It’s been a very challenging year for taxi businesses, firstly due to the virus, and secondly due to the significant changes in the taxi dispatch system market.

Where once there were three or four solid options for anyone looking to upgrade or switch dispatch system provider, all that has changed in the blink of an eye.

At a time when your dispatch system is more important than ever to the future of your business, the reality is that your options are even more limited once you look beyond the sales and marketing blurb and dig deeper to find out what it means to be a customer of that provider.

What choice of dispatch system? Where to from here…

Option 1 – Failing/Unsupported Dispatch System

Some major players in the market have been struggling, with many of their customers telling us about chronic operational issues and lack of support.

Amongst the major issues reported are lack of system updates, upgrades and bug fixes, leaving users with a system that holds their business back and frustrates drivers and staff.

In addition, when trying to get support, customers have said that the support network has simply crumbled, with calls not being answered, emails left unacknowledged and problems simply not fixed.

Numerous customers have told us of major problems with both the driver and customer apps, costing them business and leaving them hugely frustrated.

Option 2 – Autocab/Uber

Autocab has been in the news recently, having announced its buyout by taxi business enemy number one, Uber.

This move has shocked the industry and left many wondering how it could not lead to a conflict of interest, and the potential for Uber to use this as a way to enter more local markets – skimming rides, driving down fares and getting a ‘take’.

Many current customers have rightly voiced their concerns over what this move means for their independence, ownership of customers and data, driver relationships, margins and more.

In September’s PHTM, a feature looking at the Autocab/Uber deal raises a number of key questions including…

• Could Uber go after an operator’s own data?
• How can Uber compete against Autocab’s operators in one city and partner with them in another?
• Could Uber use Autocab’s network as a ‘trojan horse’ to launch its own operations in each town or city?
• How can Autocab be run truly independently from Uber?

All these are very valid questions and pose real concern for anyone currently using this dispatch system or thinking of switching to them in the future.

Do you take the risk that everything will work out, or do you look for another, independent dispatch system provider?

Option 3 – iCabbi

The third option available to taxi businesses looking for a high quality, reliable and independent dispatch system, is iCabbi.

Already part owned by Renault (who have a major interest in selling vehicles and not the taxi business directly) means that there is no threat that could impact your business in the same way that Uber’s move has.

What’s more, many of the issues faced by customers of failing and unsupported dispatch systems, are in fact the key strengths of iCabbi’s dispatch system…

1. UK Based Support – our support team are all right here in the UK, based at our Head Office in Mansfield, which means you’ll always speak to a Support Specialist who knows the system inside and out and can help provide the right support quickly and without fuss.

2. Always Here – because your business is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, our support is too, meaning whatever the issue, and whatever time of day or night you need us, you’ll get a friendly voice, and expert knowledge, to help you get back up and running as soon as possible.

3. Updates, Upgrades and Fixes – the development of our system is a constant, even during the very challenging times we are facing. This means that you can expect regular new features, upgrades to existing ones and fixes to issues that have been raised, ensuring your system helps your business thrive, especially when things get tough.

4. Reliable, Feature Packed Apps – both our customer and driver apps are loved by our customers, and through a combination of our continual development and 24/7 support, they remain extremely reliable and up-to-date, helping our customers win and retain more new business as well as and keeping their drivers happy and loyal.

5. Secure and Stable – iCabbi’s system is fully cloud-based, built on Amazon’s AWS platform, which means it’s ‘always on’, extremely reliable, and very secure, allowing you to focus all your efforts on your business without worrying about your dispatch system.

It also means that you and your dispatchers can access it from anywhere you have an internet connection. Perfect given the current situation.

Is there really a choice?

The risks associated with a poor and failing dispatch system, or a system newly owned by enemy number one, are just too great to ignore.

So, when it comes to choosing a taxi dispatch system that will fully support your business, help it grow and thrive, even in the very challenging situation we find ourselves right now, there may only be one option for a truly bright future.

To find out more about iCabbi, and to arrange a free demonstration, call us on 01623 44 22 11, email us, or contact us via our website.