Managing calls quickly, effectively and efficiently is essential for taxi operators. This is a competitive marketplace where poor customer experience can mean a loss of future business.
In this joined-up digital age, bad reviews can spread like wildfire, with serious implications for your profitability and long-term growth.
As a call management solution, VoIP offers excellent capabilities, alongside plenty of other features that will enable you to give your customers a reliable and fully integrated service, designed to meet their needs.
What do Taxi Operators Need?
There are fundamental features for taxi operators when it comes to telephone systems, and these include:
- Multiple call channels
- Additional phone numbers when required
- Flexibility of use and location
- Straightforward booking management
- Screen popping
- Cost-effective and easy installation.
What you want is not to feel like you’re plate-spinning when managing calls, particularly in periods of high demand.
The key is to have a call management system that is flexible, but also highly reliable, so that customers feel their needs are being attended to at all times, even when your call volume is high.
Essential Aspects of Call Management
Call logging is a vital part of call management for taxi companies. Every unanswered call is a missed opportunity. It might appear that you only miss a few calls now and then, but these can soon add up.
It’s also important that anyone who calls is held in a way that makes them feel like you know they are there. Therefore, on-hold messages are a vital part of call management.
VoIP applications also include automatic caller greetings options, giving callers your own, bespoke message before they’ve even spoken to anyone. This helps engage callers as early in the process as possible. You can also include options for whether someone wants an immediate booking, or wants to book a future journey.
Call recording helps you maintain quality control over your customer services. It lets you analyse how staff interact with callers, and helps you settle any disputes quickly and easily.
If your staff receive aggressive or threatening calls, recording them provides you with essential evidence for taking future action.
Caller recognition supports your loyal customer base, with built-in call-popping interfaces that allow your phone operators to see immediately all relevant caller account details. This helps speed up the booking process, and reinforces the caller’s confidence in your service.
Other VoIP Features to Support Taxi Operators
Along with call handling and call recording features, VoIP brings an extra degree of flexibility to taxi operators.
It offers multi-site capabilities, so you’re not tied to a phone system that only operates out of one location. This is especially useful as a scalable solution for your company, while ensuring you still have an integrated, controllable communications system.
Scalability also extends to devices. You might start with a couple of phones and find that you need more to expand your call answering and journey booking capabilities. VoIP enables you to add as many phones as you need, without requiring expensive upgrades.
Gaining a Competitive Edge with Customer-first technology
According to Government statistics, there were over 290,000 licenced taxis and private hire vehicles in England in 2019. This represents a rise of over 50% since 2005.
The industry has been growing, but therefore so too has competition.
Making your taxi operation as smooth-running and streamlined as possible will help you gain a competitive edge, as long as you make your customer central to how you operate.
Most businesses will say that they put the customer first, but with VoIP, you have the practical means to do this, in ways that demonstrate your level of customer care.
Call management technology should be for your customers’ benefit first.
You can make sure you don’t miss their calls, that you have their details instantly on screen, and that you can make them feel valued, even during your busiest times.
And because VoIP works through your internet connection, using cloud-based technology, it brings economy, agility and flexibility to your business model.
Make VoIP Central to Your Taxi Call Management
If you want to future-proof your taxi company, then VoIP gives you the tools and the capability to do this.
And if, down the line, you want to bring in your own booking app, then VoIP provides the perfect platform for you to integrate this kind of service into your call management.
For more information about the benefits of VoIP for your taxi operation, please give us a call on 03300881182, email us at sales@vipvoip.co.uk or fill in our contact form and we’ll be in touch shortly.