It’s easier for them to commute now. The lines between traditional taxi services and ride-sharing services have blurred. This assimilation has raised expectations that ridesharing services will function more like a professional taxi service.
For a smooth and stress-free ride, keep an eye out for these red flags before hiring a service.
Unusually high fees
Fierce competition has forced the transport sector to drive innovation and keep lowering rates. This has also been true for taxi services. Unless there is a driver shortage due to high demand or supply of premium services, there is no incentive to pay more.
Questionable maintenance
Good taxi services go the extra mile. They often partner with local agencies to have their cars inspected in a certified flawless manner. This results in a safe and relaxed environment for your clients and repeat business. Any taxi service that does not guarantee such regular maintenance will naturally lose credibility.
Resistance to technology adoption
Without a doubt, technology has become one of the most integral parts of our lives. Without it, our complex ecosystem will collapse. A good taxi service tries to stay ahead of the curve and uses the latest technologies. While this increases your cost in the short term, it generates more income in the long term. As a general rule of thumb, a good taxi company will employ as a minimum: –
– GPS tracking
– online reservations
– dedicated platform for drivers and customers
– email confirmation
Inflexible payment solutions
In an increasingly digitized economy, fewer people carry cash for daily settlements. While poor taxi service turns a blind eye to this, good taxi services see an opportunity to retain and expand the existing customer base. As such, they offer customers the convenience of paying not only with credit cards, but also with cash and even with wallet systems.
No or poor customer service
A poor taxi company does not feel obligated to guarantee customer satisfaction. Instead, it operates with a simple, basic business model. An important pillar of customer satisfaction is during service or after-sales service. This is done to ensure that customers have the option to provide feedback or complaints about the service. The underlying idea is to train users to speak directly to a company representative; to share positive feedback or raise concerns.
A taxi service that operates without customer service could become the biggest red flag. It continues to show that the company in question has for its users.
Unprofessional drivers
Demonstrating professionalism for a driver is a myriad of fairly subjective intangibles. Being a professional driver is not just about driving smoothly, but also about ensuring that the accompanied customer is not uncomfortable in any way. Therefore, a good taxi company must have a system of metrics to evaluate the performance of its drivers.
The list is by no means exhaustive. In fact, many of the indicators may be trivial for one person but a deciding factor for another. At the end of the day, the service that focuses its energies on customer convenience and facilitation is likely to triumph over others. If you need the best taxi service, make sure they don’t have bad signs.
