Whenever I attend a Direct Marketing convention of which I am an institute
member, I often find myself, after describing the type of business I am in and
in particular the size and makeup of our fleet, being asked to explain how I
maximise the use of what many see as 2,200 sales associates.
With over 1000 members of the Institute of Direct Marketing, many
of whom represent some of the largest companies in the UK, the question asked
of me attracts considerable interest. Particularly so as there are few
businesses that have a work force comprising of 2,200 self employed
individuals.
When I was first asked this question, I reluctantly gave a puerile
excuse as to why utilising an independent workforce of shareholders to generate
business did not suit our particular set up. Since then, whenever I am asked
again I act like a politician - I answer the question with a question. The
reason I do this is partly to get myself of the hook and partly because the
original question itself is a logical one and when thrown open to discussion,
it creates a very interesting debate.
What do I mean by getting myself of the hook? Well if I was to
answer the original question honestly, no matter how I chose to word it, I
would be unable to hide the peculiar fact that as
a self employed body of people as our members are, very few show any interest
in assisting to generate future business or even securing the business they
already have. A strange admission considering we are a driver's co-operative...
But what of the future? Is the complacency that has long been
synonymous with the licensed cab trade going to continue throughout 2002, or
have the events during the latter part of last year starting with the spread of
foot and mouth, followed by the tragedy in New York and concluding with the
eventual licensing of private hire, prompted a radical rethink?
There are many of my contemporaries who gained their bill when I
did - 30 odd years ago - who believe the licensed taxi trade is finished. No
doubt the same was said by those who had a badge 60 years ago and 30 years
before that. Admittedly the camaraderie isn't as prevalent as it was. No longer
can you let another cab out in front of you and expect it to let you have the
first available job, or if found with bonnet up and bent over the engine can
you assume the first empty cab will stop and ask if you need assistance? It's a
different era, a different breed of cabman, different aspirations. £35,000
cabs, detached houses, holidays in Orlando, kids at University; such
aspirations are common amongst many latter day cabmen but achievable only by
working a twelve-hour a day, seven days a week with no time for camaraderie or
spending hours in watering holes.
However, as much as ambitions and expectations have changed, very little if
anything appears to have changed in the manner by which they approach their
job. The vast majority are still unwilling to accept themselves as
businessman, with far too many still unwilling to accept their industry as
being seriously threatened by PH. While those that do, show a reluctance to do
anything about it.
I find it extremely irritating when discussing this subject with
our members, than to constantly hear them putting themselves down by saying
'I'm only a cab driver'. Why is it that so many drivers take such a
self-effacing attitude?
Why is it that having successfully completed what is accepted as the most
arduous taxi
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Knowledge test in the world, do so many owners of the coveted green badge regard themselves as JUST cab
drivers? Every single licensed cab driver in London should be immensely
proud of their achievements. I certainly am, and contrary to what many of
our members think, when I am in the company of business people dressed in my
pin stripe suits, I never hesitate when having the opportunity to make it
known that I have a badge.
I just cannot understand what is it about the cab trade that breeds
so much low self-esteem?
I'll repeat again what I was told when as a 15 year old I
turned up, shabbily dressed for my first days work. An elderly gentleman on
being aware that I had little schooling and that I came from a poor family,
offered some friendly advice. He told me to always brush my hair, put a
crease in my trousers and polish my boots, it costs nothing but the return
is to show self respect and high self-esteem. The other advice was 'Quality
survives all changes' Buy cheap and it will continually have to be
replaced. Buy quality and it will last and be appreciated. I have used those
two maxims as a yardstick throughout my entire life.
Everybody knows about the quality of London's taxis and the
quality of the Knowledge, hence the reason it has lasted for over 300 years.
Unfortunately in recent years, the same cannot be said about the perception
of the drivers and it is this perception by which the trade is measured,
particularly against private hire. But it is only perception and as
perception is not necessarily fact, it is easy to change...
As the person responsible for marketing our services, it is
essential that the package I put forward to prospective clients and to
secure the clients we already have, is superior to that of our competitors.
The competitiveness in the market place is such that when a client is
deciding on their choice of supplier, there are a number of factors they
take into consideration apart from putting four wheels outside their
door. Considerable emphasis is put on technology, e-commerce,
electronic billing, on-line management information reporting, a multitude of
different stats, on-line booking facilities, chargecards, smartcards,
specialised day-to-day facilities, cost effective charging, alternative
transport, presentable drivers and a number of behind the scene policy
statements which many might consider to have little to do with supplying a
taxi service. For example Health & Safety, Equal Opportunities, Race
Relations, Training, Disability Awareness and last but not least and
one which is becoming an important part of our selling package,
Environmental Issues.
In last month's Call Sign there was a competition for our
members and their families to think of a slogan supporting stress free
driving. The prize being a first class trip on Eurostar and two nights in a
top Paris hotel. The competition was not a gimmick but a serious attempt to
show our clients that Dial-a-Cab's drivers are concerned about health,
safety and environmental issues and wish to advertise that fact. At the time
of writing, the total number of drivers interested enough to respond to the
competition was very disappointing and I hope the number taking an interest
will increase with this month's final chance to enter.
Since the introduction of the increased night charge and as
expected the downturn in work after Christmas, I have had a number of
drivers contact me with suggestions as to how we might encourage more of our clients to use us in preference to private hire.
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In many instances the sight
outside several of our clients of PH vehicles, whose company salesman was
once employed by us, prompted this. The most common suggestion was to offer no run-ins and zero gratuity
etc. Many of you might agree with this, but I think the majority would
not. From my experience I believe that whilst it might help ease the problem
in the short term, it is a dangerous route to follow because history has
proven that when certain charges are dropped a) it becomes almost impossible
to re-introduce them b) service suffers and c) it sends out a negative
message to our clients.
I have heard unconfirmed reports that RTL are offering reduced
run-ins and making driver administration changes in an effort to solve their
internal problems. We have no intention of going down that route at this
moment in time. What we are doing is increasing our efforts to generate new
business - any business - from any source. We are still opening 80 plus new
accounts a month, many of which continue to come via our web site. We have
employed a new Sales Manager, re-deployed our sales personnel and are
putting into action a sales strategy to meet the needs of the moment.
As a point of interest, in the past many drivers have complained about the
low volume of cash work that we distribute. Unfortunately, until now,
this was dictated by circumstances rather than choice. Since the
introduction of our new terminal, this policy has now changed and we are in
the process of introducing new software that when completed should enable us
to embark on a marketing campaign that will, among other types of business,
aim at CASH paying customers using credit cards. I urge all of you to re-familiarise
yourselves with how to take credit cards and having done so, adopt a
positive attitude when asked to participate in promoting your Society.
In the press we read continuous horror stories from the public
about using cabs. Few realise they can open a monthly account. Few realise
they have access to an exclusive telephone number to book a cab. Few realise
they can book a cab on the Internet. Few realise they can pay by credit card
or know about the Dial-a-Cab chargecard. Few people know about the Female
Taxicard cash paying service exclusively for women travelling alone which
only Dial-a-Cab can offer.
At a rough estimate, if every one of our 2,200 members were to
do a minimum of 5 cash rides a day, that is over 3 million individual rides
a year, if you are going to talk, then use it to your advantage. Let your
captive audience know you are a shareholder of the most technologically
advanced radio taxi circuit in the UK who have a service to meet every need.
And remember also, for every lead that develops into an account
being opened, Dial-a-Cab will pay you £10.
There will be pads of coloured leaflets available in drivers
reception that can be used both as a flyer to promote the use of credit card
cash bookings and also as a receipt. Please take the opportunity to
distribute one to every cash-paying customer. Thank you for your
support.
Allen Togwell
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