Hawk Express Cabs

Autocab have an immense customer base, which speaks for itself

Overview

Located in the heart of Ipswich, Hawk Express is 250 car firm run by Richard Morphew and his wife, Kim.

Having started his career with Hawk as a driver in 1991, Richard bought into the company around 2001 and, with the help of his family, has taken the business from 48 cars to over 250 cars.

Problem

With their previous dispatch provider unable to adapt or develop their technology, Hawk was looking for a change. If they were to continue to expand their business, Richard knew they’d need a system to facilitate this ongoing growth.

Solution

Richard reached out to various dispatch providers and, after meeting with the Autocab team, he decided to make the switch:

“When Autocab invited me to their office and showed me the system, I was really impressed, so I decided to make the jump. They sorted out everything I needed and made the switch really easy.”

Local Cab

Richard and the Hawk Express Cabs team are also part of the Local Cab partnership - a launch which connects riders who use the Uber app directly with local taxi and private hire operators.

Although, he has initial reservations, Richard spoke very positively about the partnership and is already seeing some great results:

“Like a lot of other operators, I was unsure about the Uber deal to start with. However, now it’s has gone live, I don’t have any regrets about the partnership whatsoever.

I found the implementation and launch seamless and, what’s really pleasing is that we’re seeing our existing customers still booking on the app, and a brand-new customer base coming through the Uber app.”

Richard was also apprehensive about drivers’ reactions to Uber; however these were quickly put to rest once the partnership went live:

“When the newspaper article came out about the partnership, some Hackney drivers were quick to make negative remarks. However, customers and the general public responded really positively to Local Cab and were very supportive about Ipswich embracing this move.

We’ve had no complaints from drivers – they understand that we’re taking on the additional work for them and are earning extra money as a result. Plus, we’ve had some drivers in the area move across to us from other firms. I think they’ve realised that they can have double the work!”

Results

Already 7 years on from their switch to Autocab, Richard praises Autocab for their drive to stay ahead of the curve:

“There are certainly room for improvements, as with any dispatch provider, but what Autocab do really well is they progress quickly and look forward with technology. They are always developing new features and looking for the next innovation.”

As well as increased demand due to Local Cab, Richard also commends Autocab features such as Pay by Link, which has helped to reduce chargebacks and increase their out of town work, and The Wall, which has allowed them to manage their Local Cab work and ensure they always have adequate cover for their customers.

“The Autocab system is really stable and reliable. Their booking and dispatch system works 24/7 and I don’t have to worry about it when I leave the office – it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Autocab have an immense customer base, which speaks for itself. If they were doing something wrong, they wouldn’t have customers sticking around.”

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