Allen Togwell's Marketing Place
Call Sign February 2012
Page 17
Dial-a-Cab is a brand. Unfortunately like most
In this year's DaC Annual Report, it's
tangible brands, we don't have a product that
interesting that the Chairman uses
you can see, touch and test before deciding to
an analogy with chess and business.
purchase.As a service, our face to the public and
Having been a keen chess player myself, par-
what carries our brand most is you the members;
ticularly during the period when I had my own
it's the image that you the drivers project. It
business I can identify with that analogy, espe-
always has been that way, right back to the days
cially the business that I was in, namely the fash-
of cloth cap and muffler and nothing has
ion trade where copying a competitor's designs
changed, in fact nothing has changed on the part
and selling them cheaper was not only rife but
of the driver for over 350 years!
equally annoying, it wasn't illegal.Very much like
One would think by now that it would dawn
the situation the cab trade has suffered since the
on every cab driver and particularly the militants
licensing of minicabs.
and those pushing the apps that after 350 years
I also designed and manufactured fashion
there is a need for a change. That it needs a
accessories such as buckles and belts. I used to
facelift. Starting with drivers taking a good look
spend hours late into the night creating ideas.
in the mirror before starting work and asking
One notable success was in creating multi-
course and one charge that could be abolished
themselves if their appearance gives the right
coloured belts to be worn by men and women
without too much hardship is the station and the-
image?
with jeans. I manufactured tens of thousands and
atre charge. As for the other charges, your Board
then it came to a sudden end when the new
If...
already have considerable experience of the
immigrants in Brick Lane and the East End with
effects of selling cheap from past recessions. Our
In my opinion, if Dial-a-Cab was a private compa-
cheap labour started to produce an inferior copy
gratuity was once 12.5% until our biggest client at
ny and not a Friendly Society shackled by certain
for half the price. So I had a choice of selling
that time threatened that unless we reduced it to
members who think only of lining their pockets
cheap myself or to follow the advice I was given
10% we would lose the account. So we reduced
without giving anything in return, we could cre-
when as a lad starting my first job at an uphol-
it. ComCab and RTL followed suit and it's been a
ate a brand that PH would find very hard to
sterer's in Albany Street.
maximum of 10% ever since.The important thing
match. For example and going to extremes, if
It was not long after the last war ended and
to remember about selling anything cheap is that
every Dial-a-Cab vehicle was below a certain age
the effects of that war were evident in the man-
it infers poor quality, be it a tangible product or a
with every driver being recognisable by a dress
ner in which I was dressed.At the end of my first
service.
code or even a practical uniform displaying our
day, which involved sitting on the floor of a freez-
That is something those self-styled entrepre-
company legend, then this together with the
ing cellar picking the knots out of horse hair and
neurs within our industry should understand
green badge, good manners, being courteous
filling cushions with feathers, the elderly boss on
when cutting charges to shreds. Having had a Bill
such as opening doors etc, then our charges
seeing the state I was dressed said:"Young man
for over 45 years, I'm amazed to think there are
would never be an issue. It's never likely to hap-
it costs nothing to brush your hair, put a crease
green badge drivers out there prepared to have
pen of course, but can you imagine the brand that
in your trousers and polish your boots." Later he
10% nicked off a fare that has already been
we could market if it did?
gave me another piece of advice, which was that
diminished by no run-in, no gratuity and limited
Brand is about creating and meeting expecta-
`quality survives all changes'.
waiting time.Why not go the whole hog and say
tions - it's called `brand values' but it has to be con-
At the time I couldn't believe what he was say-
to the punter: "No charge mate, just throw your
sistent. It's useless if a smart polite driver arrives to
ing considering the grubby job I had been given,
loose change in the hat."
collect a client and the very next driver arrives in
but as I grew older those words made sense and
Don't these guys realise that recessions do not
a rust bucket dressed like a slob, being obnoxious
have had affected my outlook to this day. It really
last forever? And when they end and work picks
and uncooperative should the passenger decide
does cost nothing to look presentable no matter
on a sudden change of destination.
up, it won't be competing on prices that will
what job you do. If you look good you feel good,
Recently I hailed a cab from the UCHL
cause work being lost to PH, it will be the drivers
this boosts self-esteem, which in turn releases
Hospital back to East Road and to assist the dri-
giving poor service because street work will be
stress - a major factor when driving a cab. As for
ver, I said that if you go via Shepherdess Walk and
more attractive.
quality surviving all changes, this is also true
take the first right into... Before I could even fin-
I hear there is no limit on how many of these
ish, he just told me to `eff off and drove away! I
hence the reason why when I bought something
apps you can join, this being so which one will get
would like to think this was an isolated incident;
such as clothes, I waited until I could afford to pay
preference? And once a job has been accepted,
unfortunately `being tarred with the same brush'
that little bit extra so that it lasted. It was also the
what guarantee is there that the drivers won't
comes usually from isolated incidents.This has to
reason why I refused when in business to com-
change their mind on route to the pick-up when
stop. Every driver, particularly on Dial-a-Cab, has
pete by selling cheap.
they see a linkman flapping his arms indicating a
to be self-disciplined and proud of the badge
trip to the flyers and in doing so leave the client
Lewis Day, apps and cut-price work...
they are wearing and the Dial-a-Cab logo they are
stranded? Not that the client will get much sym-
displaying, which is our `brand identity'. When
The Addison Lee takeover of Lewis Day appears
pathy, because the chances are the only people
that happens and we all make a concerted effort
to be causing a number of grown men to act hys-
likely to use these apps are the hooray Henry's
to be proper service providers by openly show-
terically and forming apps offering cut price
wanting to be picked up from wine bars, the very
ing our gratitude to the customer, by being of
work with the mistaken notion that it will take
work that most of you don't want anyway. My fear
smart appearance and with a smile saying thank
work back from PH. Is this the best solution they
is that not only will these various apps be dis-
you, have a nice day and giving one of our give-
could come up with? I don't know whether it
credited because of poor service, but worse, so
away cards at the end of every journey, which is
was related, but the Chairman made a valid point
will the licensed cab trade.
`brand awareness' then the people that matter
in his Annual Report when he said: `You do not
The Chairman also mentions in the Annual
will see Dial-a-Cab as a brand that's worth paying
succeed in business by sticking to convention'
Report the willingness to do the unthinkable
for. This is not a short-term solution of course,
meaning companies who sell the same product
and ensuring our quality is maintained. He did-
but considering nothing's been done since
competing against each other solely on price,
n't say it as such, but as I read it he was in fact
Samuel Pepys used hansom cabs in the 1660s, it
create price wars and suffer the inevitable con-
giving an alternative to selling cheap. It's called
would be a positive start...
sequences.
`branding'. People will pay for a quality brand, if
Obviously we have to be competitive and we
they didn't Harrods, Bond Street, Savile Row, first
are when it's usage related, but run-ins and gratu-
class hotels and travel - to name but a few exam-
Allen Togwell
ities need to be protected otherwise if we drop
ples - wouldn't exist. But they do exist and in
DaC Marketing
them for one client, word spreads and then every
2011 this sector alone generated £9.4billion in
client will demand it. There are exceptions of
the UK.
