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Enabling Taxi Drivers to Attract Customers in Uber Era

The advent of Uber and similar services has apparently left intensely bad impact on taxi industry. The market share of Uber and Lyft in ground transportation is over 72%, as reported by Certify. Rest of the share does not only include taxi services but car rental and other rideshare services too. In the market currently dominated by Uber and Lyft, the taxi business owners can still attract customers outperforming on-demand rivals.

Implementation of following strategies ensures reoccupation of a significant percentage of market share in any region.

Execute Taxi Marketing Ideas

Marketing is the single most crucial aspect in any business of the current times. It enables your potential customers to understand your business and how would it assist them. While there is a range of practices that taxi business owners can employ, cultural integration and publicizing the fulfillment of social responsibilities are significant ones.

Research indicates that passengers are more likely to seek services from a business which integrates with native cultures. Religious and traditional festivals famous in a region are vital occasions for business branding. Although the core branding including logo and color scheme remains consistent, yet slight modification in logo for temporary period works wonders.

Current business landscape presents multiple opportunities to fulfill social responsibilities without spending excessive money. For instance, some of the taxi and ride hailing services broadcast their efforts for mitigation of climate change threat while others use social media to create awareness regarding traffic rules. These might only be small steps but work well as successful marketing strategies.

Identify Consumer Behavior

Enabling your customers to know you does half the job. The other half of marketing rests with your knowledge about the potential customers. What can you do to determine the challenges that your customers currently face? Besides, is there a way to evenly distribute your taxi fleet so that each region gets the number of taxis corresponding to the demand?

Consumer behavior analysis enables you to address both challenges along with other taxi business requirements. It is notable that this analysis is performed using the historical data of previous rides. Each of the past rides reveals the magnitude of demand in various areas and trends of customers toward taxi and public transport.
In essence, you need to offer need-based operations depending on the prevalent trends. However, be sure that the trends change over the time as you execute marketing campaigns.

Incorporate On-demand Taxi Services

You do not need to entirely replicate Uber’s business model to incorporate on-demand taxi services. Instead, a passenger side app would be enough to augment taxi business. The app for driver along with dispatch panel would ensure a remarkable growth. Nevertheless, passenger app alone also creates notable difference.

A number of taxi services worked with CabStartup to incorporate on-demand technology and the results were incredible. For instance, Georgia-based Alianza Taxi used CabStartup platform and attained a significant increase in profit margins. Freddy Drive, Go Wey, T Transit, and Insta Drive are some of the other success stories reflecting innovation in taxi services.

Increase Online Presence

Most of the customers would not even know if your company existed if it does not have an online presence. Developing a website offers no assistance as long as the website is not discoverable. In essence, thousands of search results appear when a customer makes an online query on search engines like Google. Your website would not appear in top results if it is not optimized as per the rules of engines.

Beside search engine optimized website, you also need to have an extensive social media marketing (SMM) strategy. It is highly unlikely that an individual born in 1990 or later is inactive on every major social network. Social media provides a platform to publicize your marketing and branding campaigns.

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Taxi business requirements vary from one region to another. However, the aforementioned strategies are region-independent and ensure remarkable expansion in business. Apart from being promising, these strategies are cost-effective too. The cost to benefit ratio is incredibly low as the return on investment is remarkable. We invite you to use our platform without any charges for as many as 14 days.

By Shahrukh Satti 0 Comments

Sustainable Marketing Strategy for Taxi Services

Incorporating an unparalleled software infrastructure is essential for taxi business. However, it is not all that is required. The business, regardless of its scale, requires an extensive marketing strategy as well. This article explaining marketing strategy for taxi services is a continuation of one of the previous articles which shares market research, top ideas, and requirements of an on-demand taxi services platform.

    1. Business Branding

    It is unwise to even think of a taxi marketing strategy that does not involve branding. The design of brand logo and coloring scheme for mobile app should be unique and attractive. People tend to learn quickly with visual art. Thus, graphic designing should be immaculate.

    The branding campaign should also ensure cultural integration. Consumers should perceive the business as a local one. Using the native language and celebrating the native festivals are two of the most effective ways to integrate local cultures. Consumers tend to acquire services more frequently from businesses which respect and fete local cultural diversity.

    2. Business Reputation

    Consumers evaluate reputation of a taxi company by reviews and past events before seeking the service. Besides, the reputation in view of regulators is also crucial. Any taxi startup or established company needs to ensure that they comply with licensing requirements. A startup may manage to attain profits for a brief time despite evading taxes and avoiding licensing. However, it will incur more losses in the long run.

    Consumer inclusivity is another area which enhances reputation. You need to incorporate services for disabled and special people too. Besides, be sure to treat each customer equally regardless of ethnic, religious, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Fulfilling these social responsibilities will lift the value of company.

    3. Building Public Relations

    The disputes between passengers and ride-hailing companies are occurring frequently. You must develop a comprehensive public relations strategy which addresses complaints, queries, and suggestions from customers in considerably small time. Besides email and call, real-time messaging facility is also vital.

    Promotional discounts and referral codes are also among the top taxi marketing ideas to build public relations. These discounts do not affect the profit margin significantly because the volume of ride requests rises during the promotion period.

    Referral codes increases the consumer-base as a business is able to reach more customers with it. Thus, promos and referral codes work for passengers as well as service providers.

    4. Visibility over the Web

    Over 2.5 billion smartphone users apart from billions of other web users provide a huge stage for marketing. Thus, you need to ensure that the company makes frequent appearances in search engines. While paid advertisement is an option for successful taxi business model, it is not essential. A robust inbound and outbound marketing campaign can prevent paid advertisement.

The mobile-first approach in digital marketing is gaining momentum since most of the users are likely to come across your business through surfing on smartphone. Mobile marketing is significantly different from desktop based computers or laptops. The difference of screen resolution and sizes affect the ranking on search engines.

CabStartup provides you a comprehensive and customizable taxi software platform. We can rebrand it as per your needs and take care of its marketing as well. Get hands on the system for free to test it.

By Shahrukh Satti 0 Comments

Taxi Marketing Strategy – Exploring Digital and Traditional Options

Taxi marketing is one of the crucial yet overlooked pieces in the chain of taxi business growth. The advent of on-demand services redefined the taxi marketing strategy with some new app-specific approaches. CabStartup’s experience of working with taxi industry in the ongoing decade enables our experts to compile a list of most effective marketing strategies.

Following are some of the approaches toward taxi business promotion. Please note that they all are equally significant regardless of their order in the list.

    1. Business Brand Highlighting Local Culture

    There is barely any part of the world where taxi industry does not have firm roots. Almost every country has an established taxi union with multiple businesses vying for the major market share.

    In such circumstances, any new player has to have an attractive brand name which signifies local culture. Besides name, the company’s motto should also reflect the traditions of native population. This approach is assisting businesses in many industries to grab attention of customers immediately.

    Apart from highlighting culture, the aspirants can raise trending matters of social domain and create awareness about them among public. Meanwhile, they can also reach a broader range of audience.

    For instance, you may introduce a scheme under which your company plants a tree for ten rides from a customer. Research indicates that CSR activities leave a substantial impact on consumer buying behavior.

    2. PR and Social Media Marketing

    It will be foolish to promote a business without considering social media. Facebook – the biggest social network – alone has over 2.3 billion monthly active accounts. Social networks are some of the first sources for a company to reach customers.

    Another factor that makes SMM essential is the cost of this kind of marketing. Marketers can promote companies at remarkably low rates.

    The emphasis on SMM allows businesses to grow global outreach. In comparison to traditional billboards, the SMM reaches far greater volume of population – and in various parts of operational region.

    3. Promotional Discount

    There is no better treat for taxi passengers to have free or discounted rides. Although the owners may have to subsidize the process to attract customers, yet the return makes it worthy enough.

    Discount is among the effective taxi marketing ideas because it keeps a customer base. If a user stops using a service, one may return to use it later when discount is available.

    Promotions are one of the primary components of Uber digital marketing strategy.

    4. Acquiring Customers’ Feedback

    Your customers need to know that you care for them. This is one of the core differences between traditional taxi services and ridesharing apps. The traditional companies require lodging a complaint through the call, email, or on-site.

    However, passengers rarely bother to go the extra mile. In contrast, the app provides the ability to lodge in-app complaint. Moreover, many software systems also enable the complaining individual to see the status of their claims or query.

    Feedback acquisition allows companies to find loopholes in their business. Besides, it also enables them to assess customer behavior toward occasional changes in policies.

    5. Business Partnerships for as Taxi Marketing Strategy

    Partnerships are vital for business growth. If your taxi company manages to make alliance with a large-scale company, your growth rate comes at par to partner.

    It is advisable that the partnership is beneficial for both allies. Such alliances grow mutual trust and allow business owners to work for the success of their partners as much as for themselves.

    The collaboration of food outlets and delivery companies present a pertinent case. GrubHub delivers food for KFC and Pizza Hut among others whereas UberEats for McDonald’s. These collaborations ensure cost cut for both stakeholders. Besides, they also improve the services in process.

    Similarly, collaborations are also essential in taxi industry to give a tough call to competitors. However, it may not always be companies from another industry. Taxi companies can run decent business partnerships between them too. For instance, Uber and DiDi take the leverage of local companies at times instead of rivaling them.

    6. Visibility over Search Engines

    This is a crucial aspect of marketing strategy for taxi services to grasp new customers’ attention. If a passenger, who has never used taxi apps before, would most likely look for one at search engine.

    Besides new passengers, existing ones looking for the alternate option will also search it over the web. Inviting passengers and marketing companies to write reviews on PR sites works well. The eventual objective is to increase the visibility on internet.

    7. Referral Code

    This is one of the proven marketing ideas for taxi companies. If a passenger invites another passenger to download the app, the companies reward the referee with a free ride. This strategy is similar to the one mentioned in promotional discounts. However, discounts are repeated, but the referral code remains for once.

    Apart from other reasons, the codes present a successful on-demand taxi marketing plan because people download the app. There will rarely be a case when riders delete the app after acquiring the discounted ride. The presence of app in phone will always provide them a secondary option if their primary choice service is unavailable.

    Even if a rider does not frequently use your service after getting the first discounted ride, the promotional activity will give a huge boost to app on app stores.

    8. Seamless Technology

    This taxi marketing strategy has more to do with user experience. Nevertheless, it indirectly impacts marketing campaigns too. Over 80% of the taxi app users are not well-versed with complicated mobile apps. An apparently fancy interface can also cause annoyance regardless of efficiency of the app.

    Moreover, the case of the other way round also backfires. An app with decent interface and high usability offers little help if the speed is not up to the mark. Hence, both cases prompt the users to look for an alternate option.

Cabstartup assists taxi businesses to enhance profits with the most suitable cloud-based dispatch system. Evaluate the efficiency yourself by using the free trial.

By Shahrukh Satti 0 Comments

Tips to Increase User Activity for Taxi App

Attracting the passengers to acquire on-demand taxi services is as significant as ascertaining the efficiency of software. The major distinction between top companies and their struggling competitors is the appropriate business intelligence mechanism. The struggling ones refrain from investing in assessing customer behavior – one of the key areas in successful customer-centric enterprise strategy. There are a few measures which can increase user activity for taxi app with a considerable probability of success.

The traditional taxi businesses lacked the ability to attract users. The offline marketing strategies were the only choice for companies. They were not only expensive but consumed a substantial amount of time too. Offline marketing is still in practice and works well when used in combination with contemporary advanced strategies.

The limitation of offline promotion is the fact that it does not identify the reasons of customer discontent. The publicity may attract the user but fails to convert it into a long-term customer.

The mobility companies can increase user activity by taking the following measures.

Diving Deep into Social Networking

It is hard to find an urban settler without social media account on at least one platform. The collective number of social media accounts is close to hitting a staggering 3 billion mark.

Although these users are located around the world and not concentrated in the area of taxi service, yet the region-specific promotions can help. For instance, marketers may run a paid promotion on Facebook and Twitter to attract customers. However, the users will only open the post if the headline and associated image interest them.

The significant increase in the proportion of fake news is causing users to avoid opening the posts. The statistics from Shareaholic indicate that the conversion rate at social media is less than 1 percent. However, these stats do not interpret the significance because they do not mention the quality of posts. Most of the articles and promotions lack creativity which prevents users from acquiring services.

The quality of article works in marvelous ways. A well-crafted article with appropriate sources and a decent set of information is capable of generating massive traffic. Moreover, people tend to share such article which significantly increases the prospects of public outreach.

Trust Humans for Communication

Most of the users are annoyed to find that they are chatting with robots and not humans. Although robots are becoming capable of replicating humans, yet they are far from inducing emotions.

May it be social media or any other platform; the company should make it easier for the customers to reach the management for troubleshooting. A disgruntled customer takes away many prospective users by leaving negative feedback on app stores and independent evaluation surveys.

Public Relations department is not only reserved for startups. Companies of global scale ensure communication with users too. The PR team at Microsoft responds to every email intended to inquire or troubleshoot. Furthermore, research reveals that PR will be one of the areas upon which the AI will have little impact.

Invest in Infographics

Many readers avoid going through lengthy articles as they seek immediate results. Using Infographics is the approach for such users. It requires integrating information with attractive graphics. A number of effective tools provide the opportunity to create graphs, tables, charts in a creative way as taxi marketing ideas. This creativity stimulates the need to explore the sources of information and reaching the company’s products in the process.

Data visualization and infographics enable the companies to say more in lesser space. Consequently, the user is able to find the relevant piece of information without scrolling and reading. Although the visualization takes smaller space, yet it keeps the spectator from leaving the site for a considerable amount of time.

Business Intelligence teams are investing substantially to ensure that the customers stay on their pages for more extended periods. Thus, an appealing content with creative graphical design makes them achieve this feat.

User Journey Map

There is a wide range of causes that either prevent users from reaching the app or frustrate them for minor glitches. The creation of user or customer journey map enables them to determine the absent links. A traveling necessity pushes customers to look for taxi apps. They should be able to find the app and easily navigate through various options. To make an effective user journey map, the companies need to do the following:

Defining the persona
A user persona is the modeling of each kind of customers. The users of taxi apps make diverse demography. By defining the persona, the outbound promotions can be more specific. It targets the right audience.

Analytical Research
The definition of user persona allows the teams to research effectively. This research involves the selection of appropriate audience who may be termed as potential customers. Analytical research enables companies to assess traffic and determine the causes of user inactivity. Besides, it allows assessing the behavior of customers. Data from websites may serve this cause. However, it is essential that the data comes from authentic sources.

Apart from web analytics, the input from sales teams is vital too. They interact with customers and understand the areas where the app fails to serve users.

Eliminating the Missing Links
The persona and consequent research enable the teams to increase mobile app engagement by addressing the customer problems. User journey is one of the ideas which considerably increase user activity for taxi app.

Summing Up

Despite working for months on products or services, over 90% of startups end-up in failure. One of the primary reasons for failure is the inefficiency in drawing customers to use the app. Many businesses manage to make decent customer base but flop to sustain the pressure of user queries. Hence, customer relationship and communication, social media promotion, infographics with creative content, and user journey map make the most effective campaigns.

CabStartup wants you to be one of the 10% successful taxi startups. We can serve you in generating traffic and boosting your business. Start your taxi service app today by signing up for free trial.

By Shahrukh Satti 0 Comments

Strategies to Market Taxi Business Offline

It is hard to find a field where technology is yet to make its mark. A decade back, online publicity practices entirely transformed marketing. The digital marketing is evolving to integrate more advancement. The experienced marketers know the fact that the most effective approach is to use a combination of online and offline marketing. Especially, the transport enterprises generate quicker return by devising effective strategies to market taxi business offline. Contrarily, the rivals suffer when they entirely rely on digital apparatus.

A review of few taxi startups operating around the globe reveals that, similar to online marketing, some of the offline strategies work better than others.

Following text shares the 7 most effective offline strategies for taxi businesses.

1. Developing Curiosity through Billboards

Billboards continue to top the table because it is still the best way to advertise a product or service. An attractive design and convincing content push the consumers to acquire taxi service. However, marketers should not advertise the service right away. Instead, the initial content should intend to develop curiosity among the consumers.

The content should highlight the shortcomings of the existing services without naming one so that people may learn that the service advertised would offer solution.

Many rudimentary businesses suffer from financial constraints which prevent them from making expensive billboard advertising. They should consider a balanced trade-off between money and billboard marketing if they are unable to acquire a funding source.

2. Brochures and Newspapers

The utility of newspaper is declining since the introduction of smartphones. Nevertheless, a significant number of people still read newspapers and magazines. Research indicates that people overlook the ads of established companies if the ad design is repeated. New design immediately catches the reader’s attention and they tend to read the entire ad.

Brochures, one of the oldest market strategies, are still in practice and performing very well. There are various ways to distribute brochures. One of them is to acquire services of local newspaper distributor while another is to drop the brochures at random public places like benches in parks.

The element of curiosity should also be carried in this taxi marketing plan. The company should reveal its name after a month of highlighting the problems in established competitors.

Uber Business Model

3. Grand Inauguration

A splendid show of inauguration attracts the viewers. Since the interest of public is the primary objective, a grand launch celebration would enable them to explore details. If the financial budget allows, the company should consider distributing inexpensive gifts or confectioneries among the participants. The inauguration event may include the presentations and speeches of executives who uncover the mission of business.

Launching should not only be an event of showing affluence because, in most cases, the consumers will lament such practice. The event must highlight the matters of public interest including their chief commuting problems.

4. Public Broadcast

Broadcasting the offers through radio and television is a fine way to share the message. The company should make sure to seek services of professional actors if it intends to use television. The advertisement should be an aesthetic one and makes sense. Many television ads exacerbated the reputation of companies instead of the otherwise.

For instance, Dove was charged for broadcasting a racist ad in 2017. The personal care brand had to apologize to consumers to revamp its reputation instead of reaping the benefits of offline market taxi business offline.

Playing a popular song in the background is a tremendous strategy because it sticks the public to watch or listen the entire ad.

5. Sponsoring Noble Causes

There is at least one phenomenon in every region of the world which stirs up the public sentiments. May it be the devastation of natural disaster, a group of people suffering from poverty for a range of reasons or an effort to reduce global warming, sponsoring a noble cause builds the reputation.

The surveys performed to determine the causes which push the consumers to select a company demonstrate that a substantial number of people use the services only to assist them in achieving the objectives of public interest.

In most cases, it is tough for the companies to sponsor a cause with money. Running promotion to attract people to perform their duties also works well. These practices assist in business publicity. They also ensure the fulfillment of corporate social responsibility too.

6. Seeking Attention through Graffiti

Humans are using this strategy since ancient times. The place of graffiti holds the key because it is unwise and unlawful to use this strategy in living areas. The local city administration allows graffiti in fixed places only and the marketers should choose the most appropriate place. The sketch should share a comprehensive message in a highly aesthetic way. Graffiti is one of the cheap but effective sources to taxi service advertisement.

7. Business Collaboration

Finally, the adoption of enterprise collaboration strategy increases the awareness about each of the collaborating partners. The companies should offer promotions which enable the consumers to acquire discounts or other elements of their interest. For instance, many taxi businesses partner with soft drink brands and the commuters are able to get free bottles upon travel more than a defined number of miles.

Business collaboration enables each of the stakeholders to attain significant advantages. The collaborating parties increase their outreach and their number of customers. Besides, the consumers may attain a discount on each of their rides. The potential partner should have decent reputation to avoid public outcry.

Take Away

To market the taxi business offline is as essential as utilizing the online sources. Many commuters either have little online presence or avoid noticing advertisements. The business owners need to ensure that the services are up to the mark which is promised in marketing campaigns. Each of the marketing strategies should be well thought out to avoid exacerbating the reputation instead of improving it.

Do you wish to own a flourishing taxi business too? Professional teams at Cab Startup can assist you in development and maintenance of your online taxi business. For details, contact us today.

By Shahrukh Satti 0 Comments
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