SINGAPORE - Transport operator ComfortDelGro is switching gears, merging its taxi booking app of the same name with its lifestyle app Zig from Wednesday (April 20) to make it easier for people to tap its services on one platform.
Called CDG Zig, the new app will allow users to book taxis and restaurant tables - retaining the features of the now-decommissioned Zig - and also locate the nearest electric vehicle charger operated by the group's joint venture company, ComfortDelGro Engie.
With time, CDG Zig should also offer car rental and let learner drivers book driving lessons, said the company. Users might also be able to hire private buses and schedule medical transport.
The move comes after ComfortDelGro shut down Zig in March less than a year after its launch. The app cost millions to develop and had been seen as a way to compete with ride-hailing giants such as Grab with its suite of lifestyle services.
Zig users could utilise the app to find their way around, call a taxi, make reservations at restaurants and book staycations. It is unclear how many people signed up for this service.
Mr Jackson Chia, chief executive officer of ComfortDelGro's private mobility group, said the move is "a step forward".
"(It will) give our customers access to our range of mobility and lifestyle offerings via a unified digital platform," he added.
"We launched Zig in 2021 as a foray into the lifestyle mobility scene. It was an eye-opening experience and enabled us to develop our skills in this new business area without interrupting our service offerings then to our taxi users. The time has come to merge the two."
The relaunched app will appear on users' phones as a stylised "Z" icon, a refresh of the earlier Zig icon.
Zig users had last month been sent notifications about the move and told to redeem their Zig coins for ride vouchers.
Existing ComfortDelGro app users will just need to update the app to use CDG Zig, without any loss to their promotional codes and cashless payment option details.
Business lecturer Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore said the creation of a one-stop platform for ComfortDelGro’s offerings makes sense and will take it closer to Gojek’s and Grab’s super apps.
He, however, cautions that CDG Zig must be kept user-friendly.
“It must not be made too complicated if many features and options are jam-packed into a single app. Sometimes, customers may just need a fast and easy interface with taxi bookings and may not want to be bogged down with an avalanche of features,” he said.
