How to prepare your taxi company for outsourced dispatch

The companies that get the best results from outsourced dispatch are the ones that prepare well. Most of what's needed is already in the owner's head; it just has to be written down.

1. Your service area

List the towns and zones you cover, and the common pickup points: airports, train stations, hospitals, hotels, clubs and large employers. Note anywhere you don't go.

2. Your fares and payments

Share your rate card, minimum fares, airport and waiting charges, and surcharges for nights and holidays. Explain how cash, card and account customers are handled.

3. Your system and phones

Create a user login on your dispatch software for the dispatcher. Ask your phone provider to set up call forwarding for the hours you want covered, or overflow forwarding when your own team is busy.

4. Your rules

Agree a greeting and a call script. Decide what must be escalated, such as accidents, serious complaints and VIP requests, and who to call. Our free Call Script Generator gives you a starting point.

5. Test before going live

Call the team as a customer. Try easy bookings and awkward ones. Fix anything you don't like before the first real shift.

Use our Outsourcing Readiness Checklist to tick everything off as you go. When it's complete, you can usually go live within a week.