QUALITY CUSTOMER CARE

[From the front page cartoon strip] The driver pushes the passenger - the wheelchair user - up a ramp to his taxi

Correct procedures

This is the more practical section, where we give information on what a taxi driver can do to provide a better service to his or her disabled customers.

What is Quality Customer Care?

Customer Care starts from the moment the customer calls the taxi company
A quality service meets all the needs of each customer
The same quality of service should be offered to all customers - my money is as good as everyone else's
We all have the right to expect to be treated with courtesy
There should be good customer relations between the taxi driver and the customer - talking to the customer to check what they need will make it quick and easy to give them a better service
Everyone has the right to have a safe and comfortable journey
Many disabled people have at some time experienced well-intentioned but clumsy assistance that caused them discomfort and pain, or even sheer terror. You may have to win your passenger's trust
A sensitive approach when offering assistance is essential and will be welcomed by passengers.

The way that a taxi driver gives the best possible service to each customer will vary for each customer, and where the customer is a disabled person, it will vary depending on the impairment. We've prepared particular advice corresponding to some common kinds of impairment, and you can pick and choose the order you want to read them in. There are two pieces of advice that always apply though:

Communication is key - so if your customer has an impairment which affects their ability to communicate, try to work around it. Bear in mind it's not always obvious; for example, a wheelchair user has to face backwards in an accessible Hackney cab, so may not be able to answer questions like "Next left is it?"
Please try to be patient

How to give the best Quality Customer Care...

...to a customer who uses a wheelchair
...to a customer who has a mobility impairment
...to a customer who is deaf or has a hearing impairment
...to a customer who is blind or has a visual impairment

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