Taxi School Day 1

Eight am today I started my first day of Taxi School How exciting... The past couple months were spent doing thirty six pages of home work that was due at eight am. Believe this or not some of the students never completed the assignment and automatically lost ten percent of there final score. Worse yet two students did not even show up and forfeited the monies paid.

So what did I learn today Hmmmm The definition of "Professional Customer Service" and now were in that two hour lecture did I hear that you could run over your fares that would not pay or slap the ones that looked stupid. Actually it was quite opposite, the instructor said we should "Exceed the Needs and expectations of clients" Here the past twenty years I thought I was. When some one argued over the fair I would slap them this always exceeded there expectations. Second he said "Develop your knowledge, skills and have a positive attitude" I agreed and thought it took me a year or so how to hold my two-way mic so I could skillfully slap someone with a positive attitude.

We did some group activities; why do customers use taxi service, Initial contact, professional attitude, negative attitude, Attitudes and behaviors, etc... The instructor came to the next section and said " A professional taxi driver will always be neat, clean and well groomed" Here all these years I thought I looked great in my wife beater and sweets after all I always tied my shoes. (in case I had to slap someone) This comment made me laugh "Remember people are not difficult they are different" hahhaha still makes me laugh!

According to some experts we spend seventy percent of the day communicating, perhaps I can suggest flipping the bird more often and your communication could be cut in half and more time spent in the drive thru. Where listening skills require a "Higher mental Process. Para phrase and do not challenge your fares, this often discourages negative attitude and disruptive behavior. Suggestion "I am going to slap you" WRONG "Would you like a slap" BETTER hahahhaa

Finally he spoke about non-verbal communication, here I thought he would say flipping a bird was ok.... BUT no he meant body language. Now you tell me, should you see your passenger clinching his fist; a) will he hit you. b) is he going to hug you. c) wants to give you a tip Doooh "If you see a hostile person approaching you, prepare your self mentally by reminding yourself that you can control the situation and that you need to keep your self under control. If you get angry yourself you are likely to contribute to the deterioration of the situation"   Hell back over the person and the situation will be diffused, be sure you here two bumps. ( that would be the rear and front tires) or just drive away..."Customer Complaints are a sign that there is something wrong" or perhaps they are just winy "A complaint is an opportunity to improve your skill" hit em harder hahhaaa

Finally Business Management we are told that taxi drivers are sole proprietor of a small business and must keep logs, pay taxes, pay CPP and GST. Proper record keeping will grow your business. The past twenty years I thought running hookers, selling drugs and dodging the tax man was growing my business, what is this industry coming to.