London has a litany of taxi services that ferry passengers within the city, to the airport, or from one county to the other. In an urban population like London, where the pace of life is too harsh to slow down for first-timers and the likes, taxi or cab services exist to save them the hassle of having to run corner to corner asking for a yellow cab to halt! There are several perquisites that a taxi service must take care of, if not as a quality benchmark, then in the least bit as a duty. For instance, taxi services can be counted upon to reroute the journey should the customer run into a road closure; the same is not expected from independent taxi cabs. Stories of drivers unwilling to take a detour, abandoning first-timers in London, are not unheard.
It is not much of a secret that it is 'not as much about the destination, as it is about the journey'! A reputed taxi service gets their number on the customers' speed-dial, by ensuring that both the journey and the destination are conducted and met, positively. Customers are more likely to hire a taxi service in London, again, if the ride turns out to be comfortable, engaging and non-tedious. Let's summarise a few basics that distinguish the excellent taxi services from the sub-par ones:
• Reception:
When a customer pre-plans for cabs in London, they come with a few expectations. It is not as pedestrian a task as whistling a plying cab to a halt, so a degree of cordiality usually helps break the ice. First-timers who have booked for a cab service airport pickup are traditionally more expectant of this. They are new, possibly in a foreign land, so someone showing up with a board mentioning their name and extending a helping hand before boarding the cab, gives them the impression of exclusivity.
• Punctuality:
A basic etiquette expected from a taxi service is that they will associate importance to keeping time. Making it to the passenger pick-up point in time gives them some inkling as to how sincere the cab service, and its extension in the driver, must be about getting the former to the destination! It shows professionalism which goes a long way to gain appreciation from the customers, who become regulars in the long run.
• Countenance:
A passenger who has taken the time out to book a ride with your taxi service has apparently done some research. Understanding the character profile the customer fits into, is critical. Not all customers appreciate cheeky friendliness, but some like to share a laugh. It falls on the taxi service to knock a keen sense of character judgment in the drivers they hire. Based on the passenger type, a curt silence or a jovial football-related banter can both work magic! Passengers who find some common ground, ambience-wise, with your taxi service are more likely to ring you for service again.
This is merely the tip of the iceberg. Cabs in London that adhere to some professional quality standards, usually get booked for more trips than those who don't.
Martin Wynn
