ADAPT TO SURVIVE IN NEW ORDER
HOW COLLABORATION CAN STRENGTHEN THE TAXI INDUSTRY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
by Safa Alkateb, CEO of Autocab
The effects of the ongoing Covid-19 cri- sis on the taxi trade have been well docu- mented – with pas- senger demand plum- meting and some firms facing a short- age of drivers due to many needing to self-
isolate. We know how tough the last few weeks have been for drivers and operators – and how tough the next few weeks are likely to be too.
However, it has been heartening to see how the industry has pulled together during this difficult time. Many operators, both large and small, have been working hard to ensure their communities continue to be supported. This support from local taxi firms has been essential for those in at-risk groups, such as the elderly who are unable to go out to shop, as well as for our key workers.
We’ve been highlighting examples of this amazing work in our ‘AutoFab Five’ roundups – with drivers doing everything from delivering food parcels to offering free rides to NHS staff on the frontline. This show of community spirit and willingness to put others first is not new for the taxi industry.
A FOUNDATION FOR COLLABORATION
Having been key pillars of the local commu- nity for decades, providing personal and business transport services to customers, taxi and private hire companies have a fan- tastic foundation from which they can help others. Establishing relationships with cus- tomers is at the heart of what taxi drivers do on a daily basis – and they now are harness- ing that collaborative spirit to work with others in the industry.
Before the crisis kicked off, many of our cus- tomers had been using our technology to work together to provide an excellent ser- vice for every passenger. Our fare-sharing network, iGo, for example, includes some 500+ taxi and private hire operators in the UK and Ireland. The network enables firms to pass jobs to each other if their fleets are at capacity, to ensure customer demand is met, as well as offering customers the abili- ty to book a taxi across the UK.
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FINDING NEW WAYS TO ADAPT AND PROVIDE SUPPORT
However, as demand has dropped and pas- sengers are no longer making journeys from their home to the office or out to a bar, taxi firms have had to find new ways to adapt to the situation and overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19.
On a practical level, this has included taking safety precautions to protect drivers and customers, by ensuring rigorous hygiene is maintained in vehicles. And our iGo network has enabled drivers to provide support to those who need it most.
With public transport cut, drivers have a major role to play in getting essential work- ers to where they need to be. Offering discounted or free rides to NHS staff, for example, is a great opportunity for local firms to show their appreciation for those on the frontline.
Similarly, with our supermarkets and phar- macies stretched and struggling to get supplies out to vulnerable people, taxi fleets can offer their help on both a local and national level. Larger stores, in particular, could benefit by allowing local taxi firms to share the burden of making home deliveries.
We’ve already issued our plea to supermar- kets and urge taxi firms to support us in making them aware that the taxi industry is ready and willing to help. Whether your fleet is 1000 cars or just ten, the extra capacity these vehicles provide for deliveries could be an invaluable aid to stores in getting essen- tial goods safely into the hands of customers.
TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP SMALL BUSINESSES GOING
Beyond the day-to-day changes to how their workforce operates, businesses across all industries have had to adapt so that they can offer solutions to help their customers get through the crisis.
We’ve taken the same approach at Autocab, focusing on how our technology can help to solve the current challenges for taxi firms and their customers – as well as plan for the future. The latest tool we’ve developed, Delivery Point, is one we hope will play a part in forming stronger links between smaller local businesses and taxi firms.
The tool provides local shops with an easy and efficient way to get products out to customers, so they don’t physically have to venture out to the store. Once the customer has placed their order, the shop owner pre- pares it and arranges delivery via their local taxi firm on the iGo network. Payment for both the taxi and the shopping can be made by the customer in a single transaction.
This means taxi firms can support even the smallest retailers, such as convenience stores or newsagents – some of which have been the hardest hit during this crisis. We also hope to have the likes of garden centres and hardware stores joining this initiative soon.
We want the taxi industry to use our tech- nology and work together to
FUTURE PROSPECTS
There’s no doubt that the coronavirus pan- demic will change how many industries operate, both in the short and longer-term. But there will be light at the end of the tun- nel, in particular for the travel industry.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that lock- down will be lifted in phases, with domestic travel likely to return long before internation- al. This means there will be a greater need for ground transport – both for the general pub- lic and those business travellers returning to work, as people try to make up for lost time.
Combine that with fears over using public transport, at least when we initially emerge from lockdown, and it’s likely that demand for taxi services will increase in the UK. With the ability to offer a safe and convenient service, taxi firms are in a perfect position to meet this increased passenger demand.
We all hope the crisis will come to an end sooner rather than later, so the wheels of the UK economy can start to turn again. No matter how long it lasts though, we know that as an industry, by pulling together now, we can come out of it stronger.
0161 491 7777
info@autocab.com
www.autocab.com
MAY 2020 help
hard-working businesses stay afloat during these uncertain times.
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