I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about a lot of things. I have possibly found something good in someone in Arizona, who is trying to go to Nevada. I have been considering Nevada for a long time anyway, but have not been able to save the money to relocate. I actually have not even been able to repay money borrowed to stay in business. It is time to cut my losses and run.
I should have seen this coming. In 2006, I had a reasonable amount of money saved. I burned through a third of that in six months, at which point I barely had enough to replace my taxi when it died. Since then, I have gone to having to borrow money to keep insurance on the taxi, to uncertainty I will even be able to make renewal.
Since I came back from my trip to Arizona, it is becoming obvious that I will never be able to leave as long as I keep trying to run my business.
Rental car companies are running specials for $12-$15 per day. UVa sends its buses to the airport to pick students up for free. City buses are reducing their fares and are also running a FREE trolley. How can I compete with free?
There are also two shuttle buses, running illegally so far as I know, because that they do not have commercial for-hire license plates, running large groups around town for $7 a person.
Even though state regulations state that a vehicle insured and registered as a taxicab cannot legally carry more than 6 passengers excluding the driver, there are at least 4 limos that carry from 9-12 passengers on a regular basis operating as taxicabs. I cannot compete with companies that don't do it legally. I have a quote for insurance renewal for $3,600 yearly premium. Why should I spend the money to do it legally when others aren't and are getting away with it?
Not only that, but I am up against two large companies with 50 cars each that rob their drivers blind. Furthermore, these idiots quote low-ball prices and then don't show up to pick their customers up.
Of course, the customer expects me to honor someone else's price, and gets pissed off that I don't. Then they either bitch about what I charge them or they're actually stupid enough to call another taxi and wait 20-30 minutes to save maybe $10-15.
All this really does is confuse customers to the point they don't understand what's fair and what isn't. People can say what they want about pricing myself out of business, as some idiots like to say, but I have noticed you either work a lot for a little money in this business or you work a little for a little money. What's the point? I stopped having fun running my business the moment people started trying to tell me how to run it.
Which brings me to yet another up-and-coming problem. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. An attempt is being made at starting a taxicab association, which has all the earmarks of being a union. Unions have never been anything but trouble in the first place.
Even though neither the city nor the airport is regulating meter rates, these idiots want to establish a common rate, and elect representatives to "deal with the airport". The airport is a private entity, and has already put it in writing and voiced its clause in the ground transportation agreement that it reserves the right to revoke permits and use a primary provider -- any time they choose.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that all these idiots are going to do is piss off the airport authority into telling us all to take a hike, and I will NOT be told how to run MY business when I am the one paying the bills.
I have therefore decided to sell my business by the end of my insurance term next month and go back to delivery or something. It's really hard to come to this decision, but I can't save any money aside the way things are right now. I could always do that delivering.
At least delivering food won't get me accused of being a crook for making less than minimum wage. I know that my selling out and going away is what the big companies want, but I see a time coming when I may go under anyway and walk away with nothing. Better to cash out while I can and at least leave with SOMETHING.
In closing of this decision, I have a few things to say to the general public..... As you idiots are part of the reason for the financial crisis this country is in. No one wants to spend money because the economy is bad, but the economy is bad BECAUSE NO ONE IS SPENDING MONEY!
So, I thank you for refusing service over a few dollars price difference. There is always a difference between ordering a hamburger and filet mignon. If the goods or services you receive are better or more convenient than another company, you should expect to pay a little more.
However, despite my efforts to provide better service, a nicer cab, and a better overall experience, it is quite clear that most patrons will ride a Sherman tank if you can get them there cheaper.
I also thank you for perpetuating a bad economy by choosing to spend your money with big businesses instead of smaller ones that need your business so much more. Remember, that bigger company you choose was once a small one too.
More food for thought -- So many are enraged with the Supreme Court decision that corporations can make as many political contributions they want, and in any amount they want. This basically spells it out that the federal government is for sale to the highest bidder, and many people say that they are angered by this. But YOU are empowering this by not choosing small business! And usually over a few dollars. You're doing it to yourselves.
Part of the reason smaller businesses are not always around to serve you is because you are not using them until the bigger businesses are too busy to serve you quickly. So have fun supporting corporate greed, you sell out the little guy every time you do it.
Showing posts with label in. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Best Customer Service I Have Received, By Far....
..... came from the two gentlemen you see pictured below.
They are Robert Trevinto (left), and Benny A. Phillips (right), who were stewards on Amtrak's "California Zephyr" train, on which I returned home after delivering a vehicle to California.
This story started in a roundabout way in Arizona. When I left the city of Mesa, I was not feeling quite right, and my condition worsened over the next 18 hours as I neared the drop-off point. I had stopped eating, because my stomach was so queasy, I didn't want to risk making things worse.
When I boarded the Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago, IL, I vaguely remember Robert taking my ticket, which is to say, I was extremely ill at this point, barely upright, and as such, I decided to remain in my sleeper and hope that rest would get rid of whatever it was. Nothing doing.
Robert and a couple of other crew members checked in on me several times during that day and evening for dining car accommodations, which I refused, as my stomach was steadily getting worse.
The next day, I did make one attempt and did not even make it to placing my order. That evening, Robert was beginning to notice something was wrong. By this time, despite having a fever and being wrapped in a blanket, I was getting bad chills and violently shivering in misery in my sleeper, feeling as though I were going to die.
He asked at first if I wanted to call paramedics or go to a hospital at the next stop, but it was out of the question. I knew I didn't have enough money to cover rescheduling the rest of my return trip, as it would likely cost more than originally. I already knew that I have frequently recurring acid reflux, which is likely what brought the problem on in the first place.
A severe enough attack, if left unchecked and untreated, can eventually eat through the stomach lining and into other organs. It was either possibly not make it home alive, or not make it home at all if I sought medical attention.
When Robert began talking to another steward, Bennie, we determined that I had made a mistake by drinking apple juice on a near-empty stomach, as apple juice has acids in it that are hard on the system even under normal circumstances, which I did not know. Bennie suggested cranberry juice, as it had a slightly different composition and was easier on the internals, and set about getting me some chicken broth as well.
After alternately nursing cranberry juice and chicken broth gingerly for an hour and a half, Bennie also graciously gave me a couple of Tylenol PM for the fever, and 30 minutes later, I was resting comfortably and made a feeble attempt at breakfast the next day, which is to say I was unable to risk much more than yogurt and juice.
At lunch, I asked Robert if he could simply bring some broth and yogurt to my sleeper, as I did not want to inconvenience anyone else in the dining car, and I was pretty sure these were all I would be able to handle for awhile. I WAS, however, feeling quite a bit better than the night before. I actually was able to get up and move around a bit, snapping some photos of what remained of the scenic part of the route, salvaging some part of the fun of the trip.
In summary, Robert and Bennie not only made my trip a lot more comfortable than it would have been, they likely may have saved my life. These fellows took extremely good care of me, and looked out for me more than they really had to, and being in the service industry myself, I know that it is extremely rare to find people THAT devoted to customer service. I would ride on ANY train if these fellows were serving me. If you ride Amtrak and are fortunate enough to have these guys serve you, take good care of them, because I can assure you, they will definitely take good care of you.
They are Robert Trevinto (left), and Benny A. Phillips (right), who were stewards on Amtrak's "California Zephyr" train, on which I returned home after delivering a vehicle to California.
This story started in a roundabout way in Arizona. When I left the city of Mesa, I was not feeling quite right, and my condition worsened over the next 18 hours as I neared the drop-off point. I had stopped eating, because my stomach was so queasy, I didn't want to risk making things worse.
When I boarded the Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago, IL, I vaguely remember Robert taking my ticket, which is to say, I was extremely ill at this point, barely upright, and as such, I decided to remain in my sleeper and hope that rest would get rid of whatever it was. Nothing doing.
Robert and a couple of other crew members checked in on me several times during that day and evening for dining car accommodations, which I refused, as my stomach was steadily getting worse.
The next day, I did make one attempt and did not even make it to placing my order. That evening, Robert was beginning to notice something was wrong. By this time, despite having a fever and being wrapped in a blanket, I was getting bad chills and violently shivering in misery in my sleeper, feeling as though I were going to die.
He asked at first if I wanted to call paramedics or go to a hospital at the next stop, but it was out of the question. I knew I didn't have enough money to cover rescheduling the rest of my return trip, as it would likely cost more than originally. I already knew that I have frequently recurring acid reflux, which is likely what brought the problem on in the first place.
A severe enough attack, if left unchecked and untreated, can eventually eat through the stomach lining and into other organs. It was either possibly not make it home alive, or not make it home at all if I sought medical attention.
When Robert began talking to another steward, Bennie, we determined that I had made a mistake by drinking apple juice on a near-empty stomach, as apple juice has acids in it that are hard on the system even under normal circumstances, which I did not know. Bennie suggested cranberry juice, as it had a slightly different composition and was easier on the internals, and set about getting me some chicken broth as well.
After alternately nursing cranberry juice and chicken broth gingerly for an hour and a half, Bennie also graciously gave me a couple of Tylenol PM for the fever, and 30 minutes later, I was resting comfortably and made a feeble attempt at breakfast the next day, which is to say I was unable to risk much more than yogurt and juice.
At lunch, I asked Robert if he could simply bring some broth and yogurt to my sleeper, as I did not want to inconvenience anyone else in the dining car, and I was pretty sure these were all I would be able to handle for awhile. I WAS, however, feeling quite a bit better than the night before. I actually was able to get up and move around a bit, snapping some photos of what remained of the scenic part of the route, salvaging some part of the fun of the trip.
In summary, Robert and Bennie not only made my trip a lot more comfortable than it would have been, they likely may have saved my life. These fellows took extremely good care of me, and looked out for me more than they really had to, and being in the service industry myself, I know that it is extremely rare to find people THAT devoted to customer service. I would ride on ANY train if these fellows were serving me. If you ride Amtrak and are fortunate enough to have these guys serve you, take good care of them, because I can assure you, they will definitely take good care of you.
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