07 Oct WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN HIRING CAR SERVICE
THE QUESTIONS TO ASK, THE STANDARDS TO HAVE
When the occasion arises for you to book a chauffeured car service, what are the first questions that spring to your mind? Are you worried more about price or quality of service? Does the experience of the chauffeur matter or are you satisfied with a contracted driver?
These are the topics that are most important when it comes to ensuring that your chauffeured car service experience is everything you deserve. When it comes time to find the right car service for you, whether it’s for an anniversary night out, prom, a bachelor or bachelorette party or your wedding, you deserve to know if the company you’ve chosen can be trusted.
To help you find the best car service company for your particular needs, we’ve compiled a list of characteristics you should never compromise when hiring a car service.
PROFESSIONAL CHAUFFEURS
Many customers don’t understand that value of a professional chauffeur until they’ve experienced the subpar experience of car service without one.
A professional chauffeur is a chauffeur that works exclusively and loyally to the company he or she represents. They are a full employee, received a background check, have a confirmed clean driving record and are familiar with the company’s motto, policies, and standards. A good transportation company will also insist on customer service experience for their chauffeurs, as they understand the vital role that customer service plays in a chauffeur providing the best possible experience for clients.
A professional chauffeur, unlike a contracted driver, has a vested interest in doing a good job each and every time because he or she is a representative of their company, rather than a one-time contractor fulfilling a job.
When you know the company you’re booking employs only professional, verified chauffeurs who are a bonafide part of the company, you can have more confidence in the quality of service you’ll receive.
MEMBERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS
A transportation company should have the strength of positive customer reviews and the accountability of their fellow industry members. Without these elements backing the company, hiring them is a risky move, as you don’t have the confidence that comes with positive reviews and being accountable to their fellow transportation companies.
A few of the organizations you should take note of are the National Limousine Association, the Better Business Bureau and any relevant transportation organizations in the area. With these memberships backing the legitimacy of the company, you can book with more confidence.
TRANSPARENT PRICING
If a company doesn’t reveal their prices clearly and confidently upon your inquiry, you might want to question the honesty of their business practices. It’s far too easy for a transportation company to promise you one flat rate and then tack on fee after fee once you’ve been picked up for your trip. Carefully interview the company about the basis of their prices, and reiterate the amount of time you’ll be needing their services. When they offer you a rate for the amount of time you’ve requested, get a hard copy of the agreement. If they try to up the price at the end of your trip, you’ll have far more leverage in the argument.
A HISTORY OF PUNCTUALITY
Whether you’re traveling for business or leisure, maintaining your schedule is an integral part of your trip. Hiring a company that has a history of and dedication to punctuality means more confidence entrusting them with your schedule. When you know the company you’re hiring employs chauffeurs with expert knowledge of the city where they drive, chauffeurs who have a history of being able to deliver their clients to their destinations on time, you can let go of any anxieties about scheduling and focus your energies on other, more important things.
At the end of the day, hiring a transportation company with the experience, chauffeurs, and reputation to provide you with the level of service you deserve is a complicated process. The research you must do, combined with asking each potential company careful questions about their particular service, can be time consuming, indeed.
But when you consider the benefits you can reap from putting in that extra effort, it’s clear that your time is well worth it. Your next car service experience can be perfect from beginning to end, so long as you’re confident that you’ve booked with the company that is prepared to put you first.
photo credit: Jason A. Samfield via photopin cc