And It’s All Done In The Interest Of Public Safety.... By Lee Ward.

Let’s look at these public safety interests shall we, I mean, this is what EVERY authority across the land champions on about when it comes to policy changes.

The post only this week in Taxi Leaks (shown here) explains how in York they have dropped the requirement for a telephone number to be displayed on the company signage on the side of a licensed vehicle, and only require a web site should it suit the company it relates to. And yes London, I know that a Private Hire company is not even allowed a sign on the side down in the smoke, but do you now think that was a good idea to fight against? Because I don’t.

So, York have changed the rules and reg’s, but why have they, do we know or just speculate about the whys and what nots…

It’s simple really, so simple it’s laughable, but the joke is on the local authorities and not on us as a trade.

Has anyone looked at Linkeden, or is everyone on Craigs List or Tinder these days for searching for local….. 

Professionals?

Let’s look at a few of Ubers people, for simple examples shall we?

Jo Bertram – General Manager Northern Europe

​Uber

​McKinsey & Company

​Accenture

Fred Jones – General Manager UK and Ireland (Uber not Scooby Doo)

​Uber

​Accenture

Mustafa Khanabha

​Uber – General Manager

​Virgin Startup

​Printsource

​Digital Limited

Now, I could go on and on with these profiles, but what’s the point, enough has been shown already.

 

Let’s look at these people and what they specialise in, and I will assure you now, it’s NOT the Transport Industry that we work hard and take pride in, far from it.

 

Accenture looks the ideal candidate to start with, it seems a common denominator at this moment in time, so what does Accenture do as a business?

 

Well, let’s see shall we?

 

I love a conspiracy theory, so let’s make one from the facts given on Linkeden, to the facts given on Accenture, sorry if I break any copyrights by copy and paste, sue me…oh wait, can you sue someone who has nothing? Well, if you can I put an early plea in and offer 50p per week your honour…

 

Accenture’s front page on their Website shows this;

 

Accenture Strategy shapes our clients’ future, combining deep business insight with the understanding of how technology will impact industry and business models. Our focus on issues related to digital disruption, redefining competitiveness, operating and business models as well as the workforce of the future helps our clients find future value and growth in a digital world.

 

All interesting stuff already, except for the disruption part, I don’t agree with that.

 

A disruptive advance is something like the combustion engine, or the light bulb, those were disruptive, both of them put the things they replaced out of use (horse and cart and the candle), therefore disrupting that industry… please don’t give credit to Uber by saying that they are disruptive, because they are not, they are simply an app based service attempting to provide what the industry has provided for many a year, I don’t call that disruption, I call it advancement, credit where credit is due, provided it sits within the law of course…

 

But I digress, lets look at another page from the great Accenture web site shall we..

 

The page headed LATEST THINKING is a great one, it reads;

 

Digital disruption used to be about new entrants upending incumbents to re-write the competitive rules. Now the incumbents are back in the game using digital to drive business advantage. Redefining the rules, roles and resources to become giants of disruption.

 

In other words, it says that Digital Disruption used to be about new entrants winning over the holders of office or post (incumbents) to re-write the competitive rules…erm, ok, but is that not what Uber are doing anyway by talking local authorities into changing their conditions? How is that then as Accenture call it Latest Thinking..or am I getting this wrong?

 

Now call me sceptical…and I trust a few out there said loudly “Wardy you are sceptical” but what does this all show in real life terms?

 

Well, to me it shows that Uber have enrolled the finest in selling issues to the authorities, be that on local level or the actual government, yes, they are that good and I tip my hat to them.

 

The question I would love to ask them is that, when they have finished with this market and left it in whatever state it is then in, where do they go from here, because they are not attached to this as we are, they are purely working the ropes as they are employed to do so, oh don’t get me wrong, I am not expecting them to read this and admit what I say is true then send an email of resignation with immediate effect because I have pulled on their heart strings, if I thought that I would have sent this message much sooner, but I truly would love to know one day when this has all blown over and been dealt with what their thoughts were at this time…. Maybe I will find out, like we will find out the war crimes of the second world war…one day…

 

The fact of the matter is this, and its very simple, Uber have enrolled the best salesmen that this country has to offer, because they are not selling double glazed windows or second hand cars (and I give no disrespect to the people that do) but they are selling idea’s and statistics to convince the local authority to do as Uber would like nationally and not just as Uber require locally, because the more local wins they have then the more national support they gain.

 

As Uber says, its easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission….

 

Unfortunately, we have a lot of local councillors that have no idea of what this industry is about, and love the sales pitch of what they hear as a multi billion dollar company, but like any politician, they only hear what is told them and do not go out and educate themselves on what is being explained to them.

 

Can we win? Maybe !!

 

Do we continue? Definitely !!

 

Do we educate out local councillors? Absolutely !!

 

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