Information Communications Technology (ICT) is making a foot print in all areas of our lives. Now getting a cab is only a click away with the new Hello Cabs application. The application, accessible to smart phone users, can be found on play stores.
Twenty five of the company’s cars are already using the new application. “With this new application, we have come up with a solution to problems such as safety, accountability, speed, convenience, reliability and also pulling Botswana into the digital age,” revealed Hello Cabs Managing Director, Sthembiso Dube, who explained that users can download and install Hello Cabs by Neologix Africa Software Solutions, then go to request cab; enter their number, pick up location, destination and hit the request button.
According to Dube, the request will then be sent to nearby drivers and will quickly be accepted. “A route from driver location to customer location to customer destination is created and the customer is able to keep track of their cab throughout this route. Instant notifications are sent to the customer about which driver accepted their request. Their name, photo, car model and registration number will appear on the phone screen,” explained Dube. Further, he mentioned that instant notifications are sent when the driver has arrived at the pick up location and when they have arrived at the destination. “Invoicing details appear on both the customer’s and driver’s phones as soon as the driver completes the trip so that a fair and transparent transaction can be settled,” he said.
Dube told TimeOut that there are no security risks relating to transactions since they are cash based. “No personal details are needed except for customer (phone) numbers. There is nothing easier than being able to hail a taxi just by the click of a button and being able to secure a cab from any location. There is no need to hunt for cab numbers or to stand by the road hoping for an empty taxi,” concluded Dube.