Taxi Point – From Rebuilding the App to Launch
“It quickly became clear that Symbio understood the problems we were facing and were able to identify small things that helped move the project forward.”
A Service for Smarter Choices for Taxi Drivers
Taxi Point Oy is a company with over 20 years of experience specializing in the logistical management and optimization of taxi traffic. The company employs nearly twenty people, and its main customer is Finavia, making Taxi Point well-acquainted with the key hubs of taxi traffic. Peak traffic periods ensure that guidance services are essential to keep traffic flowing smoothly.
After the taxi reform, Taxi Point recognized the need for a new service that would cater to taxi drivers independently of dispatch centers. Through this service, drivers could gain a comprehensive view of the overall taxi traffic situation, helping them make smarter choices about where to pick up their next customer.
A Rescue Operation to Launch the App
In 2022, the development of the service reached a temporary impasse with a previous partner, prompting Taxi Point to initiate a rescue operation to get the app launched. The first step was to assess the app’s current status and quality. Symbio came into the picture when Taxi Point sought a reliable partner to continue the app’s development.
“After discussions, we felt confident that we could get the help we needed. Symbio is a company of such a size that we believed they could meet our needs. It quickly became clear that they understood the problems we were facing and were able to identify small things that helped move the project forward,” describes Jarkko Martelius from Taxi Point about the initial discussions and why they chose Symbio as their partner.
Open Communication as a Solution
The goal was to continue developing the service initiated by the previous provider and bring it to launch. During the two-year collaboration, challenges were met and resolved through open communication and direct feedback. Symbio’s team, which participated in different stages of the project, worked primarily remotely, which worked well. Occasionally, project days were held to focus on the bigger picture, determining what was essential and investing in that.
“The Taxi Point project was an interesting challenge from the start. The inherited codebase and understanding the client’s needs kept the team busy from day one. Once the business-level requirements began to crystallize, modifying, simplifying, and expanding the code became quite straightforward,” explains Tommi Pääkkö from Symbio from the developer’s perspective.
In the Taxi Point project, the importance of communication was highlighted as much as coding. “Symbio’s technical professionals have been able to communicate in a way that even non-technical people can understand what a technical issue practically means,” says Satu Sydänmaa, praising the Symbio team.
App Launch and Continued Development
Taxi Point’s app was launched in December 2023, and the turnaround time for new releases has consistently improved. Lessons have been learned from the challenges, and the collaboration with Symbio continues with new releases. “As you get to know each other better, the collaboration gets easier,” notes Jarkko.
Taxi Point particularly recommends Symbio’s expert services to companies with very specific industry cases. Not everything can be replaced by artificial intelligence; people are also needed to think about how to solve problems. Taxi Point is a great example of a project where the specific characteristics of the customer’s industry need to be considered for the work to succeed.
25.09.2024 | References
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