VisionMAX Case Studies

Background

The old process used to handle the dispatch of limo/taxis for 1,000 pre-arranged pickups/day was manually-intensive. Passengers were unhappy because of long waits for their driver. Drivers were unhappy as they spent excess time in queue, and there were poor controls in place to prevent unauthorized drivers from “scooping” a fare. Attendants were unhappy as they had to handle large amounts of cash (from the drivers’ admin fee) and were busy filling in paper forms. Airport administration was unhappy as traffic congestion was getting worse due to the delays. Guests in the on-site hotel were unhappy with the constant noise from the loudspeakers used to page the drivers.

The Challenge

A new system had to be implemented that would eliminate or alleviate these problems, while being cost-effective to operate.  Airport management wanted to make use of multiple peripheral devices to handle different aspects of the operation, as appropriate.

The Solution

VisionMAX designed and implemented a system that:

• used kiosks to collect admin payments (using cash or credit card)
• notified drivers of passenger arrival by sending a message to their cell phone, from which they had to acknowledge message receipt
• used loudspeakers in case driver did not acknowledge message receipt within specified time
• equipped attendants with hand-held computers to scan bar-coded pre-printed form that authorized driver to do a pickup
• provided management with reports to monitor performance and aid in long-term planning

The Results

The system was delivered on time, on budget. The new system:

• Eliminated error-prone manual paper process
• Eliminated missed-calls caused by muffled sound from loudspeaker, as message sent directly to cell phone
• Eliminated need for limo attendant to handle cash
• Improved traffic flow (very important in a congested area)
• Reduced noise from loudspeakers (used on exception basis only)
• Improved customer service for passengers
• Provided management tools through improved metrics, auditing, and accountability, allowing management to determine exact driver and passenger locations and curbside vehicle counts and giving them invaluable input for long-term planning