51taxis Reviews 2

Booked a taxi at about 10-10pm on 29/12.for 11.05pm @ Lowestoft train station.had to ring up about 11.30 as not arrived.initially call handler said no booking will be 12.15.then suddenly said oh yes b about 10 minutes.very unprofessional and felt isolated being disabled

This was the first time I had used 51 Taxis in my home town.

At midday on Friday, I booked a taxi for the following Saturday at 2315 (1115 pm) to take me from a hospitality venue to my B&B. I gave 51 Taxis my smartphone number.

My experience with taxi companies across the UK is that they usually send a text with the taxi details shortly before it arrives. The driver usually arrives 5 minutes early and, normally, sends a text saying that or, sometimes, rings.

Thus, on Saturday, by 2310, I expected to hear from 51 Taxis, but did not. I then went outside at 2310, where it was about 8oC with a light, chilling wind. I then waited in the venue’s porch while the outer door remained open. With travelling door-to-door, I had chosen not to encumber myself with a coat, hat and gloves, because I expected be outside only briefly.

At 2319, I rang 51 Taxis and was told “It will be with you in a few minutes.”. No attempt had been to contact me from 51 Taxis. No apology was given. By 2325, the venue had closed and I was literally out in the cold. At 2332, 17 minutes late, the taxi finally arrived.

Effectively, it had been double-booked. 51 Taxis and its driver knew that he had been asked to pick-up 2 passengers at about 2300 at the same place and had done so about 2310. He knew that his third passenger was booked for 2315 and the other 2 passengers, whom I had met that evening for the first time, had mentioned me as well. I know this, because the driver told me so.

The taxi journey cost £20 compared to £13 I had paid earlier for the same route in the opposite direction. Again, little in the way of apology, let alone an offer of a discount for the trouble 51 Taxi caused me. From my perspective, it looks like 51 Taxi put itself first to make an extra £20 and not the customer, whom it was quite happy to not only inconvenience, but fail to communicate with adequately.

While that may not be the reality, in delivering customer service, it is perception that counts. Talking to other people, I understand 51 Taxis has a poor reputation. You cannot boast on your website home page “The family taxi company in Lowestoft, you can trust.”, when the opposite is true.

That was the last time I will use 51 Taxis in my home town.