Taxi Driver Online

I have recently bought a local taxi company and have a few questions that someone might be able to help me with.

I have very limited funds as the bank wont borrow money at this time so I am keeping the place as I bought it. It currently has two phone lines and only two phones and a basic radio system. Eventually everything will be replaced and upgraded but I need more work and more drivers so my budget is very limited.

What I would like to know is if there anything out there for me to provide ringback without having a datahead system. I know I can just take peoples phone numbers and call them on a mobile but the customers dont seem very keen on that and they just say to 'beep' outside so is there anything out there available?

Also, the booking system is a pen and paper one and would like to upgrade to computers soon, but would like to know what is the cheapest and most reliable system out there to take computer bookings? Are there any available that work with the old radio systems?

Thanks for any help and advice.

I don't have any answers for you but the cheapest system is likely to be the most unreliable system.

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Grandad,

You're trying to mix two technologies, IMHO.

Ringback systems work because they have number recognition software on the incoming phone line. The job then has a tag on it when it is sent to the car's datahead. The driver activates the ringback from the car which generates a computerised ring at the customer's end. If they pick up the phone they hear nothing.

To mix ringback with voice radio dispatch is difficult to envisage. You would either have to 'shout' the phone number over to the driver for him to use his mobile or the driver would call the office for them to make the call.

If you want ringback, I'm afraid you're going to have to spend some money. A new system would also include all the computer hardware that you would require. You will probably find the suppliers will have finance arrangements available.

Steer clear of Excel Management mate. As for the ring back you'll need a booking system so the ring back system knows the driver is outside, our ring back system just rings the phone of the customer it doesn't say anything like yout taxi is outside, you've got to wait for the customer to ring the office after they realised they have a missed call, the office will tell the customer the taxi is outside.

You can use ringback without a data system, it just means that the driver has to ask the base to do the ringback as they approach the pickup. You can even do it without computers provided you have a semi decent phone with some memory facility.

When a call comes in, you write down the last 3 or four digits of the number. Then when asked for a ringback, you just skip back until you find the number and press the dial button. Ok it’s a bit messy but it works well enough for very small companies.

I think our demo software includes automated ringback but you’d probably have to type in the number when taking the booking? I’ll check it out for you.

Thanks for the replys.

As for ringback I was just wondering if there was anything out tere available for a very small starting company, the reason being is that alot of customers I have picked up have all say the large company in my area does ringback and thats what makes them use it. As for finance there is no way I can afford that as yet as there is only myself and another driver with me working 24/7 to bring the work up.

As for a computer booking system I dont mind paying a few hundred for it as long as it does a good job and makes the booking and dispatch job easier. I have had a look on google and there are so many it is hard to know which is a good one for a start up.

As everything in life at the moment it all boils down to money, or should that be lack of it! I use pen and paper for bookings and with my hard work so far the office is getting busier with the phone ringing more than when I took it over. The reason I want to get a basic computer system is because I know how much computer booking can be and as for ringback it sounds easy and complicated. I will in the future be upgrading the present cheap phones to a switchboard system but not sure if they will have number recognition etc, will have to wait and see but it seems a must have as so many people ask for it.

Thanks very much for your help and advice guys it is really appreciated, and by the way wht is wrong with Excel Management?

Hasn't Mr Bill just offered you a free demo disc that might help?

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IDFIMH

Try Excel at your peril that's all I'm saying.

Ok will steer clear of excel management!

Just been looking at the site from the link that Mr Bill has.

The software and all the equipment looks good, but how much does it all cost and can it be set up for 2 cars? Will the system require dataheads or does is still run with PMR's?

I particularly like the call popping feature and I think that would make the booking system alot easier.

Excel will tell you that there's no better system out there, they'll tell you that they'll look after you if anything goes wrong, the best thing about it is they make it go wrong with their upgrades then leave you with half a system for weeks on end, they are only 1 mile down the road from our office, trying to get them out to fix any problems is a task and a half.

I can get a disk for Wrexham organised for you but you’ll need to either ring or PM me your details or if you feel like a ride out, visit our office in Warrington. There’s no cost involved but bottles are gratefully accepted especially at this time of year.

As it stands, the demo is just for manual booking and dispatch, i.e. no data but with only a couple of cars you don’t need anything like that. Over the years, we’ve found quite a few companies running their businesses wholly on the demo software and we don’t have any problems with that.

The demo isn’t Vista compatible so you’ll need a PC with an XP operating system and that’s about it.

Please check your PM -> http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/privmsg ... lder=inbox

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Next time you wave, use all your fingers.

Keep the bottles away from Slick, he's partial to a bottle or 2 or 3 or 4.

surely your phone supplier (BT?) have a few tricks to add phone lines incoming?

and per each number have a redirect "on busy" to a couple of mobiles kept in the office, adding a "virtual number" per each line with a divert (if extra lines are extra numbers, not just multiple lines)

btw, you still need a human to answer each call...

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/b ... d=BTB-5088

Passed that one on for you Nigel but the truth is he’s getting old these days and half the time I can’t even drag him out for a beer!

So sad to see someone go this way.