Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I understand the image of dirty cabs are not the "high Class" image the harbor wants to portray. I keep reading of instances where they turned away water vessels that aren't of a certain luxury or size because it didn't fit with the image. But like some of the comments on wash post said the gaylord is a private business and can do what it feels like. There are other hotels there that they can go to as well. I do have a problem with the cabs not being able to wait by the gaylord so they take up spaces else where like the circle beside elevation burger. Cab drivers certainty didn't think that this is what MGM and Baker meant about job opportunities for there support of question 7 lol.
There are customers complaining. If you're a business and your customers are not happy, perhaps it's time to make some changes. I don't see how the taxis can complain. If customers are complaining about service, then as a business, you need to step up your game or someone else will move in. This is business 101. Sure enough, this is what happened. And we all have experiences in taxis in this area. The cabs often smell, half the time they don't know where they are going. Heck, almost every phone now has a gps on it. And the fares are confusing.
If guests can afford a luxury car service, I ain't mad at 'em. My wife and I took an executive sedan from Reagan National home once. If people come to this area to visit and expect to have a good time, they shouldn't have to worry about good transportation options. Instead of the unions getting all up in the issue, why not talk to the cabbies serving National Harbor and see if there can't be some training, or investments in newer vehicles. If the resources aren't there, then perhaps the Gaylord is out of their league and they should move on.
That's true if there is a market for alternative transportation (i.e. private sedan) then having that option is not a bad thing. My only concern would be that they use it as a tool to exclude. There are a lot of independant taxis and others that are small businesses and they should have a chance to serve those at the Harbor. On the flip side, this should be a motivator for those cabs not offering quality service and transportation to step up their game. We have talked on this board before about the poor customer service. This is an example of how that plays out when supporting the growing tourism industry. We may tolerate it since we live here but others don't have to. Especially if they are paying a premium.
That's pretty jacked up. I definitely understand why they are trying to give their customers a better experience, but it's seems disingenuous to say that they are doing this because of customer complaints. The way the article explains it, it makes it appear that from the jump, that they have done everything possible to stop cabs from coming there. I'm sure there are people who complain about those cabs, but how do you explain having them off to the side or offering them a vehicle instead? Seems like a passive way of getting rid of cab drivers. They would be better to say that their services are not needed at the Harbor, but they know that would be a turn off for cabs and they know those cab drivers are desperate.
It is passive aggressive behavior but as a business in the hospitality industry I don't blame them (not saying that its right though). Hopefully, in the spirit of competition, this will serve as a motivator for those cabbies to step their game up. As previously mentioned/inferred, not everyone is going to be able to afford a private car and the free shuttle may not compliment every guest's schedule. That said there is an opportunity, to be the go to taxi/taxi company for guest since the number of visitors over the next five years is going to increase exponentially. I have gone to other tourist driven cities (mostly the ones in the south) and their taxi services are on point. They act like embassadors to the city and not only are they knowledgeable of the area but dole out all sorts of tips of what to do while there. I know that can't be all of them but I can say when I have traveled on business and received service like that, I used that service the entire time I was there (the cabbie would usually give me their card). At the end of the day, it may be wrong and out of their control but they can make the best of it by changing their strategy. To your point about the barriers that Gaylord/Peterson has made. I do recall them having a meeting before the Harbor opened where they spelled out the standards for cabs coming to the harbor. That standard has since lasped (I assume) but that still doesn't mean that the cabbies should not be aware of it or that the Harbor can't begin enforcing it again. From a small business perspective, I do believe its jacked up but like I have told businesses that I have spoken to in the past, you will not be successful being mediocre. Nobody wants to pay a premium so taking this as an opportunity to do better should be their first action. If they really want to be innovative, they should put together a plan that can be submitted to the ED Fund for consideration. With all the focus going into the NH area, a well designed plan could garner serious consideration.
I understand the image of dirty cabs are not the "high Class" image the harbor wants to portray. I keep reading of instances where they turned away water vessels that aren't of a certain luxury or size because it didn't fit with the image. But like some of the comments on wash post said the gaylord is a private business and can do what it feels like. There are other hotels there that they can go to as well. I do have a problem with the cabs not being able to wait by the gaylord so they take up spaces else where like the circle beside elevation burger. Cab drivers certainty didn't think that this is what MGM and Baker meant about job opportunities for there support of question 7 lol.
If I was a independent cabbie or even a cab company that was a small business, I would take this opportunity to spruce up my line and pursue a contract with the gaylord and other hotels to offer an alternative to the private service. Sure it will take money but the return would be sweet. Especially with MGM coming and another hotel being built next to the outlet. This is a time not to whine about being done wrong but to think about how you can navigate through the new reality.
My only concern would be that they use it as a tool to exclude.
While that can certainly be the case, I don't think this is what we see at play. Like the article said, Gaylord may offer the black car service, but it is up to the customer to choose. If they want a regular taxi, the concierge won't tell them you're on your own. They hail one of the regular taxis for their guest. As far as having them park in the garage, I have been to a number of places where taxis are placed in a staging area off to the side or even around the back and when called, they then drive around to pick up the guest. I'm sure Gaylord decided that they didn't want a bunch of dingy cabs idling fumes at the front door while guests are coming and going.
As I said before, if the taxis took a customer survey, and that survey said that their service was sub-par, the cars were old and smelly, and that the taxis had problems with English as well as how to get to certain places, would the union say the customers weren't fair? A lot of comments in the article echoed what Gaylord said its customers was saying. So, like you mentioned, it's a wake up call that is long overdue. If they want to compete on the high-end level, they have to step up their game. I couldn't imagine if customers were happy with the taxis that Gaylord would have to resort to other options. Customers come first. Gaylord gets it. The taxis need to get it as well. Market forces are at play here. When customers stay at the Gaylord, they expect a certain level of treatment that comes with the Gaylord brand. Like many of the comments said, these people may not be used to what we put up with here in the DC area with taxi service. Perhaps it's a wake-up call for us as well to demand more from our local taxi providers.
While that can certainly be the case, I don't think this is what we see at play.
Like the article said, Gaylord may offer the black car service, but it is up to
the customer to choose. If they want a regular taxi, the concierge won't tell
them you're on your own. They hail one of the regular taxis for their guest. As
far as having them park in the garage, I have been to a number of places where
taxis are placed in a staging area off to the side or even around the back and
when called, they then drive around to pick up the guest. I'm sure Gaylord
decided that they didn't want a bunch of dingy cabs idling fumes at the front
door while guests are coming and going.
I'm with you. As I mentioned in another post, there were standards issued when the Harbor opened so they can't say its a surprise. To be honest, if I owned a cab, I wouldn't care where I had to wait as long as I was called. It would also be a moot point if the cabbies addressed the complaints of their patrons. You can't get something for nothing or in this case less.
Quote:
As I said before, if the taxis took a customer survey, and that survey said that
their service was sub-par, the cars were old and smelly, and that the taxis had
problems with English as well as how to get to certain places, would the union
say the customers weren't fair? A lot of comments in the article echoed what
Gaylord said its customers was saying. So, like you mentioned, it's a wake up
call that is long overdue. If they want to compete on the high-end level, they
have to step up their game. I couldn't imagine if customers were happy with the
taxis that Gaylord would have to resort to other options. Customers come first.
Gaylord gets it. The taxis need to get it as well. Market forces are at play
here. When customers stay at the Gaylord, they expect a certain level of
treatment that comes with the Gaylord brand. Like many of the comments said,
these people may not be used to what we put up with here in the DC area with
taxi service. Perhaps it's a wake-up call for us as well to demand more from our
local taxi providers.
True and its a definite wake up call for the cabs serving PG. As similar developments come online in the county, the expectations for cabs serving those areas will be a lot higher than in the past. Those that step up to the challenge will definitely flourish.
It is passive aggressive behavior but as a business in the hospitality industry I don't blame them (not saying that its right though). Hopefully, in the spirit of competition, this will serve as a motivator for those cabbies to step their game up. As previously mentioned/inferred, not everyone is going to be able to afford a private car and the free shuttle may not compliment every guest's schedule. That said there is an opportunity, to be the go to taxi/taxi company for guest since the number of visitors over the next five years is going to increase exponentially. I have gone to other tourist driven cities (mostly the ones in the south) and their taxi services are on point. They act like embassadors to the city and not only are they knowledgeable of the area but dole out all sorts of tips of what to do while there. I know that can't be all of them but I can say when I have traveled on business and received service like that, I used that service the entire time I was there (the cabbie would usually give me their card). At the end of the day, it may be wrong and out of their control but they can make the best of it by changing their strategy. To your point about the barriers that Gaylord/Peterson has made. I do recall them having a meeting before the Harbor opened where they spelled out the standards for cabs coming to the harbor. That standard has since lasped (I assume) but that still doesn't mean that the cabbies should not be aware of it or that the Harbor can't begin enforcing it again. From a small business perspective, I do believe its jacked up but like I have told businesses that I have spoken to in the past, you will not be successful being mediocre. Nobody wants to pay a premium so taking this as an opportunity to do better should be their first action. If they really want to be innovative, they should put together a plan that can be submitted to the ED Fund for consideration. With all the focus going into the NH area, a well designed plan could garner serious consideration.
My concern would be that as a customer who might not be from the area and/or unfamiliar with National Harbor, it may be presented to them, that there is no cabs as options, when in fact they are there. It's a conflict of interest of sorts. They aren't going to go out of their way to advertise the cabs because they don't benefit. Cabs of course may still come because it's not like they have other places in the county outside the metro stations where they have a great need. I think it would probably be better PR to say that cabs aren't an options than to string them along. From a business point, it makes sense to limit them as an option but it's still rather unscrupulous.
My concern would be that as a customer who might not be from the area and/or unfamiliar with National Harbor, it may be presented to them, that there is no cabs as options, when in fact they are there. It's a conflict of interest of sorts. They aren't going to go out of their way to advertise the cabs because they don't benefit. Cabs of course may still come because it's not like they have other places in the county outside the metro stations where they have a great need. I think it would probably be better PR to say that cabs aren't an options than to string them along. From a business point, it makes sense to limit them as an option but it's still rather unscrupulous.
If the end game is to eliminate them all together then being transparent would be fair but they (Gaylord/Peterson) would be shooting themselves in the foot. With no real metro access, eliminating an option would be suicide at this point. If quality and customer service is a concern then they could reinstitute the cab standards that they had before. From what I recall it would ban those cabs that didn't pass the smell test. That could act as a filter for those cabs that don't meet the standard. I do agree with you that the cab option should be equally advertised as the average guest would probably do a search online to find one. At least if they include them in the list of options they can have more control over whether the ones that respond meet the standards.
If the end game is to eliminate them all together then being transparent would be fair but they (Gaylord/Peterson) would be shooting themselves in the foot. With no real metro access, eliminating an option would be suicide at this point. If quality and customer service is a concern then they could reinstitute the cab standards that they had before. From what I recall it would ban those cabs that didn't pass the smell test. That could act as a filter for those cabs that don't meet the standard. I do agree with you that the cab option should be equally advertised as the average guest would probably do a search online to find one. At least if they include them in the list of options they can have more control over whether the ones that respond meet the standards.
I think that would be best. I have no problem with them having standards. I think that is fair. If they want to do that, then that is the best route to go, I just don't know if they will do that at this point with the expansion of their own service.
I think that would be best. I have no problem with them having standards. I think that is fair. If they want to do that, then that is the best route to go, I just don't know if they will do that at this point with the expansion of their own service.
From a bargaining position they definitely could. I just don't see them not providing options to conference attendees. Not all of them have money and I can't see them forcing everyone to either use their service or have them take the bus. Can you imagine the survey responses for that. Their book rate would drop significantly. The other option for them would be to focus on the other hotels at the harbor since that would be about 1600 rooms to cater to.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
