As a taxi driver in the age of Uber, repeat riders or customers are very important to your taxi business. If you are able to satisfy them, it is more likely that your business will profit from them with repeat business.
To do that, you have to dive deep and understand who your target customers are and what their expectations are. Then you have to act out on those needs and expectations.
While this is easier said than done, it’s really not that hard to make customers happy. If you give them what is due or maybe a little extra, they’ll be grateful. Sometimes, there are really rude passengers but there is a proper way to deal with them legally.
Today’s tips can be used on most of your passengers.
Tips To A Happy Customer
Be A Committed Driver Or Hire Committed Ones
There are good taxi drivers then there are great taxi drivers. Are you one of the good ones or the great ones? The thing that differentiates them apart is commitment. As a great driver, you have the passion for driving while taking care of your customers.
If you’ve got a fleet of taxi, you have to carefully select the drivers. Be observant about their personality because they represent your company. A bad reputation can develop simply because of a bad experience from one of your drivers.
Great drivers don’t need to be chatty. In fact, some customers don’t want that. They should just learn to communicate well with their customers. They should take care of their customers by driving properly.
Even while on a rush, they should make sure to drive within the limit. When steering, it should also be gradual so the passengers don’t bump on the sides of your taxi. Drivers can be trained to drive properly and as a taxi business owner, you should be able to track how they drive.
Maintain Your Vehicles
In order to have a smoother ride, you shouldn’t forget to properly maintain your vehicle. Make sure you go for quality. A well maintained machine won’t be very noisy. Sometimes unknown sounds from your vehicles can cause panic to a customer so make sure your car sounds okay.
Don’t forget about your interior. Make sure that it is clean and that it smells fresh. You can do this by regularly cleaning your vehicle inside and out.
Make It Easier To Get A Taxi
The traditional way to get a taxi cab is to hail one from the side of the road. This works fine but it can also be frustrating for some passengers especially during rush hour, while it rains or when it’s the middle of the night.
A way to make it easier for your customers to get a taxi is to have your services available through an app. Nowadays, most people already have their smart phones. With an app readily accessible through their phone, they can schedule for a pick up.
The apps can give an estimate on how long it could take for their taxi to arrive. In this way, they won’t have to get out and wait on the street for their cab. Passengers will also feel secure that someone will pick them up.
Offer Various Payment Options
Cash is one of the most common way on how passengers pay their taxi drivers. But what if the passenger doesn’t have enough cash or if the driver doesn’t have enough change?
One way to make passengers happy is to offer other payment options. If your taxi makes use of an app, you can accept other payment methods such as credit card. Some may also fund their accounts and the fare can simply be deducted from their account.
Know What Customer’s Want
Even if you place a suggestion box in your taxi, most customers wouldn’t use it. Nowadays, that is made easier because of the taxi apps. Asking for feedback makes customers feel that someone is listening to their needs or suggestions. This already makes many feel happy.
Additionally, you can use this to figure out what your customers want. You can also better monitor your taxi drivers with the feedback provided by the customers. Also, good feedbacks will make new customers more comfortable in hiring you.
Offer Discounts
Another way to make customers happy is to offer discounts or promos. This is easier to do with an app. It doesn’t only make customers happy because they feel they saved their money but it also helps taxi owners broaden their reach.
You can offer discounts or codes to those who refer other customers to use your taxi service. It is a great way to introduce yourself to other customers. Make them happy and make repeat customers out of them.