Client Spotlight: Apollo Taxis ,Maidstone, Kent
We recently visited Tom & Bob, owners of Apollo Taxis, a private hire taxi service based in Maidstone, Kent:
“It all started when the financial crash hit 12 years ago, Bob was head of a building company and property investment and was looking for something else to support him. Tom was an area manager for a leisure company, and we chose to start Apollo for an extra bit of money. We were only meant to do it for a couple of months! However, we saw that there were gaps in the market, and it just started growing rapidly and we started employing more people.
We are a private hire taxi company with a unique approach – we are constantly looking at what’s happening in the world and where technology is going, and now operate almost exclusively online through apps.
We want our customers to have a stress-free service with us, so we have invested in the best online payment systems and utilise every bit of technology we can find to push forward. Initially, it was hard for both our customers and drivers to adapt to the change of payment processes from cash to online payments, but it has proved beneficial for all.
Our next exciting change is implementing What 3 Words, and Apollo will be the only company in Kent that uses this technology. It will allow us to more accurately pinpoint where the customer is and where they need to be, therefore reducing the time it takes to reach them. Apollo pushes the boundaries to make our service the best it can be.
With every other taxi company, they will have someone trying to work out where drivers need to go, where as our technology is running all of that for us. We’re the only company locally that can guarantee when you book a car, it’s going to turn up!
Our ability to keep all our customers happy with very few complaints, and our bravery in being different, we’d say are a few of our biggest successes. The current industry is competitive, no one wants to take the jumps that we are taking. We are finding that we are leading the trend – often, six months to a year after we do something, everyone else will follow suit.
Apollo had a loyal and wide-ranging customer base that was growing consistently, until we were hit with the Covid-19 pandemic and forced into a lockdown – the customers just went overnight. Unfortunately, we lost about 50% of our drivers as well. This dramatic change made us take a step back and look at the business and we altered our mindset and moved our target market into a different direction.
Our biggest push now is corporate businesses. If you are a business that has loads of travel to organise, then we can make it simple for you. We offer an online portal that will do everything for you and can be easily managed to ensure that you get your transport as and when you need it. Our app is genuinely the best app that you can get locally.
We also need more drivers so, if there’s any drivers out there that are looking for a change, or looking to progress their career with a company that’s unique and ambitious, then we are definitely the right company to come and talk to.”
To find out more about Apollo Taxis and book your private taxi today, please click here www.apollo-taxi.co.uk.
If this looks like something you want your business to take part in please email Mia@accsysltd.co.uk to arrange it today.
