Taxi firms are quite a traditional type of business. To the untrained eye, it may not seem like they require much modernisation, as their using a taxi can be a relatively straightforward process.
However, anybody in the industry knows their sector has changed enormously in recent years. Despite this, legislation hasn’t always kept up with every development, and so many taxi firms have been stuck in an awkward limbo of needing to evolve but feeling unable to. Others believe that their traditional approach can be part of their firm’s appeal, but in reality, it can stunt prospects.
If you run a Welsh taxi firm, perhaps you smartly wish to modernise your services. That said, it can be a tough task to set for yourself if you don’t quite know where to begin or do not feel like the conditions are right to undergo a significant transformation.
Below we’ve listed ways you can modernise your Welsh taxi firm. Hopefully, reading through them will help you!
Browse Government Initiatives
As mentioned above, legislation hasn’t always mirrored the developments in the Welsh taxi industry. However, lawmakers are conscious of this and are now working to address these oversights.
The Welsh government very recently set out new proposals to modernise Welsh taxi businesses. They included:
- Giving Welsh local authorities more agency with the enforcement of drivers that routinely use vehicles outside their region. This would be countering a practice referred to as ‘cross bordering’.
- Providing mandatory training for taxi drivers to improve their skills and conduct while on the road. Dealing with different types of passengers is at the forefront of that initiative.
- Welcoming the views of social partners, drivers, and anyone else in the wider taxi industry who have feedback and suggestions to offer.
It’s a good idea to start with the law when attempting to modernise your Welsh taxi firm. That way, you can ensure every change you make meets compliance procedures, giving you a trusted framework to work within. It also imbues your firm with more integrity, which is essential for living up to contemporary consumer expectations.
That said, it’s possible you could influence laws yourself, too. If you feel strongly about modernising your Welsh taxi firm in an innovative way that’s yet to be supported by government initiatives, you’re more likely to be heard out of if you speak out for that change. Your chances of making an impact will increase if you can bring peers and partners onside, too. Consult your drivers as well, and see if they have anything they feel strongly about within the sector.
Procure Your Vehicles from Specialists
You can procure a vehicle for your Welsh taxi firm in various ways. Like any business, where you can get your goods from can influence your venture’s effectiveness.
Try to find taxis for sale online from specialist providers who pull out all the stops, like Cab Direct. They should have a nationwide network of service and warranty agents, provide different ranges of taxis for people of all backgrounds, and help you arrange flexible financing solutions for your vehicles. Their entire attitude to work should be so dynamic that it makes your firm all the more efficient in dealing with them.
Finding a taxi for sale is just one part of the journey. Free delivery is a forward-thinking strategy these days (especially as people feel the squeeze from cost-of-living concerns), and so too are things like free, no-obligation quotes and demonstrations. Your taxi firm should have a people-first approach, but so should the entities you work with.
Don’t just buy a standard vehicle cheaply and stick a taxi sign on it. Specialists ensure that your taxis can fully fulfil your business needs and throw in many additional perks that benefit your business in the long run. They’re industry pioneers, and associating with them will rub off on your firm. Modernisation means no half-measures, too, so keep that in mind as you go forward.
Develop an App
The well-known saying ‘there’s an app for that’ is becoming increasingly prevalent. Taxi firms cannot escape its relevancy – nor should they want to!
An app can imbue your taxi firm with many advantages. They include:
- Enabling remote bookings.
- Facilitating loyalty program offerings – discounts, promotions, or free rides.
- Allowing customers to track the drivers and have accurate estimations of pickup times.
- Making payments easier.
Apps are practical tools that make the experience of using your taxi firm far more convenient for others. Those who download the app can receive notifications about your business, enabling you to stay in touch.
Of course, there’s also the case that your firm will benefit from having a digital home on a customer’s smartphone. That presence alone establishes more intrinsic links, encourages repeat use of your services, and constantly builds familiarity and subsequent loyalty.
Offer Additional Services
Your Welsh taxi firm can often go the extra mile with its services. You can be further enlightened to that perspective if you deeply consider your customer’s potential needs.
For example, a Welsh Taxi app developer teamed up with Asda to provide free sanitary products to women, featuring these goods in all of their private hire vehicles in Wales. You could follow that example and provide services that your passengers may not necessarily expect but doubtless appreciate.
Some taxis can also be bought with features like first aid kits and fire extinguishers. It might be a stretch to call these things ‘a service’, but they certainly encourage feelings of goodwill to the overarching one your Welsh taxi firm provides. Modernising a business is largely about adopting caring attitudes today, and if your Welsh taxi firm can live up to that, it will excel.
Are your taxis wheelchair accessible? Could you turn your Welsh taxi firm into a focused shuttle system for certain demographics or in key areas like airports? Perhaps you’re the brand of your taxi firm could evolve slightly to offer tourism opportunities? You don’t have to explore all these ideas, but anything that gives your Welsh taxi firm a bit more flavour is probably worth considering!
Look at Other Taxi Firms
You will repeat the question of how to modernise your Welsh taxi firm for as long as you’re running the business. There’s no one answer to this query – more will likely come to the fore over time.
Consequently, you should constantly be researching ways to make progress here. The main way of doing this is to analyse your peers and competitors. What are they up to? Which solutions are they gearing up for in future? Do their strategies align with industry forecasts and predictions?
There’s infinite knowledge to procure here in the grand scheme of things. Tech’s always advancing, and so too will taxi firms. For example, one Welsh taxi boss strived to modernise their firm by installing digital booking points in hospitality venues for potential customers to use. It’s a great way to boost brand recognition, establish meaningful partnerships, and give people a more convenient service. The taxi becomes part of an easier daily routine rather than something to summon and wait for.
It’s not just about what your peers and competitors are doing right. You can also look into what they’re doing wrong. They may go about sustainability in a way that puts them in financial jeopardy or communicate a confused message with their brand advertising. Modernising any business comes with potential pitfalls, and taxi firms aren’t immune to that.