Getting the feeling that Whistle ain't going to work out in long run.
It may survive but not as a driver owned app.
If it is going south the investors will probably step in and try to protect their investment.
Remove any incompetent or inexperienced people and try to continue as a commercial (non driver owned) entity.
I take the point made in various threads that either way it is all good for drivers as whistle and flags existence creates competition and better deals for drivers in the short term.
In the long term, survival of the fittest, some apps will sink and it will return to one or two dominant players who dominate and control a large proportion of taxi drivers work. If you don't like the idea of an app or the policies of an app. Then you are blocked from accessing that portion of the work.
When the economic cycle swings back the other way, (and it will, experts say the economic cycles used to run every 8 to 10 years but with the speed of communication, the internet, a smaller world these economic cycles will tighten up to around every 5 or 6 years). The apps will be back in control.
The lessons I have picked up for eircab are:
- Hire a PR firm to communicate with media and the public on the driver apps behalf.
- No discounts.. ever!
- Capped Weekly Commission
- Nearest car
I agree with all of these and they could work long term as long as the driver app was a dominant player, (driver support). If drivers continue to play the field, as they are fully entitled to do, but would work against their own interests in the long term if they are owners members of a co-op.
- The No Discount can work long term too if drivers support their own app.
If another app offers discounts and a driver needs or wants that work then that is where the punters will go. If 'the' driver app dominates and controls a large portion of the trade then the punters would go there because they will be sure of a car and the discount won't matter. Which is proven in today's market, shortage of drivers at busy times and no complaints about discounts they just want a car. This will change eventually as the economic cycle moves.
- The only issue I see with nearest car is that corporate customers would have concerns that some jobs may not be covered (and it happens). A valid concern for them as it could affect their business.
As for control of the data, in short term google would have access to the driver app data . However if the app is successful it could invest in protecting its own mapping data if the members decide that is it a viable option and worth doing. The data will have a value in the future if the app is a dominant player in the market.
So the key to the success of the driver app or any other app is driver support. Convincing them that in the long term supporting their own app makes sense. Being played like pawns by other apps with this offer and that offer are all short term. When one or other of the apps gains control or market conditions change that will all stop and they will call the tunes.
