Many businesses think of Uber Clone Scripts as a quick and easy way to start a taxi business.
However, they do not know that all the benefits that they are going to get with Uber Clone Scripts might not last long.
It might be a good solution for the short term but businesses who want to be competitive and dominative in the long run cannot opt for this option to run their taxi business.
In this blog, we will understand why investing in Uber Clone Script can turn out to be a mistake and how your taxi business can get the benefits of SaaS taxi software.
So, let’s get into it straight away.
What is an Uber Clone Script?
Uber Clone Script is pre-built software designed to work similarly to the features and functionalities of Uber. Taxi businesses can use this software to run their business flawlessly without going through the hassle of coding. With Uber Clone Script you get features such as easy and quick ride booking, multiple payment options, real-time location tracking, etc.
Businesses select such a solution as it proves to be a cost-effective solution for them. Cost-effective because they do not have to build a taxi dispatch software from scratch, the pre-defined codes ensure that the software is ready for usage in no time that too without the need of much technical expertise.
As very little technical expertise is required, a lot of time of your developers, testers, designers, etc. can be saved. Also, the Uber Clone Script can be launched quickly to market due to the ready-to-use scripts. Due to this your business can start to earn revenue sooner than expected.
Apart from this, factors such as low maintenance costs and effective and proven features of Uber also have an impact on the business’s decision to opt of Uber Clone Script.
Why Uber Clone Scripts are a mistake
Low maintenance, faster route to market, cost-effectiveness, etc. can be beneficial for businesses, but not for too long. Let’s see how Uber Clone Scripts can turn out to be a huge mistake for businesses.
Legal issues for businesses
Uber is a market giant and its customer base is spread all over the world. Everyone across the world knows about Uber. Such established businesses usually protect their brand elements such as name, logo, etc. by trademarks. And if used without permission businesses can face serious legal consequences. Even if your business does not copy the branding aspects of Uber, copying its features too closely can cause legal issues.
Limitations in customization
Opting for Uber Clone Script can hold you back from offering customized services to your customers. As they are sold as closed-source solutions, you won’t have access to the hidden codes. That is why, you won’t be able to make a lot of changes to the features and functionality as per your requirements.
Performance problems
Uber Clone Scripts are developed with generic coding and are not optimized to deliver great performance. This factor can result in the taxi system lagging, loading slowly, delays in processing ride bookings, etc. With the growth of the business you need software that can easily manage increasing ride requests, but with Uber Clone Scripts this seems unlikely to happen.
Security concerns
It is highly unlikely that the Uber Clone Scripts will pass the security test. This means the taxi business is always at risk of data breaches. The software might have a lot of security malfunctions that can be taken advantage of by hackers to get access to the sensitive data of customers and drivers.
What is a SaaS-based taxi platform?
SaaS-based taxi platforms are created to help taxi business streamline their taxi operations and improve overall efficiency. From automated dispatching to optimizing routes, the software simplifies operations and improves the productivity of your taxi business.
Also, the SaaS-based taxi platform has a subscription-based model, so instead of owning your own software, you can just pay for the service to the software provider. This makes SaaS-based software a cost-effective solution for taxi businesses. Now, let’s see what impact does a SaaS-based software can have on a taxi business.
Key benefits of SaaS taxi software
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Customization and flexibility - With a SaaS-based platform you can customize the software as per your business requirements. You can add/remove features to align with your target audience.
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Security and reliability - The SaaS-based platform uses encryption to secure the data transmitted between the driver and the customer. Also, there are regular updates made to stay on top of security concerns.
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No maintenance headaches - SaaS-based platforms are also known as cloud-based taxi dispatch software as they are hosted on a cloud, which means you do not have to worry about maintaining their server and storage. The provider will ensure that all the features and functionalities run smoothly.
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Scalability and performance - With amazing features and functionalities, the SaaS-based platform gives your business a competitive edge and allows it to manage all incoming ride requests with ease.
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Cost-effective option - SaaS-based software usually has a subscription-based or pay-as-you-go model. This means that businesses only have to pay when rides are booked.
Apart from all these benefits, the SaaS-based software can benefit your business in many other ways as well. But remember, selecting software that suits your specific needs is quite crucial.
Read More: Choosing the Right Dispatch Solution: The Ultimate Guide for Taxi Dispatch Businesses
Key features of a quality SaaS-based taxi platform
We saw the benefits of using a SaaS-based taxi management system, now let’s see the features that you can offer your customers for a great experience.
Real-time tracking and GPS navigation
Customers want the convenience to check out the whereabouts of their ride. This way, they can always be in the loop. They can come to know about the ETA of their ride, the exact location of their ride, etc. This saves your business from a potentially frustrating situation.
Imagine, being a customer who is late to reach the interview and booking a ride to reach the location. You are waiting for the ride to arrive, but it's late due to some unknown reason. And you do not have the convenience to track your ride. Is such a situation going to have a good impact on you? No. It just makes you frustrated.
That is why, offering customers the option to track their ride in real-time is crucial. This feature of a cab dispatch system is not only beneficial for customers but also for dispatchers, as it allows them to assign rides to the nearest driver by tracking their location.
Multiple payment solutions
Nowadays, customers do not carry cash with them. They usually prefer online payment options to carry out the transactions. That is why, to stay competitive and serve a large pool of audience, you must offer your customers multiple payment options such as credit card, debit card, in-app wallet, cash, etc. This way, you can not only improve their experience but also ensure that they opt for your business in the future as well.
For example, you have two customers, “customer A” who prefers to use cash, and “customer B” who generally prefers the online payment option. So, in such a situation if you are a taxi business that only accepts payments via cash, you are not going to be able to serve customer B, and also such customers might not engage with your business again in the future.
That is why, to serve each and every customer, offering them the option to pay as per their preference is very crucial. And with a quality taxi booking system in place offering such service to customers is quite achievable.
Reporting and analytics
A taxi business is a business that does not operate in one place at one time. For example, suppose there are three areas and each area has high demand in three different periods of the day.
In area one the demand is high at the time between 10 A.M. to 12 P.M., in area two the demand is high between 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. and in area three the demand peaks between 10 P.M. to 1 A.M. But how can you as a business come to know about this. Knowing about such factors becomes easy with the reporting and analytics feature.
But how can you as a business come to know about this. Knowing about such factors becomes easy with the reporting and analytics feature.
With this feature on an automated taxi dispatch system, you can also come to know the individual driver's performance, overall fleet performance, etc. All this data is presented via easy-to-understand charts and graphs. With its help, you can make strategic and data-driven decisions to better serve your customers and improve your service.
Real-time notifications
This is an added benefit, as it is an extra mile that you as a business can go to offer the ultimate and stress-free service to your service. Just imagine, being a customer, booking a ride, but having no idea who your driver is, when the driver will arrive, how much time will be taken, etc. You are totally clueless. Doesn’t seem right.
To manage such situations with ease, you need to ensure that customers are in the loop always. You can keep customers updated by sharing the ride details via email/text. Details about the driver, the driver’s rating, the ETA of the driver, etc. This way, your customers will be stress-free all the time, and automatically their experience will improve.
Driver and vehicle management
To run a taxi business flawlessly, it is crucial to manage drivers and vehicles effectively. Failing to do so can result in operational inefficiencies. With SaaS-based software managing drivers and fleets is quite manageable.
Dispatchers can track and communicate with a particular driver or fleet in real-time. This reduces the chances of miscommunication and misunderstandings between the dispatchers and drivers.
The dispatchers can easily assist the drivers if they require any sort of help. All this ultimately results in improved service and better results.
Read More: Why your cab business needs advanced taxi dispatch software
Comparing Uber Clone vs. SaaS solutions
Here are a few comparison points between Uber Clone Script vs SaaS based platforms. You yourself can check out which one is the best fit and suitable option for your business.
| Factors | Description | SaaS-based Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Initial costs and setup | Lower upfront costs, but potentially higher hidden costs for customization and maintenance. | Subscription-based, typically higher initial cost, but more comprehensive and scalable in the long-run. |
| Security and updates | Risk of outdated security, and lack of regular updates. | Regular software updates, security patches, and ongoing support. |
| Scalability | Difficult to scale effectively without significant reworking of the code. | Built with scalability in mind, can handle increased demand and traffic. |
| Technical expertise required | Requires developers to manage the platform and fix issues. | No technical expertise required; everything is managed by the provider. |
| Support | Limited support, usually requires hiring external help for issues. | 24/7 customer support from the SaaS provider, included in the service. |
| Data backup & recovery | You must set up your own backup and disaster recovery solutions. | Automatic backups and disaster recovery systems in place. |
Conclusion
In this blog, we saw that even though clone scripts seem to be the quick solution, they might not be the perfect solution in the long run. It is highly likely that your business will face a lot of issues on a daily basis due to clone scripts. This can hold your business back from growing and gaining the success you desire. But with SaaS-based software, your business can easily scale and provide great service to customers. One such software that can help you grow your taxi business is Yelowsoft. It is a taxi booking and dispatch system designed to streamline taxi operations and improve efficiency.
