Passenger Inspires Cashless Taxi Rides in The Bahamas

Cheryl Cambridge is a small business owner, and one of the first cashless taxi drivers in The Bahamas – she now accepts debit and credit cards. Here she shares her Cashless Pioneer story with MasterCard and how it was a special customer experience that changed her outlook on payment card acceptance.

I have been a taxi driver in Nassau, Bahamas for more than 29 years. For more than two decades I ran a cash-only operation, like many other local taxi drivers. However a special passenger opened my eyes to the value of accepting credit cards to meet the needs of my customers and grow my business, Cheryl’s Bahamas Taxi and Tours.

Four years ago I transported a passenger who was staying a week in The Bahamas on business. She was only able to pay for her taxi fare with a corporate credit card and at that time I did not accept credit cards. This was a lucrative opportunity that I needed to take advantage of, so I took a risk and transported her for the week. She promised that her company would wire payment for her taxi fare upon her return to the United States. Thankfully she kept her promise and her company wired the transportation fee.

The taxi industry in The Bahamas is cash-driven and for many years I followed that model.  However it was clear to me then that had I been able to accept her credit card, the payment process would have been easier and much safer for both of us.

That experience proved that in order to advance my business and offer the level of service my customers have come to expect from a modern transportation company I needed to accept payment cards.

Customer service is very important to me. I take pride in going the extra mile to leave a positive impression on my customers, whether it’s greeting them with an ice cold Kalik upon arrival or testing their knowledge of The Bahamas with my trivia games. I understand now that  part of giving good customer service is making the payment process as easy as possible. Accepting debit and credit cards is a valuable amenity I offer my passengers and it has benefitted my business significantly. Electronic payments currently represent 60% of my sales.

I cannot imagine running my business like I did in the past. My company has expanded from a one-woman operation with one station wagon to a thriving small business with a fleet of six vehicles. Making the decision to accept electronic payments was pivotal in helping me increase sales and expand my company.

Want to view more Cashless Pioneers? Click here.