In previous reports, I always find myself informing you of the occasional
hiccups clients have with our service, or the Editor has asked me for an answer
to a driver's question. This time there are no questions outstanding, but
I do need to bring to your attention some very serious issues that clients are
having with our service.
Having been asked to head up and oversee the Sales Department, one
of my first instructions for the team was to meet face-to-face with as many of
our existing clients as possible, to conduct what we call a health check. In
the past, we have been reluctant to get to see too many because we felt that if
it didn't need fixing, then why try to fix it? However, having
experienced the downturn in work back in the early 1990s, I knew that
competition to aquire clients would be fierce and the attack would come from
two sides; radio taxi circuits and private hire. Sure enough, that is exactly
what has happened...
Clients are once again looking at the cost. Before, we went along
with many clients' requests and reduced our administration charges because that
was an area in which we had room for manoeuvre. By doing that, we received a
great deal of loyalty in return, which has been proven by the amount of
business we have done - especially over the past four years.
But history is again repeating itself, cost is the main issue and
with the increase in the night tariff, a vast number of clients are clearly
stating they are not prepared to pay that increase. I've taken a
serious look at reducing the admin charges before anything else, but
unfortunately in the majority of cases, there really is no room for me to do
any more. This was the case with one of our nights accounts of which you will
now be aware we have recently had to offer rates per mile to in order to retain
their business.
Internet and Run-Ins...
However, not all is doom and gloom; the investment and development
we have made in
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the IT side of the business has given us a tremendous advantage over
the opposition and I believe that it is helping us in the battle to aquire
and retain business. We now have a management tool that clients can use to
access, via the
Internet, all their trips taken up to midnight the previous day and enable
them to sort the data of the trips by some twelve variations - the most
common being cabs that are kept waiting over a certain time and the costs
this incurs.
Our strategy is to reduce the clients' expenditure without reducing the
number of trips. If we can encourage the passenger to be waiting for us to
arrive rather than us wait for them, then they can make massive savings -
exactly what clients are trying to achieve. I'm pleased to say that both new
and old clients are becoming receptive to this, but unfortunately it has
highlighted another problem; run-ins.
This one is an old chestnut, but believe me clients get very
upset and disappointed when they enter the cab just before booked time or
immediately the cab arrives, only to find the meter reading is £4.20 plus.
I wished I had a £1 for every client I have had to deal with on run-in
issues, I would be a rich man! Clients are now passing comment more freely
and I'm sure many of you have been asked about the amount on the meter. The
common reply from drivers is "...don't worry I'll knock it off and the
end." Unless you are clearly informing and demonstrating to the client
the amount you are deducting, which has to be more than the odd 20p/40p, I'm
sorry but this is no longer acceptable. Our run-in amount, as you all know,
is £3.80 - unless a different amount is
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specified on the trip details. It is
your responsibility to stop and
restart the meter to ensure the correct amount is showing when you arrive.
Our Customer Service team is doing an excellent job for us
during these difficult times, but this particular issue - treated by
some drivers as trivial and nothing to worry about - has become
demoralising to them because of the number of clients raising that point
about excessive run-ins. They are running out of ways to
placate the client and it really is now over to you, the driver.
I feel it is also prudent to inform you that this has been such an
issue with other suppliers, that they are using their satellite systems to
read the meter when the taxi arrives out side the pick-up. Added to this,
they are even offering clients daily reports showing meter amounts and I
would lay a pound to a penny that we will have to follow suit if we are
retain or win new business.
The Message Is Getting Through...
I've changed this final paragraph because of events overtaking me. I
had originally written about a client who we had won back from a
competitor and who on their first day back with us, came up against the
issue of an excessive run-in after we spent a long time telling them that
it would not happen! But later, our Sales Manager Lydia Foulkes spoke with
the client who informed her that the spot checks they have been carrying
out, are showing that drivers are adhering to the warning messages on the
account and they are now happy. This proves it can be done, so please take
heed of the warning messages placed on certain accounts; run-ins must not
exceed £3.80 or any other amount you are instructed to run in with.
In addition, it is also a complaint (no 4:) To arrive at the
pick up point with more money than authorised showing on the meter. This
is in conjunction with complaint (no8:) Clearing more than the correct
fare.
Keith Cain |
