Realistic Pricing!

Had an enquiry the other day for a small job to take some car keys a few miles across the City. As it was raining, and I didn't particularly fancy it I quoted them £45. After the initial gasp and 'how much'? I was surprised when they called back 15 mins later to ask if I could do it. They said a Taxi had quoted them the same, but they needed it doing faster than the taxi could collect.

It's a shame that for doing the same sort of job, generally a Taxi is far more expensive, yet customers seem to more easily accept their prices.

If only couriers stuck to their guns and charged realistic prices, instead of working for peanuts! I guess part blame has to go to the government handouts, that enable people to claim benefits and set up as a courier just to earn some beer money!

If they had to rely on a decent courier wage then no way could anyone work for the rates that some of the 'big boys' pay!

Don't really know what the answer is but some sort of regulation I think is needed.

Rather like the councils do with hackney carriage taxis?

Every year they sit around a table with representatives from the local cab companies and fix the rates for the coming year

The problem with that is minicabs who aren't under the same legislation and who charge less, are usually rust buckets, and generally driven by guys who have no idea where they're going

Sound familiar?

Unfortunatley it'll never happen

There will always be someone happy to undercut and i don't think you can blame the benefit system Alan... Blame the idiots with no business plan by all means, but to suggest pricing is down to "handouts" is, i think, over simplyfying things just a tad

And of course taxis are always insured to carry goods for hire and reward hey kids?