The creator of the taxi "Maxim" started on a homemade all-terrain vehicle to the Arctic Ocean. The service began expanding into Southeast Asia Requirements for the buyer of the Maxim franchise

There is hardly a person in Birobidzhan who has not at least once resorted to the services of the Maxim taxi call service. The service is convenient, especially if you use the application for smartphones.

Now it is the largest IT company in the field passenger traffic in Russia, its turnover is greater than Yandex.Taxi, Uber and Gett, and the company itself is valued at $100 million.

In the team of our project, no one wondered how Maxim was created. There were thoughts that most likely some large businessmen from Moscow simply decided to monopolize the taxi market and become a dominant in this area.

To our surprise, "Maxim" turned out to be the success story of one very simple and stubborn Russian guy from the provincial Shadrinsk near Kurgan, who, in terms of his starting opportunities for young people, is very similar to Birobidzhan.

Maxim Belonogov - the creator of the taxi "Maxim" - grew up in a frankly poor family. The father died early. Mother stretched as best she could, she was very sick. Already at school, Maxim traded newspapers on the street, and also collected signatures for the LDPR party for money.

In the 11th grade, he worked part-time in a local ambulance - they took the corpses of dead people from their homes and took them to the morgue. The ambulance staff drank mercilessly, and often there was no one to go on shift. He worked illegally by verbal agreement with a doctor friend. Maxim himself admits that he often took tips for the removal of bodies.

After high school, he went to college. On the day he wrote the exam essay, his mother died. Maxim stayed with his older brother.

They bought a computer for the survivor's allowance, began to print abstracts from the Internet and sell them to students.

In the second year of high school, he married, a child was born in the family. I had to work harder: as a loader at night, he sold gas equipment and telephones. Later, my friend and I decided to organize a paging company in Shadrinsk. Things went well, but paging was killed by cellular communications.

The remaining equipment was decided to be used to create a taxi. We found a room in one of the basements, planted several operators. They took a radio station from friends to communicate with the drivers.

Compared to competitors, paging equipment made it possible to organize multi-channel dialing - it was easier for customers to get to the operator, there were enough free lines, and it was possible to call a taxi faster. The customers liked it and the business began to grow.

A little later, the company moved to a larger office apartment, there were 20 operators, they worked in a small room in violation of all norms labor law. Then we went from Shadrinsk to Kurgan, it was there that the service acquired its name "Maxim" and a logo with red and black checkers. Invented, by the way, over a glass of beer with friends somewhere in the apartment.

Over time, we decided to digitize the process of accepting orders. I found an IT specialist from the local Sberbank and wrote a simple program for recording calls and calculating travel time.

In 2007, they tried to develop an application for smartphones, but it did not work. We will return to the development of this product later. Then we realized that we needed to go beyond the borders of Kurgan, the next office was opened in Tyumen.

Then the crisis hit, many people lost their jobs and began to taxi to pay for cars bought on credit. Then the service blossomed. As Belonogov himself says: “I got the impression that one half of the city was thumping, and the other half was carrying it, then they changed places.”

Then we went to other cities and to the capital. Success and money came. "Maxim" has become what we know it, with a turnover of 10 million rubles a day.

As Maxim Belonogov notes, he bought his first good car "Toyota Camry" from the salon only 4 years after the launch of the project - all available funds were first invested in the business. Business first, luxury later.

On the way to success, a young man always worked part-time somewhere, did something to break out of poverty, step up a step. The entrepreneur came to the conclusion that there is no dirty or bad work. Any work that is not related to crime and violence against people, in his opinion, is worthy to be performed.

The businessman says that he was equally happy when he took out the corpses in an ambulance for a small fee, and now, when Maxim plans to enter the markets of Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Belonogov advises young people not to be afraid of anything, but to push against the horn and go to the end, then you can definitely reach the goal. Success doesn't come right away. It took him 13 years to do it.

The businessman claims that he never contacted the state and relied only on himself. Then he recalls that he tried to become a deputy of the Kurgan City Duma in order to resolve the issue of acquiring premises for an office. But he didn't succeed. Since then, he prefers not to deal with politics or with the authorities.

It turns out rather the opposite, in various cities where Maxim came, officials, lobbying the interests of their friends from local transport companies, raised a storm and demanded that the service be banned. The company has been sued a lot.

Recently "Maxim" has created a specialized fund to help clients injured in road accidents. Belonogov dreams of developing tourism in the Yamal tundra and even developed a special all-terrain vehicle "Burlak" for this.

The head office of the company is still located in Kurgan. This is extremely surprising for Moscow businessmen who come to the city for negotiations. They cannot understand why Belonogov continues to sit in a provincial, by Moscow standards, hole. He smiles and replies that everything suits him and that in a small Kurgan there is everything necessary for his business.

https://www.site/2017-02-21/sozdatel_taksi_maxim_startoval_na_samodelnom_vezdehode_k_ledovitomu_okeanu

“We are not suicidal! We are building a car that will reach"

The creator of the taxi "Maxim" started on a homemade all-terrain vehicle to the Arctic Ocean

Born at the very beginning of the 2000s in Kurgan, the Maxim taxi service is now one of the most large companies in this market in Russia. But its founder Maxim Belonogov, who started his business selling essays, is now passionate about a new ambitious project. For the second year, with the help of Aleksey Makarov, an all-terrain vehicle builder from Yekaterinburg, he has been persistently building a car on the outskirts of Uralmash that can reach the North Pole. The name of this all-terrain vehicle is Burlak. In March 2016, the Ural designers tested the first prototype, driving it from Ivdel along the Ural Mountains to the Kara Sea. Today they have already loaded "Burlak-2" onto the trailer, intending to repeat the route. If everything goes well and the modified car shows itself in the right way, then to next year Belonogov and his comrades will build another "Burlak" and set off in two cars at once to the North Pole ..

- What is your goal now?

- This is an expedition, a dash test car. Last year we built the first Burlak, took it to the Kara Sea, Baidaratskaya Bay and tested it. Let's just say that I liked the car in some ways, but I didn't like it in some ways.

- As far as I remember, there were some remarks to her.

- There were comments. We sold it entirely and built a fundamentally new car. Not new in appearance - they changed, let's say, the layout. In the first "Burlak" the engine was in the back, now in the front ...

Why did you take such a step?

- We changed the weight distribution and redid all the decisions on the transmission. We greatly lightened the car, this one is lighter by about a ton of the first option. Changed final drives.

— What was wrong with the first Burlak?

- First of all, it was necessary to change the weight distribution of the car and load its face. The first option was hard going through deep snow and uphill. We then expected that the weight of the engine would be compensated by the crew that would be in front. But if you continue to make a car, so to speak, for National economy, anyway, the main load and, accordingly, the weight will be at the back. Now we will test whether it has become worse or better.

- I see you have also made another propeller for moving on water.

— This screw goes up. On the last car there was a goryushko with a screw. Especially when the car fell through the ice. We then removed it and repaired it. Now cuts are made of metal, and there will be no such problems.

- The first Burlak had an engine from Toyota Surf, and now?

- Now also from Toyota Surf, only from a new car. Just then there was a 1KZ engine, diesel, 145 horses. Now 1KD, also diesel. The block [of cylinders] is the same there, but this one is more modern and produces 170 “horses”. Torque is also higher here, fuel efficiency is better. Yes, 1KD is more difficult to maintain, but our task is for the engine to go to the North Plus - 4-5 thousand km - and return the car back. Therefore, we believe that it is quite suitable.

The Ural enterprise at the expense of the state fund will produce tires for all-terrain vehicles

- How much did the construction of the modernized Burlak cost you?

- A little cheaper than the first one. The first, together with the cost of a test run, came out to about 12 million rubles. Now it is cheaper, because some of the costs that we incurred when we built the first Burlak were no longer there. For example, at that time, molds for casting wheels cost us 4 million rubles. Now they are already there. Accordingly, the costs are only for the manufacture of the wheel itself.

- Is the wheel expensive?

- About 50 thousand rubles apiece.

- Who casts them?

- China agreed. If we then make 100 such machines, then the production of the mold will probably pay off.

- What does the second "Burlak" from the domestic, so to speak?

- Almost everything. Racks at the Yekaterinburg Aggregate Plant were made to order. Reducers from armored personnel carriers, but they also made cases for them themselves. The axles have gears from Toyota, but the cases are handmade. The body of the car was made by hand. In Kurgan, they made a transfer case for taking power to the propeller. There is such a microfactory, they make gears and gearboxes for the military. On the previous Burlak, gears were made in Tolyatti. What is called, they collected from all over the forest. They just bought a ready-made shovel (laughs and points to the Fiskars bayonet shovel attached to the back). The picks to break the ice were even made from long products themselves.

Alexey Makarov in "Burlak"

- The secret, to whom was the first Burlak sold?

- Bought guys from Latvia. We met them during the first test run in 2016 on the road from Inta to Vorkuta (Komi Republic). They are professional travelers, they have quite strong sponsors: Garmin, Norfin (the first is a manufacturer of navigation equipment, the second is clothing for extreme conditions - ed.). The geography of travel among the guys is constantly expanding and has now expanded to our North. They thought that they were riding in prepared jeeps and would calmly reach the Baidaratskaya Bay. But it turned out that everything was a little different. We met them when they stood on the winter road in the line and waited for them to clear the way with tractors. We drove past them, and then they called and asked for our all-terrain vehicle.

- How much did you pay?

He didn't redeem himself. We gave it away at the cost of components - about 7 million rubles. For their tasks, that machine was sufficient, and we explained all the details to them. This allowed us to build a second machine of a fundamentally different design. Before the sale, by the way, we also redid something in the first Burlak: racks, cooling radiators, pipes.

— This year, how many cars will go on a test run?

- Last year, Burlak and Makar were used - these are Andrey Makarov's previous developments. This year there are "Burlak-2" and "Emelya". Machines of the latter type have already been to the North Pole twice. Specifically, the one that comes with us was once. She came from us under her own power through the North Pole to Canada and in a circle through Alaska returned to her homeland. It was made by Vasily Elagin, co-organizer of the Marine Polar Expedition.

Is this the Yelagin whose experience actually inspired Makarov to make his Arctic all-terrain vehicle?

I don't know if they inspired each other or not. Elagin was the first, and when he was building his car, Alexey had not planned to do it yet. But they have known each other for a long time and communicated closely.

- Good. What route will you take this time?

“Now we are finishing loading the equipment onto the trailer and going to Ivdel. I think we'll be there in the evening. From there, follow the old route on your own. Through the Dyatlov Pass, we will pass near Narodnaya and further to Baydaratskaya Bay. We did not change the route, because we remember how the first Burlak behaved last year, and now it is important for us to understand how the new one behaves. The path is beaten, it is important to understand what has changed in the behavior of the car. Plus, compare with how the Emelya rides. If Burlak turns out to be worse, we will generally decide whether it is worth going to the North Pole in this car or whether we need to refine it again. By the way, Burlak and Emelya have a fundamentally different form factor: different zones crew habitat, different wheels. "Emelya" is a highly specialized vehicle designed to pass to the North Pole. "Burlak", as we plan, can be converted to the needs of the national economy.

- In 2016, you announced plans to go to the North Pole this year.

We have changed the design. Of course, I understand that this smacks of endless modernization. On the other hand, we are not suicidal. Our task is to build a car that will get there, not a car that will have to be abandoned in the ice. The plans remain the same, everything just shifts another year ahead. Provided that the new version will show itself well.

- Why do you need all this?

- It doesn't matter how many days are in our lives, it is important how much life is in our days.

"Maksim" - major service ordering a taxi. The company is actively developing outside the Russian Federation and now operates in 16 countries of the world, since 2016 it has been expanding its network in the franchising format, including in foreign countries.

At the moment there are more than 200 franchise units. The development strategy is based on the desire to provide world-class services in any locality.

There is very high competition in the passenger transportation industry, especially in large cities. By concluding a Maxim franchise agreement, an entrepreneur gets the opportunity to work under famous brand, which is already a significant advantage in this type of business. The final price of the Maxim franchise depends on the city in which the opening is planned, advertising costs, office rent, and employee salaries.

The convenience of buying a taxi service franchise is that this business allows you to manage it from anywhere in the world, control pricing policy and financial indicators companies.

The Maxim taxi service has its own call center, but you will have to pay for its services separately - 5 rubles per call. This option is optional and may be disadvantageous for partners from small towns. Moreover, the franchisee can offer customers another way to order a taxi - mobile app.

Requirements for the buyer of the franchise "Maxim"

The main thing is the desire to develop in this type of business and the availability of start-up capital.

Other requirements for the buyer are discussed in individually with a company representative.

Cooperation requires:

• Create entity(LLC or IP).
• Open a small office.
• Conclude an agreement with the service "Maxim".
• Pay a lump sum.
• Get an exclusive for the city.
• Open a branch
• Establish the work of accounting (the easiest way is to conclude an agreement with an outsourcing company).

Franchise payback

The return on investment largely depends on the desire of the franchisor to develop, the choice of a city for starting a franchise, and many other factors. Someone declares a payback in a month, while someone needs five or six months.

The franchisee's income is a commission of 7.5% from each order made by a taxi, franchise buyers themselves set the size of their commission. Basically, partners set the amount of the commission, taking into account royalties, the amount of which changes as the franchisee develops.

Franchisor's guarantees

By concluding a franchise agreement with the Maxim service, you get exclusive rights to the city where you decide to open the service.

The franchise fee also includes:

• nice phone number
• ready-made promotional materials,
• contemporary software.

The program for the manager allows you to set tariffs, monitor order fulfillment, see detailed analytical reports on the number of orders and drivers, car waiting time, revenue and other indicators. To order a taxi, a convenient mobile application "Maxim" is provided, and for the work of drivers - the Taxsee Driver application. Both mobile clients are available for Android, iOS and Windows phone and allow you to perform all the necessary actions without the participation of the operator. Also, the franchisee partner can use the services of the largest contact center in Russia: professional operators take orders around the clock. Before the start, the service specialists conduct training for the partner and his employees, and throughout the work they provide support on all issues and the smooth operation of technical systems.

You can apply for a franchise.

For small business news, we launched a special channel in Telegram and groups in

12 years ago, the taxi order service "Maxim" made a revolution in the field of taxi transportation. Entrepreneurs from Kurgan did not form their taxi fleet. Instead, they created a system for selling customer requests to independent carriers and succeeded a lot in this: now the Maxim taxi service is represented in 86 cities, including Barnaul and Biysk. This success does not please everyone: the authorities in different regions, including the Altai Territory, have repeatedly tried to close Maxim because not all drivers working under their brand received the license necessary for work; competitors also plotted them. About how the company overcomes difficulties, who and why comes to work in a taxi and whether "Maxim" will grow in the Altai Territory, its director Maxim Shusharin told.

Maxim Shusharin, director of the taxi service "Maxim".

- Almost a year ago, the authorities announced their intention to close "Maxim" in the region. As we can see, this did not happen. But, in your opinion, was there a real risk that they could do it? And why did the officials and the traffic police fail to realize their plans?

Taxi order service "Maxim" works in full accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. There is no legal basis to close the company, no matter who wants it. We provide information services - we form a database of requests for transportation and provide access to it for independent carriers. This activity is not licensed or regulated. regulations about taxi transport. The differences between the order service and taxi companies are quite significant and obvious, but we had to prove them in court. We didn't just defend our right to work. It is important that entrepreneurs-carriers of the Altai Territory, who found it profitable and convenient to work with us, still have such an opportunity.

- Do you feel any administrative pressure now?

There is no pressure now. Moreover, we work closely with law enforcement agencies who turn to us for help.

- What does it mean?

We cooperate with many drivers who travel all over the city and transport many customers. People turn to us for help in finding witnesses, establishing the circumstances of certain events. And we always help the investigation whenever possible.

- In a short time, you managed to become one of the market leaders, to which you formally do not belong. And you certainly changed it. How can you characterize these changes?

The order service is not a carrier, but is directly related to the taxi market - it works on it. The fact is that the market has never been able and will not be able to fully satisfy the demand of the population for taxi transportation by means of taxi companies alone. Therefore, a more modern and flexible form of service provision has emerged. It is based on the principle of division of labor: an ordering service attracts customers and carriers, a high-tech contact center processes applications, taxi drivers transport passengers.

Technology is really changing the market. There are fewer and fewer classic taxi companies, where there would be their own cars, dispatchers, service stations and medical workers. Taxi firms stop spending money on maintaining their own dispatchers, who write down requests on a sheet, and conclude contracts with a specialized contact center. Automation of the contact center allows business leaders to receive analytics, detailed reports on orders. This is beneficial and opens up new opportunities for business control and optimization. The main thing is that taxi services are becoming better and more accessible to the population.

- Is this scheme the future?

The development of taxis will most likely not return to the classical scheme of taxi companies. Moreover, it is even better for the passenger when drivers work in personal cars, work for themselves, take care of their transport, and behave more carefully on the road. We expect an increase in the number of drivers who work with a permit, fulfilling the requirements of the laws.

Mikhail Khaustov

With or without a license

How keenly do you feel competition from traditional companies Taxi? Is there hostility on their part?

Now there are no sharp manifestations of hostility towards us. In the past, it happened: the personal car of the head of the division of the Maxim taxi ordering service in Biysk burned, our advertising structures were damaged and destroyed. These events were actively discussed in the media and the Internet. There were opinions that this is such a PR with us. The vandal actions of competitors turned against them: our brand awareness increased.

- I know that many people are unhappy with the fact that you are pulling their cadres to you.

We do not recruit personnel, we simply create favorable conditions for cooperation for carriers, constantly improve them, and modernize the software. And the choice is always up to the driver, where and how to earn money.

- There is a stereotype that "they take just anyone" to "Maxim". Tell us who comes to work for you and how many do you weed out?

If all drivers were “just anyone”, we would not have customers. The law provides for a number of special requirements for carriers - this is the presence of a permit to carry out activities for the transportation of passengers and luggage by passenger taxis, a total driving experience of at least three years, and a number of others. Having a permit is one of the main requirements for a carrier by a company. If a driver who does not have a permit comes to our office, our managers give detailed advice on the procedure for obtaining it. In addition, the ordering service selects drivers according to the knowledge of the city, the type and condition of the car, and moral qualities. If the appearance of the driver, the manner of communication or the submitted documents are in doubt, he is refused cooperation.

Taxi service "Maxim" is constantly working to improve the quality of service. Active Feedback through the site taximaxim.ru and operators. For each claim, we conduct a thorough check and can apply penalties to the guilty carrier, up to the termination of cooperation. But very often we get gratitude from customers.

Not all of your drivers get a license after all. Do you have any system of preferences for legal taxi drivers?

All drivers work with us on an equal footing in terms of commission percentages, but they may have priority in receiving applications if they are ready to paste over their car with our advertising (only legally working taxi drivers can do this).

The purpose of this audio clip was to attract the attention of the audience, and it was successfully achieved. Since then, the entire line of advertising products of the company has been updated. We still invite drivers to cooperate.

- Due to the crisis, some people are already losing their jobs, closing their businesses. Have you felt in connection with this a fresh influx of people who want to earn money on a cart?

Yes, the influx of those wishing to work in a taxi has increased. Economic crises have always stimulated the development of this market. Even if the growth in demand for services slows down, there will be enough work.

About price and responsibility

- Have you adjusted tariffs in recent months and do you intend to do so in the near future?

During 2014, the prices of the Maxim taxi service did not change significantly. There were only small fluctuations, mainly related to the traffic situation. Traditionally for the taxi market in New Year there was a double tariff, but immediately after the holiday we returned the standard prices.

What fluctuations are you talking about?

Traffic jams, detour of emergency and repaired areas, severe frost, snow drifts, ice. Those situations that lead to an increase in the cost of providing services or a sharp increase in demand for services.

Now the main problem is the increase in the cost of providing services while reducing the purchasing power of the population. So far, the demand for the services of the Maxim taxi service has not decreased. What will happen next is difficult to predict.

The cost of providing a taxi service consists of various components: fuel, insurance, permits, depreciation, washing, repairs, taxes, the carrier's planned income. Many goods and services that affect taxi operations are becoming more expensive. If prices continue to rise, this may eventually lead to an increase in the cost of the trip.

- Are there any plans to launch "Maxim" in other cities of the Altai Territory, in addition to Barnaul and Biysk?

Yes, there are other cities in the Altai Territory that are of interest to us.

- What kind?

It's too early to talk about it. We notify the local media about the start of work in each city.

- And how many drivers in the Altai Territory are working for you now?

This is not public information.

A couple of years ago in the Altai Territory there was an accident with seven dead due to the fault of a taxi driver. This incident cost the owner of the company business. Does the taxi service now bear any responsibility in the event of an accident? Or can the victim make all claims only directly to the executor?

The carrier is solely responsible to the passenger for the proper execution of the application received, as well as for any damage caused to him by his actions. However, the ordering service may act as an intermediary between the carrier and the passenger in order to resolve disputes as soon as possible.

- At one time, screenshots of SMS that your drivers received were discussed on the Web. They contained advice on what to say to inspectors to avoid being accused of illegal entrepreneurial activity. Now there are almost no such discussions on the Web, have you moved away from this practice?

Legal assistance to drivers is aimed at helping them to avoid unfounded - I emphasize - unfounded claims of law enforcement and supervisory authorities, to protect their rights. Drivers at any time have the opportunity to receive competent legal assistance.

What else did the interlocutor say?

About the dangers of the profession of a taxi driver

The car itself is a source of increased danger, there is always the possibility of getting into an accident. And the questions personal security invariably relevant for the taxi driver profession. Suffice it to recall a recent case: on January 15, 2015 in Barnaul, two passengers tried to strangle a taxi driver in order to ride in his car. Almost every taxi company has drivers who have become targets of robbery or hooligan attacks. There is no way to prevent an attack on the driver, except for isolating the driver's seat with especially strong impermeable materials, but this is also unrealistic. Any talk about this is just demagogy.

About drivers in "Maxim"

The taxis are the most different people. For most, this is a part-time job, they have a main place of work. Among those for whom a taxi is the main income, some cooperate only with us, others - with several ordering services at once. There are also quite wealthy people who come to the taxi for new communication and experience. For example, a woman, the director of a beauty salon, has been cooperating with us for several years. There is a resuscitator, a physics teacher, an ataman of the Cossack army and even a priest.

Dossier

Maxim Viktorovich Shusharin was born on November 12, 1977 in Kurgan. Has two higher education: historical(Kurgan State University) and legal (Ural State Law Academy). Married, has three children.

Fact

10% is the order service commission from each application.

The agreement is aimed at uniting the efforts of the service and regional authorities for the further legalization of the taxi market. The service intends to support high quality, availability and safety of taxi services, participate in the discussion of draft industry regulations, propose measures to encourage carriers to comply with the legislation on taxi transportation. The Department, for its part, declared its readiness to take into account the expert opinion of the largest market participant, to create conditions so that it would be profitable for carriers to obtain permission to operate a taxi and work legally.

The parties began preparing the agreement after a working meeting between the Deputy Director of the Department, Evgeny Dmitriev, and the heads of the largest taxi services, which took place in March 2016.

Maxim Shusharin, director of the MAXIM taxi service:

We are interested in cooperation only with legal carriers and do everything within our powers to increase their number. Residents of the city see how many cars with checkers and branding of our service are on the streets. But the efforts of one company are not enough. Much depends on the legal framework, conditions for entrepreneurship. Therefore, we need joint actions with the authorities, effective decisions that can only be made in the dialogue between government and business. I note that over the past 2 years, all our proposals and joint discussions with the authorities have resulted in specific solutions. The order and mechanism of what is written in regulatory framework, redesigned in a fairly comfortable environment. In the Kurgan region, the cost of obtaining a permit is affordable, there are certain preferences for persons who have received permits, and most importantly, this is the opportunity to conduct a constructive dialogue with the authorities. The region managed to avoid ill-conceived decisions to establish a unified colors taxis, raids on taxi drivers and other negative things. We will soon be signing similar agreements in Moscow and Khabarovsk.

Alexander Konstantinov, Director of the Department of Industry, Transport, Communications and Energy of the Kurgan Region:

Organ interaction executive power and the largest operator of the market will contribute to the creation of conditions for the legalization, improvement of the quality and safety of transportation. By signing the agreement, we would like to put things in order. First of all, this is the issuance of orders only to those carriers who have permission to operate a taxi. Those who carry passengers should root for their business and consider it their profession, and not a part-time job for half an hour. We are now faced with an additional task - to organize a network of stops for legal taxis in order to "block the road" to illegal immigrants. Specially created working groups have already outlined the first points - these are the airport and the railway station. All structures, including city ones, understand the need for this step. Taxi is the face of the city. We expect that other taxi services, following the example of the MAXIM service, will also begin to legalize transportation.