FIXED PRICING MAKES ABWZ CARZ EXPRESS A MARKET LEADER IN GRAYS
It has been a familiar and tested element of this industry, especially in these recession- ary times, that to succeed in a very competitive marketplace, a company has to have a ‘hook’, an edge, a reason to stand out, thus gaining more custom. Just such competitive advantage is being enjoyed by ABWZ Carz Express in Grays, Essex. Their secret? Apart from hard graft and leading edge technology (more about that in a minute), ABWZ Carz Express has set a fixed pricing structure – and their cus- tomers keep coming back.
up front and agreed; they run a 24/7 service with a flat rate on airport runs at all times, fixed pricing on nightclub pickups, and flat rates on Bank Holidays (with the exception of Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years Day). Their customers appear to like this: around 70 per cent of their business comes from repeat bookings.
MADE TO ORDER
And how, pray tell, does ABWZ Carz Express manage their ever-increasing volume of work? Enter Exel Management’s Mercury computerised booking and despatch sys- tem, the elements of which are bespoke to ABWZ Carz Express’s requirements.
For a
start, they have six PC stations back at base using Mercury Desktop software, including additional features such as Conversation Capture voice recording, Caller ID, callback facility, the whole spread. And of course the system also copes admirably with pricing, driver statements and invoicing.
This no doubt pleases all concerned, espe- cially Frank Bennett and Roy Allery, two of the original three partners who started the business back in 1999 with five day drivers and four night drivers. Between 2001 and 2009 they acquired two smaller local compa- nies, and nowadays run a fleet of 45 vehicles (17 of these are company owned, the rest owner/driver) with an average of 18-24 day drivers, with 15 night drivers in the week and up to 25 night drivers at the weekend.
This structure allows ABWZ Carz Express to handle between 4,000 and 5,000 jobs per week, resulting in their being one of the biggest taxi companies in the area. Their core business comes from roughly a seven- mile radius around Grays, in Thurrock, Essex; however a major portion of their work is airport runs, and their job count peaks in the summer because of their fixed pricing policy on these types of fares. It’s quite simple: fixed pricing is their main competitive advantage. All prices are quoted
Out in the field, the drivers all use Mercury Mobile, the menu-driven PDA that is also a mobile phone and so can be used away from the vehicle. This offers GPS tracking, Tom- Tom satnav, Mercury Merchant credit and debit card payment and Job Status updates. Managers Paul Fletcher and Steve Cole are delighted with the Mercury system: “Mercury has without a doubt helped us to manage our operations and grow our business. One of the best advantages for us has been the improved clarity of information provided to drivers for each job, including the routing information. Our drivers save a significant amount of time using Mercury.
“Also, the customer service we receive from Mercury is excellent. The whole team pro- vides great support, but in particular we would like to give a special mention to Lee Jones, who has provided us with exceptional service at all times.” So there you have it: Mercury sorts out all aspects of ABWZ Carz Express’s business so they can get on with... getting more busi- ness.
PEOPLE MOVERS
Anyway, back to the people within the busi- ness. In addition to Paul and Steve in the management role, there are five full time dis- patchers and six full time telephonists. And here’s an interesting twist: a former council vehicle tester for Thurrock Borough Council
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now performs their twice-weekly routine vehicle maintenance checks for them. Speaking of the council, does ABWZ Carz Express have any problems with their licens- ing department? None whatsoever... in fact, this council is “very active on vehicle checks, which is seen by our company as positive.” So what about the future of ABWZ Carz Express? Well, they’ve just moved into new premises... their customers include just over a third account work including schools, other local services and corporate accounts, including two new lucrative contracts they’ve just acquired recently... and according to their customers they offer a “friendly, inform- ative, flexible and reliable staff and service”. That says it all, really... plus their fixed pricing structure offers them a clear advantage. A winning formula all round, we’d say. importantly, so do their passengers!
More
ABWZ CARZ EXPRESS
Address: Telephone: Towers Road,
Little Thurrock, Grays, Essex RM17 6ST
01375 391500
Email address:
enquiries@zcarzexpress.co.uk Year firm started: 1999 Number of vehicles: 45
Types of vehicle: Private hire: saloon/estates, 6,7,8 seaters WAVs, limousines available
Licensing authority: Thurrock Borough Council
Cost of:
Operator licence c. £500 Vehicle licence £275 (£250 for WAVs) Driver badge
PHV £125 Renewal £90
Standard fares:
Fixed pricing structure on application
Booking system: Computerised – Mercury Booking and Despatch
Facilities:
New premises, 24/7 service, fixed pricing
PHTM JULY 2011
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