What started as a 10 car cab company in Scottsdale, AZ in 2011 has turned into an example of what successful transportation owners across the globe have learned to do; adapt. Today original taxi partners Eric Mulvin and Bob Grunstein, from Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, are owners of Pac Biz, a 24/7 taxi and transportation call center based in Dumaguete, Philippines. With dozens of clients across the US, Canada, the UK and soon Australia, they support entire fleets across the globe with professionally managed and trained taxi call center agents. This October they will be there at the TLPA’s 100th Annual Fall Convention, Booth 718, sharing with attendees about the innovative ways they are helping transportation owners.
“There is lots of reason to celebrate” shared Mulvin, who recently returned from visiting the call center in September. “The TLPA is turning 100 years old, we’re seeing taxi companies grow in large cities around the world despite growth of gig economy companies like Uber and Lyft and so we’ve had to keep scaling our business to keep up,” Mulvin added as he discussed the new office they are expanding to in December 2018. Pac Biz plans to take on the entire 2nd floor of a new building and add an additional 130 seats that can support almost 400 employees and includes a training center, an abundance of open outdoor and indoor space for the employees, a break room and future space for HIPAA compliant call center work.
FROM A TAXI COMPANY TO A CALL CENTER
If Pac Biz was any indication of the future of taxis in a world full of apps and technology, taxi owners should be encouraged. They made their transition from a taxi company to a call center in 2015 and for the first year, only had 5 employees. Eric Mulvin, who applied to be a dual citizen to register the business in the Philippines and helped build the business from its infancy, used that core team to help build the business it is today. “It’s amazing, there are so many examples of early employees that are now running whole departments, for example Russbe Gandola, she was a call taker for Tru Cab in 2014 and today manages a team of 4 quality agents, together they spend over 800+ hours a month listening to recorded calls and coaching the agents.” noted Mulvin.
If Pac Biz was any indication of the future of taxis in a world full of apps and technology, taxi owners should be encouraged. They made their transition from a taxi company to a call center in 2015 and for the first year, only had 5 employees. Eric Mulvin, who applied to be a dual citizen to register the business in the Philippines and helped build the business from its infancy, used that core team to help build the business it is today. “It’s amazing, there are so many examples of early employees that are now running whole departments, for example Russbe Gandola, she was a call taker for Tru Cab in 2014 and today manages a team of 4 quality agents, together they spend over 800+ hours a month listening to recorded calls and coaching the agents.” noted Mulvin.
Another call taker turned manager, Jake Cayang, now manages clients in the UK and oversees over 100 agents on the night shift, will be conducting a live Q and A during the trade show, live from booth 718 and answering questions live from the Philippines on Google Hangouts. Joining him will be Edz Babor, Taxi Account Manager for all the US and Canada clients. They will be live from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Monday, October 28th, from booth 718. Cayang is also excited to be able to participate in the upcoming event, “from being a call taker to now, the operations manager of the company, I witnessed how fast the company grew and how our clients grew with us. We take pride in our work and we really value quality and this makes us different from all other call centers out there.” commented Jake. Edz also added “I witnessed the company’s capability to keep growing. We provide excellent quality service around the world. Pac Biz inspires people to step up and make them even better. We take care of our people the way we take care of our clients.”
ONWARD TO THE FUTURE: OPPORTUNITIES & PARTNERSHIPS
Pac Biz cofounders Eric Mulvin and Bob Grunstein will be available at the booth on both days to answer any questions taxi owners and attendees have about what it takes to work with Pac Biz and what sets them apart from other call center solutions. Grunstein, who typically does the final screening of each employee over the phone before they are approved to go to training, is excited about the upcoming Las Vegas event. “It’s a great opportunity to meet potential partners and learn how we can best serve them,” said Grunstein.
Indeed, there is a lot to celebrate. In addition to the educational events and workshops, the TLPA is celebrating its 100th year, an accomplishment not many organizations reach, and it’s a testament to the ability of the taxi industry to adjust to change. The taxi industry had to go through a lot of change since 1918 and it will continue to do so, but because of the businesses who are keeping up with the changes and are seeing success, there are great prospects for taxi companies who are willing to make changes.
Just like Pac Biz’s transition from a taxi company to a call center, Mulvin is seeing the changes take place first hand across the industry. “We’re based here in Phoenix, ground zero for testing for self driving cars for Google, Uber, GM. I bike on a regular basis right where Uber’s self driving car fatally struck a pedestrian, I know things are changing but I’m seeing companies adapt and grow, whether it’s switching to a more advanced dispatch system like iCabbi or TaxiCaller, investing in a new fleet, attracting better drivers, doing innovative marketing or working with companies like Pac Biz, but it’s working.” shared Mulvin. When asked if he would share what is the secret to making a taxi company grow, he laughed and said “they will just have to stop by the booth and find out in person.”
