Account Sharing
It isn't often we print too much in Call Sign about obtaining new business for fear of upsetting our competitors whose account it once was. It has never been our style to make political capital at the expense of the opposition. Unfortunately, the one downside to this policy is that it keeps many of our members in the dark as to what new accounts need special attention.
   However on this occasion, we are making an exception to the rule because the emphasis is on sharing rather than taking an account in total. In fact two accounts to be precise - The London Wide Taxi Card Scheme and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson whose taxi usage is expected to increase considerably. And the reason we have chosen to share with ComCab is because in reality we are reaching a stage where there is no longer any single taxi circuit in London at this moment capable of being sole supplier to too many large corporates at any one time.
   We at DaC are fortunate to be sole suppliers to some of the largest and most prestigious corporates in London, and with our present fleet plus the expansion program which we are presently undertaking, we are confident that with your support we can continue to meet the high level of service our clients expect and deserve. However, to take on any more large accounts as sole supplier would be stretching our resources, particularly during the next few months and the run-up to Christmas as our existing business would without doubt be jeopardised.
   The problem is what do we do when large companies invite us to tender, which in many instances can be every two or three years, sometimes four. Do we decline, giving an honest reason and in the process put ourselves out of the frame for several years, or accept the invitation and go through the process of negotiations and battling with the competition on costs, to get an account that is likely to cause us more grief than good. And when I talk of battling over costs, surprisingly this is still the case.  As hard as it may seem, particularly at a time when it can be said to be a suppliers market, we are still experiencing situations where a competitor is resorting to rock bottom charges as the only means of attempting to procure new business. Fortunately, without too much success...
   An example of this problem over tendering occurred on two occasion during the past couple of months involving the two above mentioned accounts from whom we had received invitations to tender.  It was during pre-tender discussions that the subject of sharing was briefly mentioned.
   There are very few secrets in the private sector, particularly amongst purchasing managers, so naturally the arrangement we have with Com-Cab over the sharing of two big accounts (Fleet St & Cabot Sq) is common knowledge.
   Consequently the idea of dual suppliers, namely Computer Cab and Dial-a-Cab became of interest, resulting in subsequent meetings taking place involving all parties, whereby it was agreed we withdraw our original bids and replace it with joint bids. I feel it important to emphasis at this point that they are 'joint bids' NOT sub-contractual bids. Both Com-Cab and Dial-a-Cabs telephone number will be issued and when appropriate

 personalised Chargecards will be designed to include both circuits branding.
   I'm well aware of the political implications seen by some members from both circuits about working with the 'supposed enemy' and the wild rumours that are likely to emanate from this alliance. But I would ask all of you to put politics and old prejudices to one side and look at the commercial benefit, both financial and the fight against the soon to be licensed private hire.     We are offering these large corporates a joint service comprising of over 4,500 mobiles. The volume of work available to either circuit is dependent entirely on how much they are prepared to cover and it is available without capturing the business with wild unsustainable promises or entering into a price war. It is worth remembering; 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.
Finally with regards The London Taxi Card Scheme and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, I have insufficient operational details at the time of writing this article but will probably be available by the time you receive this edition of Call Sign. If so, a flyer will hopefully be inserted giving all the details.

Bad Language
I don't wish to sound patronising as I'm well aware this doesn't apply to all of you, but unfortunately we are hearing of far too many incidences lately of drivers exercising bad language in front of and at clients. We all know swearing can be a habit, or used in the heat of the moment to emphasis a strong point, and in certain company and places it can go unnoticed. For example, rarely a day goes by without drivers 'effing' and 'blinding' at me about something or other and the language doesn't bother me. In certain company I've sworn like the rest, but in my job I have to wear two hats, and really so should you.
   In your job as a licensed London cab driver, you are in a unique position of coming into contact with every section of society from Royalty downwards and in many cases unknowingly, so it's important that you treat everyone the same - with respect. When I visit clients or represent 
our Society at meetings, I have to make sure I speak in a manner appropriate to the company I am in. It isn't being snobbish, it is simply acting respectful. I can well understand the frustrations of a driver who having bent every rule in the book to get to a pick-up address on time, then has to wait 25 minutes. The client comes down and accuses you of being late and adds insult to injury by expecting you to do an half hour journey in 10 minutes.
   But I'm sure that most of you who have had a bill long enough will know it doesn't help you or the client, when you yell chapter and verse your thoughts including nasty expletives between every word. So please, the next time you feel your blood boiling, remember this: If a client complains about bad language and it is proven, there is likely to be only one outcome at a

 complaints meeting and that is expulsion. Could I also ask you to please take care when speaking in a group outside a client's entrance. We all know how voices get raised and how sound travels, particularly when talking about subjects such as football which invariably leads to comments about Spurs and what a load of w******* they are...! That might be acceptable from the terraces at Arsenal, but not near the entrance of our clients.

Keeping Fit
In last April's Call Sign, I wrote an article on two closely related subjects - The Dial-a-Cab Health Scheme and Keeping Fit. Two important subjects more synonymous with the cab trade by lack of association than participation. In DaC, where we promote a health scheme and assist with claims and pay the monthly subscriptions for those in the scheme, we have less than 300 members with health insurance out of a membership of 1700. If you applied this blasé attitude to the whole taxi trade where little is done to promote health insurance, it is quite likely that less than15% of the 20,000 odd cab drivers in London have some form of health cover. That is incredible when you consider the pressure, stress and environment under which cab drivers operate and how so few feel it necessary to protect themselves financially against mid or long term illness.
   During the past year I personally have sadly come into contact with as well as being told of, quite a number of cab drivers who have been struck down with debilitating or serious illness and the added suffering of having no income whilst off sick. I'm sure all of them now realise how thoughtless it was not to have had insurance protection. It's not as though they couldn't afford it, in most cases I bet it was a simply a case of not getting round to do it.
   The problem now is should they decide to apply for one in the future, they will not get cover for the illness or any related illness to the one they have just had. So I'll repeat what I said before. If as yet you do not have any health Insurance, please consider the consequences should you be taken ill. I don't wish to sound morose, but how often when someone has had a heart attack have we heard the remark that he/she was assumed to be so healthy because they rarely had need to see a doctor. It's a fact that in many cases it was because they rarely visited a doctor that they were unknowingly running around with all sorts of health problems.
   When several years ago I was diagnosed with having prostate cancer, it was discovered during the regular health check I have each year. Subsequently the disease was treated early. Fortunately it did not affect my ability to work, but had it done so I would at least have had the comfort of knowing I could claim £200 per week on my DaC sickness insurance.
   If you are not in any sickness scheme at this time, I urge you to do something about it now. There are plenty of schemes being advertised in nearly every magazine you read OR if you wish to join the DaC health scheme, contact the office and we will willingly send you details.
   The cost can be as low as just ONE minimum credit ride per week and you wont have to worry about payment as we can deduct it from your monthly credits.

Allen Togwell