In my last Chairman’s report, I spoke about the need to cover the minimum forty trips per month because we had acquired a new and very large account as you will also read elsewhere in the magazine. The account in question is the Deutsche bank and in conjunction with Bankers Trust, whom they have recently acquired, the combined account will be the largest in the UK in terms of taxi usage and Dial-a-Cab will have it. 
   Everyone at Dial-a-Cab has played their part in obtaining this new account and now it is up to you, the members, to be as helpful, courteous and punctual as possible in order to retain the business. 
   One of the reasons that Dial-a-Cab has been so successful over the past few years is because the majority of you are getting the message in regard to help publicising our name and are displaying our logo’s. This emphasises the size of our fleet and is a major factor when we are negotiating for more accounts.   

I have been very keen to incentify you, the members, in order that you might carry our logos. The first step was to have a new logo designed in-house by Allen Togwell. Then we did some market research with our clients in order that we chose the correct logo

and that was how we arrived at the new design.  A design, incidentally, which The Times has said was the best new logo that they had seen this year in any type of business.  Praise indeed!
   However, there were many of you who did not agree with me initially and really gave me some flak over the new design, so much so that I had to ask you in the Chairman’s report to give it a rest for three months and see if the new logo grew on you - fortunately (for me!) it did. 
   The BoM have already increased the logo prize draw to £300 and indeed, on several occasions the prize was increased to £1000. Bearing this in mind, you will notice elsewhere in the magazine that this month we are giving away a new 28 inch wide-screen television together with a Sky digital receiver and a years free subscription to Sky’s top channel package.
   In addition, this month we are holding a second logo prize draw into which the only call signs that are entered will belong to only those drivers who have 

fitted door logos during the previous month. That will narrow the odds down considerably.

Many of you have our magnetic logos that can be removed very easily. However, if you are listed on our records as having logos - whether they are magnetic or not - they must be affixed to the vehicle whilst you are working otherwise your attributes will be incorrect. Some of our accounts have the logo attribute meaning that you will only be offered a job on their account if our records show that you carry a logo. To go to the account address, then be asked where your logos are with you replying that they are magnetic and are in the boot, will not be acceptable.   

We have recently been approached by the BBC and asked to tender for their account. I have no idea if we will win any part of their business, but the significant point is that it is the first time in approximately fifteen years that Dial-a-Cab has been approached by them. Why? Well, quite simply, it is because Dial-a-Cab is now seen as a market leader and I, like most of you, wish to retain that position. Branding the company and displaying our logo will enhance that image considerably.

Brian Rice