6 Ways to improve your bottom line

Transcription

1 6 Ways to improve your bottom line with electronic dispatching

2 1 In the competitive taxi business, having any advantage over your competitors can make all the difference. An electronic dispatching and vehicle location system can set you apart from your competition and help you dramatically increase revenue. This whitepaper highlights the benefits of an electronic dispatching/vehicle tracking system using examples from taxi companies like yours. Additionally, it outlines the most important things to consider when purchasing a solution. An electronic dispatching and vehicle tracking solution consists of software in the office and mobile computers in your taxis. Rugged in-vehicle computers with integrated taximeters provide turn-by-turn directions for drivers and allow seamless communication between drivers and dispatchers. In the office, electronic dispatching software allows call takers or dispatchers to distribute calls quickly and fairly. Benefits of an Electronic Dispatching System Complete More Trips Each Day An electronic dispatching system allows companies to streamline call-taking and dispatching to considerably increase the number of trips they can handle without adding additional staff. Call takers can enter customer calls and record customer requests for trip cancellations quickly and easily in the system. Repeat customer information is automatically filled in and allows calls to be dispatched in 3 to 4 seconds. Call information is sent in real-time to the driver s in-vehicle computer. Gone are the Days of telephone tag or clogged radios as trips are automatically assigned to the next available, appropriate driver. This technology has revolutionized the way the Union Taxi Cooperative in Denver, Colorado does business. Since implementing an electronic dispatching system Union Taxi has completed an average of 12,000 more trips each month, which is fourteen times more trips than their competitors, without needing to hire any more staff. Eliminate Inefficiencies Best-in-class electronic dispatching/vehicle tracking systems include a comprehensive set of reports which allow owners and managers to effectively pinpoint areas of inefficiency. Identifying areas where your operation can improve, such as adding more vehicles to your busiest zones during peak periods, helps streamline operations and improve customer service. Additionally, managers are granted a completely transparent view into the daily operations of the fleet which allows them to correct undesired behaviors or reward top drivers. United Blueline Taxi in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has seen the benefits of positioning their fleet to provide excellent customer service. Operations Manager, Tony Rosina, says, Quite often people will phone the other cab company (without an electronic dispatching system), wait 25 to 30 minutes, and then call us and we re at their door immediately. Speedy response times during peak hours have helped United Blueline gain a larger, dedicated customer base.

3 2 Offer Fast and Secure Payment Options Offering debit and/or credit card payments is now a standard in the taxi industry. However, manual card swipes leave companies open to a myriad of issues, the largest of which is credit card fraud. With an electronic dispatching system, these vulnerabilities are eradicated. You can offer customers the convenience of debit and credit card payment with the confidence of knowing that the transactions are protected, secure, and guaranteed. Money from the payments is immediately deposited in your bank account which increases your cash flow and eliminates having to wait for manual entry of receipts. Len Bellingham, President and Owner of Mayfair Taxi, has seen the benefits of credit and debit card processing with an electronic dispatching system: The credit card processing is unreal. The money goes straight into the bank, and we don t get any bad cards anymore. It offers more confidence to our drivers because it protects their money. Handle Administrative Tasks with Ease Owners and managers face extensive administrative tasks in managing their drivers and fleet. One of the most onerous tasks is managing the stand-rent process for drivers. An electronic dispatching system simplifies this process by automatically recording which drivers have been charged and paid. The system can also print receipts and checks, run reports, and track insurance statuses and contract billing. All this automation adds up to a reduced need for data entry clerks, allowing companies to eliminate the position or reassign those employees to other jobs. Hire and Retain Excellent Employees Your employees are the front line between your company and your customers; therefore, having the best employees is inherently tied to the success of your business. Using the zone dispatching functionality provided with an electronic dispatching system means trips will be dispatched fairly, 100% of the time. Drivers will know they are getting as many trips as possible each day, which makes them more money and makes joining your company more attractive to prospective drivers. Also, electronic dispatching increases efficiency and improves customer service which will result in higher call volumes than the competitors. Len Bellingham of Mayfair Taxi says, I d say drivers get a least five extra calls per shift. They re thrilled. Drivers themselves also enjoy using the system. It s better than playing the slot machines. It pays every trip and I m bound to hit the jackpot several times a day with long trips, says a driver at Charley s Taxi in Honolulu, Hawaii. Improve Driver Safety Aside from more trips per day, an electronic dispatching system provides many other benefits to attract quality drivers such as functionality to improve driver safety. A discrete emergency call button allows drivers to easily alert dispatch or police to a suspicious passenger or I d say drivers get at least five extra calls per shift. They re thrilled. situation. Best-in-class solution providers also provide customer callout capabilities. This functionality gives drivers the ability to send a canned message to the customer s phone to alert them that their cab has arrived; as a result, drivers can remain in their cab and not have to approach a customer s door, avoiding a potentially dangerous situation. In addition, with vehicle tracking dispatchers always know where the drivers are, providing an extra level of security to drivers working late at night or in less desirable neighborhoods. This system not only helps Charley s Taxi dispatch cabs to customers faster, but they are also realizing the many additional benefits of using such technology namely, improved driver safety. The in-vehicle computers feature a

4 3 panic button and GPS-based vehicle tracking capabilities so dispatchers can instantly locate vehicles and send assistance. As Charley s Taxi driver Malig Williams says, Now with the computer system I know that somebody else is watching for my back besides myself. Points to Consider When Selecting an Electronic Dispatching System There are a wide variety of electronic dispatching systems available in the market, ranging from basic vehicle tracking systems to complete taxi-specific solutions. In order to simplify your choices when purchasing a system, it is important to consider many key factors. Obviously functionality and price are important, but the topics raised below are what will truly set the right solution apart from the others. Flexibility As highlighted above, electronic dispatching systems offer a wide range of functionality. When evaluating systems, it is important to first make a list of the functionality your company must have, and what features you deem unnecessary. Once you have this list, identify which solutions meet your needs. Keep in mind that many solutions will charge per module, or piece of functionality, which can drastically increase the cost of the system. Look for a solution that includes all modules for one price. This will give your company the flexibility to turn functionality on or off, based on your needs, without having to worry about incurring additional costs or paying for functionality you don t need. Scalability As your company grows, you will need an electronic dispatching system that grows with you. When selecting a solution, inquire into how new vehicles will be added to the system. Can you save time by programming invehicle devices remotely or will you have to visit each device individually? You will also want a guarantee that the solution provider will continue to support legacy devices or a range of different devices in the same fleet, to ensure that you won t have to replace all of your in-vehicle hardware when adding updated hardware in new cars. Control When you pick a system to implement in your company, you re going to want full control of how the system works and ownership of the data created by the system. Be sure to ask vendors if you have complete access to the data coming out of the system. Additionally, ensure you have control of how your system is configured and set up to make sure it effectively reflects your businesses processes. Keeping your new solution aligned with your current methods of doing business will help minimize change management issues. True Zone Dispatching Zone dispatching is one of the key benefits of an electronic dispatching system, allowing your dispatchers to distribute trips fairly. Examine the differences between solutions offering closest car dispatching versus zone-based dispatching. In most instances, zone based dispatching is more effective and more fair; however, the best solutions offer a combination of the two. A solution that allows you to choose the dispatching method means you are able to change to closest car when convenient, such as rush hour traffic jams, and move back to zone dispatching for the rest of the day. Cellular Network Capabilities All electronic dispatching solutions work over private radio networks. However, the best systems also work over cellular networks. Choosing a solution that works on both private and cellular networks allows your company more flexibility. Additionally, cellular networks provide a wider range of coverage and are often less costly over the long-run. Customer Service and Support The most important factor in selecting an electronic dispatching solution is the support you will receive from the vendor providing it. Ensure that the solution you choose is backed with 24/7 support to reflect how your company operates. In addition, best-in-class vendors will provide your company with a dedicated support engineer.

5 4 This person will learn your business and know your system inside and out, to ensure you get running as quickly as possible. The best way to confirm you will be receiving excellent service after you purchase your system is to talk to other companies that have also purchased from the vendor. These references will provide you an honest view of both the technology and the vendor s customer support. Conclusion The benefits of an electronic dispatching system are endless. From more trips per day and increased efficiency to easier hiring and reduced administrative tasks this technology can revolutionize your business. Selecting a solution is a big endeavour, though following the key points above will help you to select the perfect solution for your company. Trapeze IntelliFleet A Complete Automated Taxi Dispatch Solution Trapeze IntelliFleet is a comprehensive electronic dispatching and automatic vehicle tracking solution. IntelliFleet provides true zone dispatching, automated call taking, fast and secure card payment processing, real-time location information for all vehicles, and much more. Taxi companies using IntelliFleet see a wide range of benefits such as: more trips per day, increased driver safety, improved customer service, fair call distribution, and decreased operating costs. Contact Trapeze to find out how your company can start seeing the benefits of Trapeze IntelliFleet. F1 F2 F3 F4 F5