The booking call: five questions that decide the whole ride
19. 8. 2026
The dispatcher picks up the phone and the customer says: "I need to get to the doctor tomorrow." Five questions lead from that sentence to a booked ride. When one of them is missing, you find out at the kerb — and that is always more expensive.
1. Where to, and what time do you need to be there?
Mind the difference between "what time will you collect me" and "what time do I need to be there". Older people often quote the appointment time, not the departure time. If the dispatcher asks about the appointment, she works out the pickup herself and adds slack for boarding — with seniors, ten minutes is not too much.
Write down the full destination address, not "to the health centre". Health centres have three entrances and the driver does not know which one to wait at.
2. Where should we collect you?
For a regular it is "from home" and the address is stored. For a new customer, ask for the house number and the floor — and whether the car can get right up to the door.
3. Is anybody travelling with you?
The most frequently skipped question. A companion, a granddaughter, a neighbour — each takes a seat. And straight after it: are you bringing a wheelchair or a walking frame? A folded chair fills the boot; unfolded it sometimes takes a seat as well.
4. And shall we bring you home too?
In senior transport most rides have a way back. Asking now is far better than dealing with a cluster of calls from waiting rooms in the afternoon. Treat the return time as an estimate — an hour for tests, two at the doctor, and physiotherapy can be timed exactly.
5. Which number should the driver ring?
Sometimes a daughter books for her mother. Then you need two numbers: who to call if there is trouble, and who to collect. Note which is which.
What to write down even if nobody asks
A short note on the customer saves minutes next time:
- "doorbell broken, waits at the back entrance",
- "needs help into the car",
- "third floor, no lift, takes her a while",
- "orthopaedics always takes about 40 minutes".
The driver sees the note on their ride — and a stand-in driver will appreciate it most of all.
When somebody calls who is not in the list
Do not waste the call creating a contact. Type a name or a phone number into the booking, take the + New customer option and finish the ride. The contact is created along with it and the rest can wait until things are quiet.
Customer notes and the one-click return trip are both in the application; try them in the demo without registering.
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