during peak hours.

In response, Grab embarked on a strategic overhaul to rebuild its workforce. The company set ambitious goals for 2023: to achieve a 50% growth in partner acquisition, enhance the visibility of Grab Partner benefits to reach over a million potential partners through digital media, and double the redemption of GrabBenefits to foster a more engaging and rewarding experience for its partners.

Emerging from interviews with 13 Grab Partners was a poignant revelation: a sense of isolation and vulnerability. These Partners felt overshadowed, believing Grab prioritize its customers over its very backbone—them.

Ironically, Grab's consumer-centric campaigns, while successful, inadvertently contributed to this sentiment. This disconnection drove many to seek solace in online communities: some emerged as social media influencers within the driver community, while others built support networks on platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp.

Beneath this lay a pressing question: "Mengapa Kami Memandu Grab?" – Why do we drive for Grab?

This wasn’t just a question but an echo of their desire for recognition. Grab realised that true success lay not only in their employment experience but also in the pride and trust of its Partners.

The insight was clear: for Grab to effectively recruit and re-engage their Partner Community, it needed to turn this question from a reflection of doubt into a proclamation

Grab's strategy primarily targets gig-economy workers, constituting 80% of its Partner base, mainly males drawn to the platform's flexible work-life balance. Yet, a 2022 study highlighted untapped markets that could enrich Grab's community, including women, the unemployed, retirees, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), expanding its audience to 7.45 million Malaysians.

These groups seek flexible, empathetic employment, aligning with Grab's community-centric approach.

To engage this broad audience, Grab leverages Malaysia's high social media usage, prioritizing authentic, Partner-featured content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, and providing comprehensive resources through the Grab Handbook and educational videos. Short-form content suits the audience's limited time, while longer form content on the Grab website and YouTube offers deeper insights. Partner-led WhatsApp groups enhance community cohesion. Grab's digital strategy, emphasizing Partner-generated content, effectively builds a connected, empowered Partner community under the ethos of "Mantap Bersama” or “Greater with Grab”.

Grab employed a three-pronged, community- inclusive approach:

CELEBRATE: Grab spotlighted standout Partners in entertaining ways on social media. Their distinct stories showcased why they’re “Mantap Bersama Grab” through mini-documentaries underscoring their unique challenges and triumphs.

EDUCATE: The "Grab Benefits Handbook" was distributed via email and WhatsApp, along with the release of the "Pendapatan Hebat Dengan Grab (PHD)" series on YouTube. Special segments addressed secondary audiences, emphasising Grab's dedication to diversity and inclusion.

ADVOCATE: Grab encouraged all Partners, especially niche groups, to lead their own communities on platforms like WhatsApp, fostering enhanced ownership and advocacy.

As the campaign evolved, content was refined based on engagement metrics, and distinct hashtags like #SisBoleh, #GrabForGood, and #PWD were introduced to spotlight our diverse Partner profiles and engage specific communities.

By listening to our Partners, offering tangible benefits, and fostering a supportive community, Grab achieved remarkable results.

WE MADE OUR PARTNERS FAMOUS

We spotlighted over 30 Partners, achieving 2.1 million organic views and a 547% increase in reach, alongside a 20.7% boost in Instagram Reel engagement year-over-year. Our content also outperformed key competitors by 156% on Instagram Reel and 53.94% on TikTok. The "Pendapatan Hebat Dengan Grab (PHD)" series, with five episodes, also garnered 1.5 million organic views on YouTube.

WE MADE OUR PARTNERS LISTEN

We significantly boosted benefit redemption to 26.84% in 2023—a 248.57% increase from 7.7% in 2022.

WE ACQUIRED AND RETAINED MORE DRIVERS

All of our efforts ultimately increased Partner acquisition by 135% in 2023 and 89% increase in the number of leads who went through the registration process and eventually drove with us, compared to 2022.