Taxi Dispatch System

[ionutr81]

hi,

I'm a quite new entrepreneur, the founder of a software company - INSOFTDEV (search on Google for it) and our main scope is developing a taxi dispatch system. The final goal is to supply any software which may be used within persons transportations area.
For me it will be great if I can find someone with expertise in Sales & promoting, I would like to engage in some partnerships.
Is there anyone who see some opportunities here and interested?

Cheers, Ionut

 

[arcon5]

I suspect this will be a hard industry to break in to. Most operators will have data units and software established within the business - changing this will carry many risks and potentially significant expense.

Incidentally it would seem yours is designs with an application on your phone - most companies have data units. No reputable company would allow drivers to view booking details on a phone and potentially get points and a fine

 

[ionutr81]

hi Arcon5,
First of all I would like to thank you for sharing this feedback.
As about your notes, are straight to actual market context.
I don't make illusions to compete Cordic, Autocab, Trapeze. As well, I'm sure re-inventing the wheel will be a end road.

Indeed on actual UK market when someone looks for a such solution they will go straight ahead with any above mentioned, they will not look for alternatives, even if they are quite expensive for start-up and medium companies and this shall be our target - growing together with our clients. Here I'm seeing the challenge.

Another advantage shall be the technology. Leaders are using old technology with restricted usage on some devices only. Have a look on actual trend - everything shall be multi-purpose. Days when specialized GPS devices where used on cars are ending, same can be achived using a simple smartphone/tablet. The drivers data is pushed from the server, so we're controlling everything what the driver shall/can see. I don't see this an issue; Nowadays the trend is self-employee, so many businessed become b2b.
Another disadvantage for the leaders -they don't look for new trends on the market and market will penalize them.
There are many other aspects which I can give here and have a longer discussion on it.
At bottom, my goal will be to have at least one solution for anyone, even if it's a client to search on google for a prive taxi, company, price, portal for prices, ERP systems, integrated solutions end-to-end for such companies (and this can be further extended).

 

[michaelmc]

How much is the cost difference between your system using tablets and using established systems?

I believe established systems use radio signals would your not need each tablet to be 3G/4G enabled, thus pushing up a line rental cost for each device?

 

[ionutr81]

It's client/company decision if they want to use tablets, smartphones or drivers mobiles (everything is secured thru access control and audit).
In neartes future I'm seeing specialized GPS devices won't be further used? Why not to use a multi-purpose device- have a look at mobiles 20 years ago and what become; photo camera - same, you can not do movies as well.
More or less our target are Private Hire Companies which are working with drivers as self-employees and that's way we must provide a higher flexibility.

There are 2 different things:
- dispatching job to the driver - it can be done manually or automatically thru email/sms/internet access(apps)
- tracking - here without a GPS support device there is no way to identify position on a map for a driver (so radio signal can not be used here). This information can be static- just to know driver position or further used for dispatching ( driver position versus job pickup).
- on top of there there will be the operational center and client.
If they are using radio devices any above 4 items can not be work together at once.

Another disadvantage at Cordic - inflexibility -ok, you have mobile system for drivers, clients, but what about operators? they should stay tied in front of one computer where the system had been installed?
Our application is fully web-based - anywhere/anytime as long you have 3G/4G signal and to be honest , don't know someone not to have it at home or on mobiles.So,
As about Cordic, they have employees and those devices are rented to them (so they are not flexibile to self-employees,and as I said I'm seeing in the future everyone to have it's own business, so have to be flexible, not 100 devices and different applications), again another restriction - why to buy such special devices when a smartphone do it in the same way and it's more multi-purpose.
And more, there is flexibility - they are on peaks, don't look down and technology will overhead them. They are not closer to clients because they are "the best" , support is low. I want to promote a concept as "Proximity Center Company".
Again, we can discuss hours, my believe and I'm confident that there is no woow to beat them, but a lots of small things that will make difference (and this will be the trend, there is no place/space/time to re-invent wheels).

Cheers, Ionut

 

[arcon5]

Personally I think your only market is the small time guys who only do long distances. IE sat at home, boss sends an airport run, you go... But even then a phone call would be easier, cheaper and quicker.

Otherwise I can't see any same taxi company, whether private or public hire, taking on a system that dispatches jobs to a phone or tablet device!
I've driven cabs and they use a radio frequency and GPS to track cars, receive jobs and communicate. A job comes through and your already heading to the pickup point whilst scrolling through the rest of the job details --- could you imagine doing this with a phone?!!?? It would be mental... Wouldn't be long before a copper pulled you over.

 

[michaelmc]

I actually think your right in terms of all markets moving towards tablets/smartphone application but I do think it will be difficult in an established market like this to get market share.

I have drove a private hire taxi and I guess I would be concerned about safety as well having a smartphone or tablet that would have a resell value on show, not always the best clientele your picking up on a Saturday night.

Couple of benefits though there are a lot of waiting about time for drivers I imagine having a 3G tablet to use would be good.

Other thing would be if the tablet could be positioned in a way that you could stream advertising in journey it could potentially open up a revenue stream for the taxi company.

Cheers

 

[ionutr81]

Michael: on top of what you said, imagine that internet from tablet can be used as hot spot and for airport transfer jobs it's a nice feature. also tablet can be used remotely to activate the camera, print-shots from the car, CCTV, drivers chating with operators,etc. I believ this can provide much more safeness that a radio device even if it's staturday night.

arcon5: never say this is enough. Today's used technology by Cordic and like others is overheaded - and you can have a look at companies from US by example. Just think drivers are just a part from the business process where there are other like: controlors, operators, help-desks, marketing, IT, financial, clients, etc. and imagine you have to bring all together. Everything shall be done automatically not just calling as you're saying.
Me, honestly didn't though Facebook will have a such huge success. I was wondering, why to stay in front of a computer and chat when there are mobiles? And check it now; and I believe they had a such success even because of mobiles- multipurpose devices, because don't see someone staying in front of a desktop (like today on Cordic and other dinosaurus) all day.

And not in the end, have to add on this project I have already as partner a Private Hire company where we're providing end-to-end solutions: hosting, web sites, applications, call-center.
As we're working closely with them we had seen their needs, collected feedback and we had an organic evolution.

 

[jonnygraves]

Otherwise I can't see any same taxi company, whether private or public hire, taking on a system that dispatches jobs to a phone or tablet device!
I've driven cabs and they use a radio frequency and GPRS to track cars, receive jobs and communicate. A job comes through and your already heading to the pickup point whilst scrolling through the rest of the job details --- could you imagine doing this with a phone?!!?? It would be mental... Wouldn't be long before a copper pulled you over.

Times change mate, all the majors are moving to GPRS. Cordic only have PDAs as the datahead, Autocab is pushing more PDAs and encourage GPRS instead of Radio on their minos now. Mercury only uses pdas, and datamaster now only uses pdas and has infact stopped the use of radio based system on their software.

PDAs are cheap, easy to replace and easy to write software for. Its where the market is going.

It is however a very competitive market, and without a very good product which you will have to give away to a minimum 40 car company for free in order to have a show site which proves it works your going to struggle.

Mercury fills the cheap and cheerful market.

autocab and cordic continue to dominate the rest.

 

[jonnygraves]

The need for operators is dwindling aswell.

The mass increase in apps, some companies up to 25% of their bookings are automated with apps.

IVR - Automated phone bookings up to 50%

You need someone infront of the computer and always will for the remaining awkware bookings. Never try and remove it, but youl need apps and ivr to make it a serious product

 

[Press48]

I'm actually really surprised at the comments of:

I can't see any same taxi company, whether private or public hire, taking on a system that dispatches jobs to a phone or tablet device!

This type of system has been in use for years in Manchester, Accrington, Blackburn, Preston and Blackpool, and I suspect in many other areas across the country. Not only is it a massive advantage for smaller operators in the cost savings of bring-your-own-device, but even if they purchase the handsets themselves on contracts, they will still have a resale value in a year or two so it's not a total loss.

If the software is developed properly, there's absolutely no need to be 'scrolling' down pages of content - on a decent sized phone (S4, Galaxy Note etc), then you can easily display an address, name, credit/cash status, and a selection of buttons for accept/reject job, plus integrating Sat Nav from the details screen.

If anything, I think there's more danger in using a data unit where you've got 3 or 4 lines of text and clunky buttons, as opposed to a simple and smooth UI.

Just my thoughts anyway.

 

[arcon5]

I'm actually really surprised at the comments of:



This type of system has been in use for years in Manchester, Accrington, Blackburn, Preston and Blackpool, and I suspect in many other areas across the country. Not only is it a massive advantage for smaller operators in the cost savings of bring-your-own-device, but even if they purchase the handsets themselves on contracts, they will still have a resale value in a year or two so it's not a total loss.

If the software is developed properly, there's absolutely no need to be 'scrolling' down pages of content - on a decent sized phone (S4, Galaxy Note etc), then you can easily display an address, name, credit/cash status, and a selection of buttons for accept/reject job, plus integrating Sat Nav from the details screen.

If anything, I think there's more danger in using a data unit where you've got 3 or 4 lines of text and clunky buttons, as opposed to a simple and smooth UI.

Just my thoughts anyway.

Now I'm really surprised at this. I can understand the suggestions of using a tablet but using a phone is shocking and could easily see the driver hauled in front of a court if court using it whilst driving (including being at a stand still with engine running)

 

[ionutr81]

The need for operators is dwindling aswell.

The mass increase in apps, some companieas up to 25% of their bookings are automated with apps.

IVR - Automated phone bookings up to 50%

You need someone infront of the computer and always will for the remaining awkware bookings. Never try and remove it, but youl need apps and ivr to make it a serious product

thanks for input jonny, this really helpt me to be more confident. Everything you mentioned is in work already and supposed to be released in 2-3 months. Now we're in beta testing on GPS tracking (many software on the market will pretend they already have it but I strongly believe it's not accurate at all because we had the chance to test it and work closely with the drivers and companies here and tried to cover and fall back a lots of scenarios ).
I'm aware it's a very competitive market, there are plenty of companies trying to provide services on this market. I've been remarked that even if it's about Cordic or Mercury there are services uncovered by them.My goal is to bring togehter everything and more, extending the the service area to general transportation, bookings portal, internal clients networkinging jobs pushing, marketing included as well. In the end there will be more interconnected projects.
As about confidence, my partner owns a Private Hire Company with 55 cars now (start 2 years ago with 7 cars) and we're proividing to him any IT services - this is really helping us to predict next step and provide a clear solution and in the end an entire package.
Because I trust this product I'm opened to offer it free of charge for medium companies for the next 2-3 moths.
If with development plans and goals everything seems to be in graphic, now I have to aproach the market and looks is not like in books, hard and long process, unpredictible. Hope to get some advices here and/or partners. Not only in this area, but also in convergent areas, becuase a bigger portofolio will bring new opportunities for both.

 

[Press48]

Now I'm really surprised at this. I can understand the suggestions of using a tablet but using a phone is shocking and could easily see the driver hauled in front of a court if court using it whilst driving (including being at a stand still with engine running)

Actually if the software is in the only thing running on the phone and it isn't being used for anything other than its intended purpose, then there is literally no difference between using this and a data system. I can't see why the police would haul them in for using what is, essentially, the same as every other taxi driver?

 

[ionutr81]

arcon5:why is shoking using applications on a phone? The market is full of wide range of applications. Now one tells you to check it while you're driving - the GPS is running anyway in background and all data collected. Taking out any installed app, playing on the phone while you're driving will be an offence to your passenger.
Maybe you believe your way is the right way, but when competition will start to inovate, the passenger will choose all the time inovation.

 

[jonnygraves]

general transportation, bookings portal, internal clients networkinging jobs pushing, marketing included as well. In the end there will be more interconnected projects.

Sadly nothing your mentioning is new or exciting

To try and broaden the software will cause you to lose focus, dont do it. Make it do one job, and that job very very well.

Bookings portals are already out there

networking jobs, have a research into Cordics National Gateway and Autocabs Cab Exchange

Marketing? Text Back? Autocabs Apps and Cabmedia? again its been done.


Your competing with firms who spend millions a year on development

 

[ionutr81]

hi jonny,
As I said at begining, I don't want to re-invent the wheel at this point, but to make it working as good as possible because now, our target will be medium companies. Within each market, each days new companies raise, I know it's hard, I'm not stupid to believe I can achieve in 2-3 years and more what Cordic did in 20 years. What does it matter now to Cordic and others is the name and the marketing. I can not beat the name, but a good marketing strategy can be completed.
You're saying without innovation can not broke the market - everyone said the same with when Facebook arrived (Hi5 was already there); with Stripe (PayPal was already there) and examples can continue. The advantage when trying to develop something which already exist is that you know weaknesess and what shall be improved (I've been seen many new products copied from others- and here I'm refering to coding itself with at least same success, because those small shcnages and people made the difference)
I'm having experience in CTI software previously worldwide and I have to admit that UK market is something different name and relations came first before money and everything else, but I have to believe and more to know what are my goals.
Of course will be easier with some guys on the same wave.
Our advantage will be customized solutions, flexibility and lower prices. Nowadays I believe this is more than important. I can't innovate without a base ;Once we'll have this done there will be place for innovation too.

 

[ionutr81]

At this point it will be nice to see a conclusion regarding "how do you take a decision when you need a software"

As a challange, try to read and answer from top-to-bottom at each question:

1. When need software solutions, which are the most important things to look at each:
- Brand name - because everyone one knows them
- Friends recommendations - because it was already tested by someone else and you trust his opinion.
- Search Google and compare - in contrast with brand name because you like to be first self informed and because each company running under different business procedures.
- Price - because you believe it will help you to maximize your profit.
- Just because someone called you and proposed such product?

2. Which are the most important attributes on software tools which will sudden convince you?

3. Will be exposed flexibility of the software owner something which you'll consider it?