Have a safe trip this Christmas via GrabTaxi
It has been a yearly thing for me and Rubel to do our Christmas shopping ahead of time (as early as November), so we could avoid the rush of people scurrying to buy their last minute gifts. I particularly dislike the long lines at the cashier, and the body-bumping moments with the thick crowd. But what I've never really liked during the holiday rush is the commute whenever we visit the mall. We don't have our own car, so we'd usually ride a Jeep or Cab when going home. Then again, it also becomes a tiring thing to do when you have to wait in line just to get a taxi, when you so desperately want to go home and rest. Yes, cab's also have long queues during the holidays. And it's always the same scenario, so don't be surprised when you go around the Philippines in this time of year. But when we heard about this certain Taxi app, we knew we had to try it. So we did come Christmas morning.
We still had that noche-buena hangover from last night, and felt tired still. But we had to get up real early to attend another Christmas gathering. But this time, at Rubel's parents house. And since we needed to drop-by the mall to buy food, we opted to book a ride via the GRABTAXI app on my smartphone.
WHAT EXACTLY IS GRABTAXI?
GRABTAXI is a "social start-up with a goal to provide a safer, more secure method of riding taxis in the Philippines. Available for download from iOS, Android, and Windows Phone platforms, the GRABTAXI mobile app allows you to book a taxi from and to anywhere within Metro Manila. Soon, GRABTAXI will also be available in Cebu and Davao.
GRABTAXI is also one of the few taxi apps with a review system where passengers can be assured that the driver they pick is honest, efficient and trustworthy. The service, however, is not run by a taxi company but is connected to a network of taxi fleets.
Even when you’re in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, GRABTAXI is also available to use there.
And the best part is, when you unknowingly forget your things inside the cab, you can always contact GRABTAXI to track down the taxi driver easily."
I actually saw the same taxi app logo when I was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia --- though it was named as MyTeksi.
OUR FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE
I tried booking several times through my smartphone (you'll need a reliable Internet connection to be able to access the app). But my requests kept getting declined by the cab drivers. Plus, no one seemed to want to bid or was nearby our area. On top of that, the first one that responded to my booking eventually ended up getting cancelled since the driver was still 15 minutes away from our house. So I tried my luck again, and this time I was successful. And in just a few minutes, our cab driver finally arrived at our gate.
But how does the whole process work? Well, the vetting process of the drivers work by requiring everyone to undergo 3 steps of verification before being entered into GRABTAXI’s system.
I actually liked the fact that GRABTAXI gave us real-time results. You'll be able to see from the screenshots the moment the cab drivers place their bids, to a pop-up message showing who won the bid, to tracking the cab drivers location/distance/time (the taxi icon does move in real-time!). The app will even provide the plate number of the cab, and the phone number of the driver on-duty.
I actually liked the fact that GRABTAXI gave us real-time results. You'll be able to see from the screenshots the moment the cab drivers place their bids, to a pop-up message showing who won the bid, to tracking the cab drivers location/distance/time (the taxi icon does move in real-time!). The app will even provide the plate number of the cab, and the phone number of the driver on-duty.
HOW SAFE IS IT TO BOOK AND RIDE VIA GRABTAXI?
Well, in my experience it felt like hailing a regular taxi, but without the hassles of waiting in long queues. Other than the fact that the flag down is still P40, there's also a Track-My-Ride function (Tracking friends and family) when you ride one.
The Track-My-Ride function works once a taxi is booked via the GRABTAXI passenger app --- a passenger can automatically send an SMS, email, Facebook post, or tweet containing the driver’s plate number, name, and complete details regarding the route the driver is taking.
A GOOD FEEDBACK MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Businesses like GRABTAXI's also thrive from the feedbacks that they get from their customers. The more positive reviews there are, the more customers there will be. And in GRABTAXI's case, they also welcome comments on their overall service and efficiency (from their end and from the drivers).
All GRABTAXI functions can be accessed from a smartphone-like gadget, which all drivers have.
HOW CAN PASSENGERS PROVIDE FEEDBACK?
Passengers can actually give their feedback in 4 ways:
1) They can access the in-app (feedback button after completing ride)
2) They can send an email (support@grabtaxi.com)
3) They can leave their review via their social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
4) They can call GRABTAXI’s customer service center
According to GRABTAXI... "when it comes to the cab driver, each negative feedback from a passenger equates to a driver call out within one hour of the complaint. A simple function, either ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ can be done. But you can also fill in a form that can be used for such feedback."
So this Christmas, why hassle yourself in getting a cab when you can feel safe with the services of GRABTAXI. Download the app now and you’ll never have a hard time taking a taxi ride ever again.
Explore & Be Free!
Mai
Explore & Be Free!
Mai
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