Hello… is anyone out
there? Is anyone concerned or interested about the potential loss of work and revenue that
I have no doubt the taxi trade will suffer once minicabs are licensed?
The taxi industry in general, in my opinion, seems to be waiting to see what
happens. Is this due to the fact that at this time our order books are full with regard to
suppliers of cabs? Have our support services got so much work that they could not cope
with any more or is it complacency? When I was a Boy Scout the motto was - and I am sure
still is - ‘Be Prepared’.
Questions from Clients
Even now, customers are telephoning our sales department and asking more questions than
ever about our service. For instance:
"What will be the difference between minicabs when they are licensed and
the conventional black cab service?" or "Can you supply alternative transport as
well as taxis?" Then there is: "In your promotional literature, Dial-a-Cab offer
a superior service in comparison to others. If this is the case, why am I invariably kept
waiting? I am also told you allow your drivers to reject fares - why? If I phone for a
minicab, I am not refused?"
When costs are brought into the equation, these are some of the comments:
"My company has started to use minicabs as well as black cabs and we
have noticed that they are less expensive although we have no doubt that once licensing
takes place, there will be an increase in charges but not to the extent that we pay radio
taxi companies. Many of our staff and visitors think that minicab drivers are more
courteous and better dressed. As an organisation, we have been using licensed black cabs
for many years so let me make it quite clear that when minicabs are licensed, most of our
work will go to them - initially for a trial period. But we will retain your facility for
use as backup."
Comments such as these are getting far too numerous. #
What is the Answer?
At this moment, minicab companies are consolidating themselves. Marketing and advertising companies are knocking on their doors trying to get a slice of any financial
wealth - which I have no doubt will be fairly substantial. What should
Dial-a-Cab be doing to combat the most radical changes in over 300 years of the licensed
taxi industry to protect the company and its members?
We must smarten ourselves in dress and attitude, increase our service levels
- ie take the first job offered via our terminals. If every driver were to take one or two
extra account rides per day, this would undoubtedly improve the service levels to our
customers and consequently increase the financial wealth of our drivers. Maybe the
introduction of a driver ‘Job Home’ facility could help. As a driver who
does more work on the cab than some of my colleagues, I get totally ‘cheesed
off’ when I cannot come in for a job to take me in the direction of my home,
especially when I know there are customers waiting. Incidentally, changes to the system
are being developed to take this facility into account. When this is implemented,
hopefully within a few months, the benefits will be tremendous to both drivers and
customers.
Alternative Transport
What about the question of alternative transport? The issue of limousines and courier services etc has been written about and discussed many times, but we have not moved forward. Our antiquated rule book has played a substantial part in holding us back. We can sell taxis, fuel and insurance’s (which incidentally only 300 out of 1,700 drivers take advantage of). In other words, any service we could supply even if it offers more wealth to Dial-a-Cab, cannot be negotiated. Dial-a-Cab have a wealth of knowledge, human resources and the technology to change direction, but changes can only be implemented by the will of the membership. Wouldn’t it be great if we could bring substantial revenue from other sources allowing, at the very least, subscriptions to be pegged for a considerable time? I am pleased to say the BoM are already compiling
changes to the rule book for
your perusal and hopefully, your approval.
Make no mistake, the next few years are not going to be easy. Customers are
going to have more choice than ever. At this time, corporate companies are demanding a
one-stop transport shop. Customers want one phone call to get them a taxi, limousine
or any other transport required and yes, who knows, even helicopters! A joke? Who knows!
But if we don’t act now, others will.
Who Serves Who?
Are customers dictating to us …you bet they are! We have to give the customer what
they want, not what we are prepared to supply. If they want a coach, cab, horse and buggy
or to charter a plane, we should have the means to action their requests. Administration /
service charges obtained would be substantial revenue that we can ill afford to lose out
on.
Statements made by some drivers during discussions about the future of
Dial-a-Cab have suggested:
"I’m not going to be dictated to by customers, who do they think
they are? I am the one who has spent £28,000 on a new cab, if they don’t like it let
them go somewhere else." Well my friends, If we are not accommodating to their needs,
somewhere else is exactly where they will go and they may not come back.
If we do not give a total service, it will be at our peril. Dependent on the
vision we have and the ‘balls’ to change direction, will determine our future.
In ten years, I hope a customer does not come over to me when I am on a rank and asks me
to take him around Hyde Park for old time’s sake. I enjoy driving a cab, it is
interesting and I get a fair remuneration for the work I do.
Like you, I do not want my standard of living to decrease. Pessimistic,
maybe, but I don’t apologise for that. I want our industry to continue to prosper. It
is up to each and every one of us to determine our destiny. Dial-a-Cab and its members
have always been forward thinking and innovative. We are going to have to change direction
and let us start now. We need to know what you think.
If you want to contact me via email, you can on: michaels@dialacab.co.uk
Please let Call Sign have your comments via the normal postal routes or at: callsignmag@aol.com
Helicopters? A joke or reality
