An obvious facet of owning a business is knowing your competitor’s prices. If you don’t, then you’ll likely be out of business soon. We see this with taxi drivers. In NYC, there are city-governed yellowcabs and unmarked private cabbies. Most private cabbies command a higher rate, not because they provide better service but because they lurk around areas where yellow cabs are not as readily available. As a customer, the key is to negotiate a price prior to getting into the cab. However, even with informed preparation, you can still run into trouble.

I hailed a grey taxi to help me move an air conditioner 5 blocks away from my apartment.  I offered $10 for his assistance in carrying the unit to and from the cab in addition to driving me. He agreed. Afterward, he didn’t help me move the A/C, AND he charged me $15 because my A/C was “big”. Asshole. A $15 cab fare would normally get you at least 20 blocks.

My friend Bob had a more harrowing experience. After agreeing to a standard $8 fare to travel between hospital campuses, the cab driver demanded $14 when they arrived at the destination. Bob refused, and the driver locked the doors to the cab and refused to allow him to exit. He spent over 30 minutes in the cab until the driver gave in and let him out.

I understand that any business is difficult to run these days, but knowingly ripping off your regular customers is no way to remain profitable.

medicine rant, travel