A taxi call answering service is a type of call answering service that specializes in dispatching and scheduling taxi and limo rides. If you have ever called for a taxicab after a late night out, or scheduled a ride to the airport, you have interacted with a taxi call answering service of some sort.
Why taxi answering services are needed
Many smaller taxi services handle their own calls, and often, when you call one of these smaller services, your phone call will be routed directly to a driver. In a larger operation, especially those dispatching drivers 24/7, a specialized taxi call answering service is used. These dispatch services use software that tracks the current status and availability of each taxi driver. Many of these services also track the location of each driver (using GPS signals transmitted from the taxicab or from location services on the taxi driver’s mobile phone).
Keeping careful track of schedules and the current status of each driver is very important in a taxi call answering service. Customers who schedule a taxi ride to the airport need the driver to show up on time.
Because of the unique demands of a taxi call answering service, not every telephone answering service provider is a good choice. Taxi services that are looking for dispatch software or are looking for a professional call answering service to handle their calls need to carefully review the scheduling software used by the service to make sure it accurately and reliably tracks customer and driver schedules. It is also important to make sure the answering service provider is able to track location data from the vehicles or from the driver mobile devices.
How to pick a taxi call answering service
Here are a few questions a taxi service may want to ask a potential taxi call answering service provider before engaging their services:
- What taxi ride scheduling software do you use?
- Show us a demonstration of the scheduling software and show how appointments are made, how they are changed, and how reminders are sent to the taxi cab driver?
- How do you track taxi driver location and status?
- What software do our taxi drivers need to install on their phones or in their vehicles?
- Are cab drivers able to send status information to riders?
- Are riders able to see the status of their taxi driver on their mobile phone?
In addition to these questions, also make sure to review the cost of the answering service.