The Box Self Storage Services LLC, a self-storage operator that owns more than 30 facilities in the Middle East and West Asia, has partnered with mobile-app company Yalla Pickup to offer its moving trucks for pickup-and-delivery transportation services. Based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yalla enables customers to book pickup and delivery of large goods. The company is expanding services targeted at commercial businesses for home delivery, fleet outsourcing and moving consultation, according to a press release.
“Our strategic alliance with The Box has added another feather to our cap as a unique startup,” said Elie El Tom, founder and CEO of Yalla. “From offering services to moving companies, individuals and businesses, we are now expanding towards delivery management, on-spot delivery and survey management. This will not only give us an edge, but propel us as a one-stop solution for individual and commercial goods transportation in the UAE. Through our services, we hope to build a fast and secure goods transportation system that not only provides timely service but also a seamless experience.”
The service expansion is the second phase of the mobile app. Yalla intends to increase its transportation fleet to 500 trucks across the UAE by the end of the year, with a goal of signing 300 business customers, El Tom said. Though the company serves only the UAE, it intends to expand to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia between 2019 and 2021.
“We have been associated with Yalla Pickup for nearly a year and are excited for the launch of the second phase of their app. It caters particularly to the commercial sector and will appeal to the digital needs of any business that requires transportation. The vision with which Yalla Pickup began and has grown is truly commendable, and we are happy to be a part of their success story,” said Wadih Haddad, founder and CEO of The Box. “Having a pickup and delivery service at the tip of our fingers is quite unique in this part of the region, and Yalla Pickup has broken that barrier. As a storage and transportation company, we understand the need for such services and have seen a growing need for convenient transportation in the market. It gives us immense pleasure to be in this with Yalla Pickup.”
The “last-mile delivery” service will cater to small businesses, such as stores and online retailers, that don’t have a transportation fleet of their own but need to deliver furniture and other items to customer residences. This differs from the delivery-management offering, which is tailored to businesses that outsource their fleets to other companies. The online platform will allow companies full visibility of their own fleet as well as hired vehicles, allowing customers to assign tasks to drivers and monitor their progress, the release stated.
The survey-management program similarly allows moving companies to assign a surveyor to a client’s site for a moving consultation to plan a move and see if any special needs are required, as well as check their arrival times.
Founded in 2007, The Box offers self-storage and moving services. It operates more than 30 facilities in Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE.
Source:
Zawya, Yalla Pickup Transforms the Transportation Business in the UAE Through its Digital Platform
