Stand Out By Showing You Care

Who: Dave Stacks, president of King Car Service, Pearl River, N.Y.

Customer service: To stand out from other chauffeured transportation companies, Stacks tracks all of his clients’ flights to ensure timely pickups and drop offs. He also sends a photo of the vehicle and the chauffeur’s information to customers before their trips so they know who and what to expect. The company offers wake-up calls and Stacks checks to see if clients have any special requests like a specific brand of chips or mints. “My goal is to meet any and all of my clients’ needs,” he says. He calls all customers after a trip to follow-up and ensure their rides met expectations.

Biggest successes: Starting with one vehicle and growing fast. Within six months of starting the company, he had four vehicles on the road.

Marketing strategies: Stacks uses social media channels like Instagram and Facebook, and Google AdWords. He self-promotes with business cards any chance he gets. However, most of his business comes from word-of-mouth recommendations.

Fast Facts

Location: Pearl River, NY
Owner: Dave Stacks
Founded: 2015
Vehicle Type: Sedan, SUV, party bus, stretch limo, van
Fleet Size: 15
Employees: 16
Annual Revenue: N/A
Website: http://ift.tt/2tXYKFu
Facebook: http://ift.tt/2tY4gYU
Phone: (845) 405-6305

Start-up costs and methods: With $10,000 and one car, Stacks started King Car Service. He credits much of his success to social media, but also networks a lot at shows. Stacks is a student of Bill Faeth’s popular and informative Limo University program, and is always looking for input from fellow operators to improve and take his company further. “I named the business King Car Service because I want all my clients to feel like royalty; the minute we pick them up is when their vacation or business trip starts. We try to make it as pleasurable as possible,” he says.

Advice: If there’s one thing operators must do, it’s take pride in your profession. “You can’t come into the business thinking ‘I’m going to make a million dollars,’” Stacks says. “You have to go in liking what you do and have a passion for making people happy. Also, don’t be afraid of TNCs because customer service can go a long way.”

Origins: Stacks started with “one car and a mixed direction.” He wasn’t sure if he wanted to work with taxis or limos at first, but after attending a few LCT shows, he realized chauffeured car service was the right move for him. His first vehicle was a black Ford Crown Victoria, and he eventually upgraded to a Lincoln Town Car. After realizing he needed to expand further, he bought SUVs to accommodate more passengers.

Future plans: Stacks wants to get more involved with corporate work and buy some buses so he can expand his fleet into new markets.

Lessons learned: Although he’s still learning every day, Stacks believes with Uber and Lyft around, you have to strive for excellence daily. “Whether your clients are using you to get to the airport, a concert, or a wedding, you really have to go above and beyond for every trip,” he says. He also thinks the key to creating a great operation is hiring and retaining quality chauffeurs.

Free time: His hobbies include outdoor activities like fishing, car racing, motorcycles, and traveling. “With the summer here, I hope to get out on my boat a lot, too,” he says.

Keywords

customer service   Lyft   New York operators   operator profiles   small-fleet operators   TNCs   Uber   

 

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via Limo News http://ift.tt/2tXIOmA