Biggest success: “We’ve never lost a customer account and still have clients today who were with us from the very start,” says Myles Flood, co-owner of LfL Worldwide Chauffeured Services in Dublin, Ireland. The company has provided transportation for personal occasions where a passenger turned out to be a senior manager for a large corporation, who then switched his corporate business to LFL due to the level of service received. “We always tell our chauffeurs to remember: You never know who’s in the car!”
Lessons learned: When it comes to running a luxury ground transportation business, chauffeurs can either make or break you. “It’s very important to choose the right people and empower them to do their job right,” Flood says. Also, when first dealing with a new client, it’s vital to set out the payment terms and, where possible, have a signed contract. “Larger corporations can take up to 90 days to pay, which can affect a smaller company’s cash flow, especially as drivers will have already been paid.”
Fast Facts
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Owner: The Flood Family
Founded: 2005
Vehicle Type: sedans, MPV/SUV
Fleet Size: 7
Employees: 8
Annual Revenue: $650,000
Website: www.lflcs.com
Phone: +353 86 414 1837
Clientele: Flood’s team has worked hard to become the preferred service provider for a few big names in the tech world. “Dublin is a large tech hub with 28 of the 30 biggest U.S. technology companies having their European headquarters here,” he says. They also have a thriving tourist, conference, and event industry in Ireland. This brings a great deal of business through travel agents, tour operators, and DMCs they work very closely with.
Advice: Flood suggests joining your local association, introducing yourself to other operators in your area, and letting them know you’re available for any of their overflow work.
Start-up costs and methods: Flood started out with $40,000 and invested it in the best vehicle he could afford. He also knew since a website is often the first impression future clients have of your company, it would be extremely important to not pinch pennies and get it done right the first time.
Origins: “We saw a gap in the market and took the opportunity to use our customer service backgrounds as a point of difference,” Flood explains. “But like most small fleet owners, we started out as a home-based business with one vehicle and focused on the retail market.” The company was built slowly, as it made sure to pay special attention to treating each customer with care.
Customer service strategies: Flood takes a “never say no” approach to customer service. The company will answer any questions from a prospective client, whether through email or by phone, as soon as possible. “We realize the relationship starts from when first contact is made with a reservation agent, right through to when our chauffeur says goodbye.” Flood believes in the importance of thorough chauffeur training to ensure they understand it’s the little things that count.
Marketing strategies: One of the most important aspects of marketing is having a detailed, well-maintained website. In addition, Flood believes you must ensure you rank highly on Google for the services you provide. “We have also attended the International LCT Show for the last four years and find it’s a great way to get our name out there for companies looking for affiliates in Ireland,” he says.
Future plans: The company has recently moved into a new facility less than 10 minutes from Dublin Airport and is looking to expand its fleet. “We’ll continue to attend the International LCT show, as it’s great to reconnect with our affiliate partners around the world. And of course, we’d love to win LCT’s Global Operator of the Year!”
Keywords
European operators Global operators international Ireland operators operator profiles small business small-fleet operators
Follow @lctmag on Twitter
via Limo News http://ift.tt/2fSHMkF
No comments:
Post a Comment