Call Sign May 2010 - Page 26 - Call Centre Chat

Working at the "House" I have just a couple of reminders for all drivers to mention this month. The first is after you accept a trip for the House of Commons and House of Lords accounts. The reminder is for you to please make a note of your mileage. The reason for this is solely in case you are diverted from the normal route. With late night closures to some major roads and motorway junctions for the seemingly never-ending maintenance work, diversions have been put into place that can add substantially more miles onto the journey. In order for drivers not to lose out, the correct number of miles covered is essential for us to recalculate a revised fix price. Although we can calculate by using our computer software, the exact mileage covered is a far better way of doing it. Providing the correct information The second reminder is in connection with driver’s contact information. In these times of free phone upgrades, we constantly find a number of drivers who have changed their mobile phone	Call Centre Chat With Keith Cain
	number, but who haven’t informed Driver Services. It really is essential that we are made aware of any change for a number of reasons. Having accepted a trip and the call centre not being able to contact the driver can be very frustrating, let alone looking bad to the client if we are not able to make immediate contact. Should a driver find him or herself in an emergency situation, for the controllers to not be able to contact that driver to see what their situation is could put them in danger, but more likely create a hold-up in the call centre as message requests are sent out asking for the fleet to assist in finding the driver, when in all probability it is a false call and a quick phone call could have sorted	it out! If you have altered your personal details in anyway please contact Driver Services either by phone or email at DriverServices@dialacab.co.uk. Twin joy... I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone out there who sent my daughter, son-in-law and myself their best wishes on the birth of my twin grandchildren. Both of them are doing very well, although mum and dad - with a little help - are managing to get some sleep back into their lives. I was told that there was no feeling quite like having grandchildren and you know what, its true! It’s not something that can be described, except to say having twins only gives you a double whammy! Keith Cain Call Centre Manager Driver Operations Manager Ed’s note: Photos of Emily and Ethan can be found in this issue...

LONDON ACCORDING TO DAVE
THE GRAVY TRAIN? A friend of mine once told me he became a London Taxi driver because he thought it was a licence to print money! How many people think that now? Former mayor Ken Livingstone said he would do the job again for half the money, because he loves London so much and wanted to make a difference. Now that’s the soundbite of soundbites. Easy to say if you are rich, harder if you are poor. Tony Blair gets lambasted every which way for minting his past status, but he’s not the only one and can you really blame him? Some will argue that politicians of a bygone age were not interested in	riding on the gravy train, but many were wealthy already with a few exceptions like Harold Wilson, bless his Gannex Mac and bottle of HP sauce. If he were alive today, could you imagine him on a freebee holiday perched on a Russian billionaire’s yacht in the Med, sipping cocktails and debating how Britain could get more millionaires? No, his idea of perception was one man’s wage increase being another man’s price increase. He was happy to have a picnic on a windswept Scilly Isles beach! He’d have been mortified at the number of MPs today running for and riding on the gravy train. GOLD CUP ELECTION RACE The gold cup election race is under starters orders; who will DaC driver’s money be on? The clever money is rumoured to be on the two youngest thoroughbreds in the race, with the	impressive bloodline pedigree from the renowned stables of Eton...er sorry, I mean Lambourn. However, insiders suggest they may need a first outing to get race fit! Or will it be with the two oldest and more experienced runners, proven stayers when the going gets heavy? But they have suspect form. Or will Dial-a-Cab drivers pick an outsider – the young thoroughbred who was a promising juvenile, together with his older stable mate who is something of a course specialist and held in high esteem by many! Certainly a good each way bet that many believe could hold the balance of power. The Gold Cup Election Race has all the makings of a photo finish with objections and another steward’s enquiry when the dust settles. David Heath (ex W27)

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