I was lucky then that the lovely people from Get Taxi contacted me to review their app. Catching a taxi to Tower Bridge was the ideal solution and I would be able to relax on the train home afterwards.
Adding and installing the app: This is really easy. I searched for “Get Taxi” in the App Store, selected the first result and installed the free app. Once installed, you add your mobile number (this is very important as confirmations and notifications are sent to your mobile) and a confirmation code is sent via text. Enter the code and you are then ready to make a booking.
Making a booking: the booking process is easy, perhaps too easy. You go to “Get Taxi” and enter your pick up address. You can then enter details such as when you’d like to be picked up (I booked mine a week in advance) and you can optionally add a destination too. Seeing as I was travelling over 20 miles at 4:15am on a Sunday morning, I thought it best to add my destination!
If you are ordering a taxi to arrive as soon as possible, you are given an estimated time of arrival at this point but an advance booking will tell you your chosen time.
You then select how you’d like to pay and the very next option will place your order.
Once your order is placed, the full details will appear under “Rides”.
The details: You receive two further texts from Get Taxi. One fifty minutes before arrival, to say that the taxi is on the way, and one when the taxi arrives. You pay in one of three ways: credit card, cash or voucher.
My experience: I really enjoyed the easy installation, set up and booking process. I was given a voucher for £50 and found it very easy to add this voucher to my account. The credit then appeared in my account under the “Me” tab. I was a little unsettled because there is no way to get an estimated cost of the journey through the app. However, there is a customer care number clearly stated in the app and I was able to phone through last Sunday afternoon to obtain an estimate of between £50 and £70.
I received a text at 3:25 this morning to say that the taxi was on the way and then another at 4:16 to say that the driver had arrived. We reached our destination right on time at 5am and the cost was £69.80.
We were a little unsure at first as to how to use the voucher but once again, we were easily able to get hold of the customer care line, even at 5am in the morning. It turns out that it was as easy as the driver selecting “coupon” on his system and his account being automatically credited with my voucher amount. I was then able to pay the remaining £20 in cash.
The verdict: This whole experience was really good and I would highly recommend this app. I do think the app could be enhanced by providing users with a quotation before they go ahead and commit to an order but otherwise, everything was good. The driver was friendly and the customer care accessible and professional at all times.
Thank you very much to Get Taxi for telling me about their app. I was provided with a voucher in order to review this service but all opinions contained herein are my own.
Do you like the photo above? It was taken at 5:43am this morning and was just one of over 200 photos I took in a walk from Tower Bridge to Columbia Flower Market via Leadenhall Market, Spitalfields and Brick Lane. I look forward to sharing my photos!
