Page 12
Call Sign October 2011
In the August edition of Call Sign, our editor
As this Society heads towards a crossroads, Allen Togwell asks...
replied to a letter in Mailshot from John
WHAT OF THE FUTURE FOR DIAL-A-CAB???
Stowers (K40) who questioned the future
safeguarding of our senior accounts from
turnover, acquiring state of the art technology
predatory PH firms such as Addison Lee.
with exciting plans for the future, particularly
Before printing his reply, the editor asked
regarding our on-board technology. But - and
individual Board members whether they
excuse the pun - Dial-a-Cab still needs to go
agreed with his response and/or if they want-
that extra mile. Being a friendly society with a
ed to add anything. I agreed with his reply and
Board of management who are voted bi-annu-
as a passing comment claimed the solution in
ally onto a role, which in reality is meant to be
the short term would be to make all trips A/D
secondary to driving a cab, was often used by
and non-rejectable. I still agree with that state-
our competitors who claimed Board members
ment, however had I cared to elaborate I
of DaC, by having no vested interest and with
would have also highlighted a far more serious
policies being dictated by members, lacked
threat to the future welfare of this Society.
the enthusiasm, desire and even the power to
I'm sure Mr Stowers and others are aware that
meet a client's needs.
the retention of clients is not just dependant on
In 2 years' time - 2013 - Dial-a-Cab will have
cost, service or the peripheral services supplied,
been operating as a radio taxi service for 60
badge and what that green badge meant to
but also continuity, strong management and
years; we have an impressive new building,
me. Plus the likely damage I would do to Dial-
especially rapport with the decision makers at
we lead the field in technology, we have a
a-Cab, a Society built up by dedicated cab dri-
large and important accounts. Building a rap-
fleet of vehicles and drivers whose geograph-
vers who I had enormous respect for such as
port isn't easy; it requires skill, patience, perse-
ical knowledge is second to none, yet we
Bonnie Martyn, Jack Taylor, Aubrey
verance and sincerity and once achieved con-
have a management structure that was intro-
Siteman and many others. Attitudes are dif-
stant hard work to keep it maintained.
duced in 1953 when we had less than a dozen
ferent today of course, as proven by an ex-
It was around twenty odd years ago when I
drivers.
senior executive of ComCab who has a green
was in the process of building a Sales and
Over the years there have been members
badge but is now working for AL.
Marketing department at DaC, which for the
who were wary of Board members making
I mention the above because we now have
benefit of our newer members didn't exist
themselves jobs for the boys. If that ever was
a similar situation where there is a person on
before I came onto the Board. I was in my
true, then it certainly is no longer the case. The
our Board who not only has a greater knowl-
office early one morning when I received a
Society has grown too big to allow it to happen.
edge of our client base and a much bigger
phone call from a gentleman asking if I would
For example, many years ago a member
rapport with our senior clients than I had, but
care to meet him for a business lunch. He
could be elected onto the Board and immedi-
also has an in-depth knowledge of every other
refused to give his name or the reason for the
ately become the Treasurer. Today, that role is
department within our company including our
meeting. As head of Sales I was reluctant to
undertaken by an employed certified accoun-
technology, very much like that of a CEO.
turn down the likelihood of capturing a new
tant, a position that a member will never be
And for those who are not familiar with the
client, so I asked when and where?
able to replace. When that happened, we
responsibilities of a Chief Executive Officer it
"Today 12:30," he replied and I'll have you
should have made other radical changes such
covers operations, IT, sales, marketing, financ-
collected. 12:30 on the dot a chauffeur driven
as employing an MD/CEO. We need to instil
ing, creation of company culture, human
Rolls Royce arrived at Brunswick House and
confidence amongst our clients that we have
resources, compliance with safety regulations,
drove me to Scotts Restaurant, where I was
people in place who are able to make long
DP, PR, in fact almost everything to do with
ushered to a table that was occupied by three
terms plans and to be there to see those plans
running a major company.
men. Names were exchanged and it was sug-
take effect. Having said that, finding a CEO
Of course the person I refer to is our
gested that we start by enjoying the lunch
with the right qualifications and knowledge of
Chairman, Brian Rice, who made it known
together with small talk and after which they
our industry won't be easy because it isn't just
from the start of his Chairmanship that he
would enlighten me on the reason for the
the knowledge that is required. Building a rap-
would be acting more like an MD than a
meeting. Being partial to good food and qual-
port with senior clients, networking, meeting
Chairman of the old mould, and with the
ity wine - particularly if someone else was
the right people, wearing a dinner suit almost
blessing of the Board he was given the free-
footing the bill - I readily agreed. Two hours
as often as wearing a business suit takes a spe-
dom to do exactly that - a blessing incidental-
later I was to discover that the three gentle-
cial type of character. It requires confidence,
ly that involved several Board members for-
panache or as my Jewish colleagues would say
men represented a consortium involving many
feiting their jobs and consigning themselves to
when I was in the schmutter business
millions of pounds to start a Private Hire busi-
attending Board meetings only, while others
Chutzpah - a characteristic that you've either
ness. There was mention of purchasing 400
accepted having their hours reduced. In my
got or you haven't! It isn't something you learn.
saloon cars, 300 new un-plated taxis and a
case that was down to two days a week, until
Should our Chairman decide to leave Dial-
number of motorbikes. They were offering me
such time as it was out-sourced to one of a
a-Cab suddenly, whether by circumstance or
a position as Director of Sales and Marketing!
dozen firms in just Hackney alone that could
design, there is I regret to say nobody
At the end of the very interesting meeting
do the work I do.
amongst those eligible - myself included and
and I might add worrisome because minicabs
The only other full time board member
I mean no disrespects to my colleagues on the
were yet to be a serious threat, it was obvious
apart from Brian Rice is Keith Cain, who is
Board - capable of stepping into the position
that I wasn't being headhunted because they
responsible for the Control Centre, a depart-
that Brian Rice has had for the past 15 years to
considered me to have the sales and business
ment that operates 24/7. These are positive
develop. The consequences of this would
brain of Alan Sugar. Of course I had the sales
changes compared to how the Society operat-
mean electing a Chairman of the old school,
experience of running my own business and
ed for the past 50-odd years.
Board members being allocated duties, poli-
that of being in the cab trade, but my value to
So where lays the threat to this Society's
tics rearing its ugly head again and Dial-a-Cab
them was my knowledge of Dial-a-Cab's
future? The threat in my opinion - and it is
reverting back to how it was during my early
entire client-base including Terms &
only my opinion - lays in Brian Rice suddenly
years on the Board, which was a nightmare.
Conditions, usage, costs and more important-
deciding he's had enough of the crap from
The Society won't fold, of course, but from
ly, the contact names and rapport I had with
some of these morons within the cab industry
experience I feel with weak management and
those names! They would certainly open
and takes early retirement, or he gets hit by a
nobody to drive it forward, Dial-a-Cab will fall
doors. I had already been kicked off DaC's
bus or even takes a senior position with a
further and further behind - not just RTL and
Board once at an AGM. I wasn't and still am
competitor with all the perks that involves, be
ComCab, but far worse, the top firms in the
not a popular Board member, so I had no
it within our trade or PH.
private hire sector.
moral obligation to the members that would
Our Society has enjoyed considerable suc-
Allen Togwell
prevent me from accepting their offer. But I
cess during Brian Rice's tenure, apart from
DaC Marketing
refused simply because of my having a green
changes in management, a huge increase in
