Running a taxi business is not easy or straightforward.

Despite the tough times, you’ve worked hard to build your business into what it is today. And you can be rightly proud for what you’ve achieved.

But, whilst you’ve come far in your journey, deep down you know your taxi business is capable of much more. More customers; more drivers; more money.

The good news is, that by using a taxi dispatch system like iCabbi, there are ways to make much more money with your taxi business, and save you valuable time in the process.

5 Ways to Make More Money Using iCabbi…

1. Automation

Taxi business automation makes some very big claims, and the truth is that it can deliver on those claims if done right.

Utilising the automation features of the iCabbi Taxi Dispatch System, such as the web booker, IVR and customer app, can give your business some huge money-making benefits…

Significant costs savings – by reducing the amount of man hours required to handle the everyday running of your taxi business, automation can deliver you significant cost savings that go straight onto your bottom line.

Winning new customers – with today’s mobile smartphones, many of your customers expect to be able to book using a customer app. By automating your services to allow for that, you can start to get and keep more of those customers, bringing in more money.

Defending your current customers – this one is simple. If you don’t provide the right tools for your customers, they could start using another taxi business that does. Automation helps you defend your customers and protect your profits.

2. IVR Phone System

Despite technology becoming an ever increasingly large part of your business, the telephone remains one of the most popular ways for customers to book with you.

But even the way the telephone is used is changing fast and being able to provide a choice as to how people interact and book with you is a huge way to bring in new customers and earn more money.

iCabbi’s IVR (Interactive Voice Response) feature is a computerised booking system that can ‘talk’ to your customers, allowing them to quickly make or amend a booking without needing to speak to a human operator.

Whilst you may feel confident your customers love talking to your operators, and that your operators do a fantastic job of talking to them, the truth is that an ever-increasing number of customers will use an IVR given the choice.

In fact, 46% of iCabbi customers book with the customer app, IVR or web booker, rather than speaking to an operator.

So, by providing both options, IVR or human operator, you’re helping to win more customers and therefore maximise your income and profits.

3. ABOP

Handling booking enquiries manually costs you time and money.

That’s why a service like ABOP (Automatic Back On Phone) from iCabbi is yet another way for your taxi business to make cost savings from becoming more efficient, as well as earning more money as a result of increased bookings.

ABOP allows your customers who call back after making a booking (or even when it’s in progress) to be automatically given up-to-the-moment information such as the driver’s name, vehicle details and wait time.

This helps significantly reduce the need for an operator to handle such enquires (stats show that over 90% of ‘back on the phone customers’ that receive information this way don’t need to speak to an operator), which helps you save money through reduced staff requirements.

What’s more, your customers will love having this ‘real-time’ technology to keep them up-to-date, making you more likely to win and keep their business.

4. Customer App

With the right customer app, you’ll generate more bookings and earn more money. It’s that simple.

The reason that’s a fact, is because those bookings are easier to process, cheaper to fulfil and, with the right set of features, virtually self-managing.

The key to gaining that extra business and extra money, is having the right app. One that your customers love because it’s easy to use, it’s fast and, most importantly, it’s reliable.

It needs to offer the right features too, so that your customers can do things such as track their taxi on screen, make a call and speak directly with the driver and even pay for their trip, all through the app.

Of course, not all your customers will use an app, and many won’t. But an ever- increasing number of people are using, and relying, on an app for their bookings.

Getting the right one, like the fully branded customer app from iCabbi, can save you big money in reduced staffing costs and make you more money by appealing to those customers that like to use an app for their bookings.

5. Free Text Marketing

One way to generate more money for your taxi business is to get your existing customers to use you more often.

However, achieving that goal is easier said than done, especially when marketing is something your business doesn’t have the time or resources for.

But with iCabbi’s Taxi Dispatch System, you get access to free text marketing that quickly and easily enables you to stay in touch with your customers, allowing you to remind them about upcoming dates or events that may require a taxi booking.

For example, you could text your customers in the lead up to Valentine’s Day, ahead of Easter and the bank holidays, as well as key sporting and social events in your area.

By reminding them and encouraging them to book ahead to avoid the rush, and to prevent them from paying inflated fares on the day, you can ensure you lock up as much extra business as possible.

More bookings = more money for your business.

And, being free and easy to use, there’s no need to factor in extra marketing costs or a requirement to employ specialist marketing staff.

Make 2018 the Year You Make More Money…

If you don’t currently use a dedicated taxi dispatch system, there are so many reasons why you should make 2018 the year you make that switch to iCabbi.

The five points we’ve just detailed are the perfect illustration of how you’ll benefit from genuine opportunities to make more money, either by increasing the number of bookings you take, or by reducing your running costs.

Whatever it is that’s held you back so far, now is the time to take a fresh look at what iCabbi can do for you, and how much easier it’ll make your life, as well as how much more money your business can make with an app-based dispatch system.