Customer-First Thinking

We must think about what the customer needs, and make those needs the first priority, without risking safety. Our customers need the kind of ride we would all like to take … on time and efficient, in a clean cab, with a friendly smiling face at the wheel. We are given an important responsibility when our customers trust us to transport them. We are driving them to doctor appointments, grocery shopping, or to work. They are trusting and depending on us to help them with important and sacred parts of their day. We must take that very seriously and put their needs first.

Ensuring Safety

Ensuring safety is important because it keeps our drivers and customers safe. Being safe means following traffic laws and speed limits. It means ensuring customers get to their doors safely. Please provide as much information to the call center as possible so we can support keeping you and your customers safe. Ensure your car is serviced regularly and you follow the directions and requests from the office team regarding car maintenance.

Accountable for Quality

Accountability for the quality of service we provide is essential to living our purpose. Being accountable means taking responsibility for giving your customer a great experience. Ensure your car is clean, and operating well. Be accountable for arriving on time, or communicating with the call center when there is a delay. Provide as much information as possible to the call center so they can work with you and set expectations for the customer.

Respectful

Being respectful means putting ourselves into someone else’s shoes and treating them the way we would like to be treated. Showing respect is a way to express that we value other people’s perspectives, time and space. It means looking for the good in everyone you meet or work with. Get to know your customers and co-workers and recognize that everyone is special and has something to offer. Remember that everything we do or say shows our regard for the person we’re speaking with.

Communicate Clearly

Clear communication is essential to eliminate confusion and deliver a great customer experience. Always listen to the person you’re speaking with and avoid interrupting. Ask questions to confirm you heard them correctly. Be patient, take your time, and speak slowly. And finally, remember that though the streets you drive and being in a cab is routine for you, it can be confusing for people who aren’t familiar with they are going, or who don’t take a cab often.

Showing Compassion

Showing compassion and making a human connection is at the heart of the customer experience. To show compassion for an angry or confused customer, or for a coworker who is frustrating, look deeper than their behavior before you react. Think about why they may be acting this way, and consider that it may have nothing to do with you. They may be having a difficult day, have just received bad news, or they may be struggling with a difficult situation in their life. When you think about how they feel, it becomes easier to react calmly and be less defensive. Then you can choose a response that will move the situation in a positive direction.

Anticipating Needs and Surprises

Living our purpose of empowering Columbus means thinking about what our customers need before they need it. And, surprising them with something special. Listening is the key. For example, if a customer is leaving a meeting and headed to the airport, ask if they need their phone charged while they ride. Or offer tissues or an umbrella to get them to the door. Anticipating needs makes a big difference in the experience. Customers appreciate these gestures and will be sure to call Yellow Cab for their next ride.