Ola, Airtel to cross-sell services in new tie-up

Bengaluru: Ride hailing service Ola (ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd) has entered into a partnership with the country’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel Ltd that will enable the companies to cross-sell digital services to their respective customers, Ola said in a statement on Monday.

Airtel Payments Bank will be integrated with the Ola app to offer payment solutions to Ola’s consumers. Ola Money, the company’s digital wallet, will be integrated with Airtel to enable payments for mobile, broadband and direct-to-home bills through Ola Money.

“We are delighted to partner Ola to enable a seamless digital experience for customers. Both companies have strengths that complement each other and this offers massive scope to co-create exciting products and solutions for customers. Ola will also benefit from Airtel’s extensive retail network and our integrated suite of world-class connectivity solutions for businesses that help them drive growth through better efficiency,” Gopal Vittal, managing director and chief executive (India and south Asia) at Bharti Airtel, said in a statement.

This apart, consumers will be able to book Ola rides through kiosks at Airtel’s retail stores. On the other hand, Ola drivers will assist consumers in recharging prepaid Airtel mobile phone connections on the go, the statement said.

Ola launched Ola Money in 2015 and has since expanded the scope to payments on third-party e-commerce companies including Oyo, Healthkart, YepMe and eBay.

Separately, Airtel and Ola will also collaborate to create content for Ola Play, a so-called connected car solution Ola rolled out in November that allows consumers browse music, videos or even shop through a tablet while taking a ride.

“This first-of-its-kind partnership brings a host of offerings from two massive ecosystems together. Airtel will integrate its offerings across payments, content, point of sale networks, and more with Ola’s offerings for its large customer and partner base. We see this as a win-win for partners and customers of both brands, bringing increased convenience and access to mobility as well as connectivity at the same time,” Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and chief executive at Ola said in a statement.

Besides, all devices in cabs affiliated to Ola will be powered by Airtel. According to multiple company executives, Ola has about 500,000 drivers registered on its platform.