There are hundreds of websites, despite the whole Singapore limousine or maxicab industry is facing tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic, each claims to own tens or hundreds of vehicles and is ready to serve your limousine or maxicab request.
Many of these websites tend to be over-exaggerated in their tag lines to convince many ignorant riders to engage their services. This article shares the top 5 dark facts that Singapore limousine/maxi companies do not want you to know.
1. The "Boss" works alone
The "Boss" is usually the driver, admin, and accountant of the limousine/maxicab company. To hire someone to take care of the administrative tasks actually requires an additional of minimum $3000 monthly. Unless the company is ranking in hundreds of thousands per month, it is not worthy to hire someone to take care of administrative stuff which usually can be completed within a day, if the "Boss" is organized enough.
Hundreds of thousands per month seems a lot of money. A lot of this amount is paid to the drivers for their time, vehicular loans, and operating expenses. The "Boss" is usually left with a small fraction of the total revenue as profits.
2. Gimmicks. 24 hours hotline, 10 minutes response time.
A good response time is 30-45 minutes. This allows the limousine / maxicab company to gather the necessary information and locate the nearest available driver for the customer. And when you raise your request during the peak hours, their replies are simply "all drivers are busy" or "the nearest driver is 40 minutes". Therefore 10-15 minutes response time is ridiculously untrue in their advertisement headlines.
Manning a 24 hours hotline requires shift works and at least 2 personnel working 12 hours without any day rest. When you try calling during peak hours or wee hours, your call is usually left unanswered as the only staff, which happens to be also the boss of the limousine/maxicab company, is either driving or sleeping soundly.
Vimo Services has developed a mobile application that allows customers to book our services, without the need to call any hotline and link them up with the available drivers. Find out more here.
3. Own hundreds of vehicles? Another gimmicks
Apart from Comfortdelgro and Strides, no other company can claim they own hundreds of maxicab. Owning a vehicle in Singapore is extremely expensive, a 13 seater maxicab costs S$150,000 inclusive of road tax and insurance and it can only be used for 10 years because of our very own COE - Certificate of Entitlement. And the cost of a luxurious 6 or 7 seater maxicab can run up to S$280,000 for 10 years. (1 USD to 1.37 SGD).
In another word, everyone else, other than those two mentioned companies, usually don't own more than 10 of such vehicles.
Being honest is the key principle of starting a business, Vimo Services does not make such unsubstantial statements in our marketing. We tap on our excessive network and only select drivers who show professionalism, punctuality in their course of works as our drivers - contractors.
4. Worked with various big companies. Not many do!
Many claimed to host important events even though they were the drivers for the event. Also, they were unable to list or use the "big companies" name and logo on their website as they were afraid of legal actions from the owners.
You may try speaking to them on the logistic aspect, they are likely to be lost or do not know what to do in case of emergency or urgent request.
5. Plenty of Awards? They are self-created and self-awarded.
There is no such award as "Excellence Services", "Platinum Award", "Best Maxicab" and etc. These are created by the limousine / maxicab companies themselves as a marketing gimmick. We will definitely stay away from such companies.
The only reliable reference shall be public customer reviews and the list of customers listed on the company website.
Conclusion
Limousine/Maxicab companies are very creative to lure customers to believe who they are and what they are capable of, without any substantial backing. Engage those who over-promise at your own risk!