Tips from Our Mexican Taxicab Drivers on How to Develop a Referral Only Business

On occasion, it seems that we are so overloaded with everyday tasks that we sometimes fail to see how simple marketing can be.  The best advertisement for our services is our existing customers.  Good customer service generates more word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business than 100 advertisements.  So, when it comes to marketing, you don't need to have a large budget.  You just need to focus on your customer.

Recently, I spent 10 days in Acapulco and Guanajuato, Mexico.  During both legs of our wonderful vacation, I encountered Mexican taxicab drivers who had wonderful insights on how simple marketing can be.  Both taxicab drivers indicated that referrals and repeat business were the secrets of their success.  Their approach was simple - standout from the crowd, add value, and deliver as promised.

 

 Here were their secrets to developing a referral only business:

Be the Best:  To be the best, you don't need to have a huge marketing budget, the best connections, etc.  Rather, you need to be committed to being the best.  It all starts with with the right attitude.  To succeed in business, you can't wait for business to come to you.  You need to promote your business and go after it.  It isn't good enough to say that you are the best.  You need to show that you are the best and it all starts with great customer service.  Both taxicab drivers understood that repeat business was a better revenue source than waiting at a taxi stand for the next call.  To these two drivers, success and repeat business started with a customer-centric approach.

Be Honest:  When you deal with the public, you must develop a rapport with the customer.  It all starts with being honest.  There is no sure fire way to destroy rapport than by simply saying what the customer wants to hear, misquoting the price or costs of a service, etc.  Customers want to know how you are getting paid and the costs to them at the outset.  When we first arrived, we were a bit jaded.  We were waiting for the usual time-share, resort hustler-type approach.  When our plane landed, we were set to meet our driver at the exit.  We had a "helpful" person direct us to our driver only to learn that he was directing us to a counter to receive a sales pitch for another resort.  Now, it may have been a great deal and the resort could have been fabulous.  However, when we understood we had been snookered, the merits of the deal were meaningless and the sales pitch fell on deaf ears.

Add Value:  In any business, it is important to provide a service with added value.  In the case of our taxicab drivers, they weren't simply the safest drivers, the most likable drivers, etc.  Rather, they added value.  They weren't just drivers.  They were tour guides and concierges who made recommendations on dining, shopping and sites to see.  They explained the cost differences between shuttle services and their taxicabs or why using a concierge from the hotel to call a taxicab involved a fee split and was often more expensive than hailing a taxicab on the street.  Simply put, they saved us time and money.

Exceed Customer Expectations:  It is important to exceed expectations.  When we got into the taxicabs, we expected to be driven from Point A to Point B for the quoted price.  However, in Acapulco, when the taxicab driver arrived at the local market, he didn't simply leave.  He offered to wait for no charge while we shopped in the local market.  He suggested reputable vendors.  Whether we went to the recommended vendors or not, he kept a watchful eye over us and intervened on occasion to negotiate a better price.  Similarly, in Guanjuato, the taxicab driver could have dropped our bags at the curb at the airport.  However, he didn't stop there.  He insisted on carrying our bags into the terminal to the airline counter.  It was this type of above and beyond the normal service that attracted our attention. won our repeat business, and generated more income (both in the form of repeat business and tips).

Communicate - Talk to Your Customers:  If you want to have repeat business, you have to be willing to talk to your customers.  Being prompt is not enough.  Delivering a service at the best cost is not enough.  You have to develop rapport with the customer.  When you talk to your customers, you develop rapport.  When you develop rapport, you establish a connection or bond and you increase loyalty.  By developing a loyal following, you increase the likelihood of referrals and repeat business.  We used the same taxicab drivers throughout the trip when they were available.  However, these taxicab drivers would not have obtained the repeat business if they had simply remained silent and delivered us to our destination.  Doing your job is good; but doing a good job and connecting with your customer is better.

Use Testimonials:  As we talked to the taxicab driver in Acapulco, he explained his services and told some great stories.  Now, I initially didn't believe all of his stories about his famous customers.  During the conversation, he pulled out a 3-ring binder.  In the binder, he had a series of letters from his customers from the average tourist to politicians, movie stars, etc.  Well, if Kissinger and Stallone felt obliged to send letters of thanks, I thought we must be in good hands.  The 3-ring binder with customer testimonials created instant credibility.

Make It Easy:  Before we exited the taxicab, both drivers provided us with their business cards.  In Acapulco, the business card included the estimated costs for point to point deliveries from our hotel.  He had a box with pre-printed cards for each hotel zone.  In Guanajuato (a smaller town), the taxicab driver didn't just give us his card.  He left a note for us at our hotel that we received the next day indicating his direct telephone number and offering to drive us to the airport.  He even suggested a timed delivery and offered to pick us up at a specific time. 

In conclusion, it doesn't matter if you're a taxicab driver or real estate agent, the simple fact is that your business depends on relationships and if your clients and customers aren't staying with you for the long haul and referring their friends, there may be a flaw in your system.

At PREA Signature Realty, we believe in focusing on the customer and want to be your Realtor for life.  We want your business and your referrals.  If you a looking for a customer-centric, value added approach from the person representing you in the purchase or sale of your home, please contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or by email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.