Avoid a “Raya” on the “Jalan Raya” with Waze!

Waze shares five “Balik Kampung” tips and traffic predictions for a safer, more efficient drive this Hari Raya

Packed bags, check! “Balik Kampung” music playlist, check! Gifts for the family, check! “Duit raya” for the kids, check!
Now, all that is left in your Hari Raya to-do list is your trip back to your hometown! Finding the perfect time to leave can be a challenge. Leave too late and you will be caught in traffic, but wake up too early and you’ll have grumpy crying kids in tow. This Raya, make the most of your holiday to reconnect with family and friends by spending less time on the road!
People are expected to be driving up to 25% more during the Hari Raya celebration. The increase starts two days before Hari Raya and is predicted to peak at the following weekend. With that many people on the roads, nobody wants to waste time being stuck in traffic when you could be home having “Lemang” with your family.
During the days leading up to Hari Raya, there will be a 5% drop in Waze usage in Kuala Lumpur, as road users are expected to head out of the capital city. Terengganu will see a 42% increase in incoming traffic while both Kuala Muda and Johor Bahru will anticipate a 10% increase in traffic heading their way respectively. Malaysians will also be driving longer with about a 42% increase in Terengganu, 32% increase in Kuala Muda, 30% increase in Johor Bahru and a 20% increase in Kuala Lumpur.
So, what can they do to make their “Balik Kampung” drive better? Here are five top tips from Waze!
Tip 1: Plan around High Traffic Areas and Peak Hours
Waze has identified high traffic areas and the worst times to travel, from June 12 to June 20, to help road users plan their trips around these times.
Based on Waze’s road traffic data, it is predicted that Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu will be seeing an increase in traffic jams, so those heading towards these states should take note of the best time to travel.
Tip 2: Share Your Drive with Your Family
While you’re on the road, your mum could be anxiously wondering when you will finally make it back for dinner and whether you’re safe. Give your family peace of mind as you make your way home for reunion.
Tip 3: Avoid Hanging Out in High Traffic Destinations!
Waze also found road users’ favourite destinations during Hari Raya to be shopping centers, which sees a 20% increase in traffic, followed by restaurants, hotels, gas stations and banks. Shopping centers and restaurants are popular lifestyle destinations among Malaysians, thus the top two comes as no surprise, as Hari Raya is a time best spent with family and friends. It would be a good idea to have alternative hang out spots.
Tip 4: Share Your Location for Easy Meet-ups
If you are going to meet some old friends who have not been in town for a while, help them save time in looking for your meet-up point.
Tip 5: Watch Your Speed Limit
While it would be great to have a quick and traffic jam-free drive, it is always better to be safe than sorry! Enable speed limit notifications on your Waze app and you’ll be able to see how fast you’re driving. Better yet, receive alerts when you’re driving at or above the speed limit.

Is the Customer at the heart of your Digital Transformation?
On 19th of July, MARKETING will be organising a conference on Customer-Centric Digital Transformation (#DTCX2018) to help you answer that question. The conference will be driven by Paul Stewart who authored the best-seller ‘Branded Customer Service’ and currently is the Special Advisor, Strategy & Transformation for  P. S. Thinking. Drawing from his 25 years of diverse experience as a Chief Economist, CEO and consulting in organisational change, transformation and innovation Paul will be sharing his learnings and current trends in this realm.
He will be joined by key thought leaders in the areas of transformation, data analytics, customer service, branding, marketing, digital, human resources and more! Some of the key names who will be joining us include:

* Imran Kunalan Abdullah, Advisor/Principal Consultant – Digital Talent Development & Leadership and People Analytics
* George Aveling, CEO, TMI Malaysia
* Laurence Smith, Head, Asia Region, SmartUP
* Falko Leonhardt, Principal Consultant Transformation Strategy and Change, TMI
* Mohd Adam Wee Abdullah, Group CMO & Chief Customer Experience Officer, CIMB Group
* Rene Werner, Chief Customer Service & Customer Experience Officer, Celcom Axiata Berhad
* Noelle Lim, Director, BFM Edge Education
* Vigneswaran Sivalingam, Director of Operations, Teledirect of Telecommerce
Get ready to be inspired by case studies on transformation, honest conversations on driving change and actionable insights you can take back to implement in your organisation.
Date: 19th July 2018
Time: 8.30 am -6.00 pm