Now This: Vancouver Ready To Police Limo Party Buses

Disturbed by more incidents involving party buses in the first few weeks of 2016, the MLA for Vancouver-Fairview once again called on the province to enact tougher regulations for the industry.

Vancouver 24 hours article here

Keywords

accidents   Canadian Operators   difficult clients   drunk passengers   fatalities   party buses   party poles   

 

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Take That: Feds Smack Around Google Driverless Efforts

Last week, something very unusual happened: a legal opinion by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration set the Internet abuzz. Why? Because it informed Google that the artificial intelligence used to pilot its autonomous vehicles could be viewed as the “driver” for some (not all) regulatory purposes. But the media mostly ignored the grist of the letter, which consisted of a litany of legal smack downs to Google’s proposed interpretation of federal safety rules regarding driverless cars.

Fortune Magazine article here

Keywords

autonomous vehicles   driverless cars   federal regulations   NHTSA   self-driving vehicles   vehicle technology   

 

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Classic Lincoln-Continental Recalls Elite Era

Although the name still resonates in the limousine industry, it likely doesn’t ring a bell anymore in the general public. In its heyday in the 1960s, the Lehmann-Peterson brand was among the most exclusive in the automotive world.

The company was known for cutting Lincoln Continentals in half, inserting nearly three feet of reinforced body between the front and doors, and adding all manner of high-end accessories to create its “Executive Limousines.”

Boston.com article here

Keywords

custom coachbuilders   Lehmann-Peterson   lincoln   Lincoln-Continental   Presidential limousines   stretch limousine   vintage vehicles   

 

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Imagine This: Uber Drivers Are Unhappy

A new survey by Harry Campbell, an Uber driver known for his “Rideshare Guy” podcast and blog, suggests that less than half of drivers are happy about driving for Uber.

The Verge.com article here

Christian Science Monitor article here

Keywords

driver behavior   driver pay   employee wages   TNCs   Uber   

 

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How To Be A Great Affiliate

I can’t write enough about good affiliate relationships. I tackled this subject here last January, and after attending our last LCT East trade show in Atlantic City, wanted to revist a few important points. It’s not enough to just give a good ride to an affiliate’s passenger to be considered great.

The affiliate connection depends on good communication. It all starts with a phone call for rates. If all goes well, the service experience ends with you charging the affiliate’s credit card and providing a receipt. You should not vary how you handle an affiliate compared to a local client. Both deserve the best service. Delays at any point can lead to a traumatic end of the relationship. In our business, the word “customer” includes affiliates, clients and passengers of the affiliate.

Price Inquiry
If you are forced to farm work outside your known cronies and networks, start calling around for price and availability. Day after day, hundreds if not thousands of affiliate phone calls begin with, “Calling to check price and availability for [a specific date],” and the service experience begins. Pricing should be easy to quote.

Anyone with phone answering duties should be able to produce a quote. Everyone appreciates getting a quote in a one call. If you must call back with a quote, the prospective client already has called someone else in your area who is more efficient. If you provide a verbal quote, make sure your company e-mails it immediately. This can avoid problems when closing the trip ticket.

The Confirmation
Once the order has been received, send confirmations within an hour. Technology has changed how we do business, with many orders dispatched by e-mail or portal, such as BostonCoach’s Afnet, with no verbal communication.

Someone should be waiting to acknowledge the order. Everyone wants that comfort of a written confirmation assuring we are all on the same page with verified addresses, flight numbers, cell phone numbers, meeting locations, specific signboards and expected fees. If you wait too long, you will soon get a trip cancellation order because you weren’t fast enough. Failing to acknowledge a farm-in trip sets a bad tone from the start. When someone is throwing money at you and you are too busy to acknowledge it, it causes a lack of confidence in your ability to deliver a timely ride for their customers.

Times & Charges
Once you’ve finished an affiliate ride, send the final charges as soon as practically possible so they can bill their clients accordingly. It is industry standard to also provide “times” that include “On Location,” “POB” (Passenger Onboard), and “Drop” time. This is important when the rate structure is hourly and can prevent disputes from any involved party.

Most of the large affiliate networks have submission time requirements written into their affiliate agreements mandating final charges be submitted within either 24 or 48 hours. Failure to turn in final charges on time usually results in no payment being issued to the farm-out affiliate. Since both parties agreed to that at the time of affiliation, there is no recourse for a tardy submission. Network affiliates generally send an inquiry the day after a trip requesting final times and charges. If you are a great affiliate, they won’t even have to ask.

Smooth Operations provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff at Jim@LCTmag.com.

Keywords

affiliate networks   communications   customer service   How To   Jim Luff   New Operator   small fleets   small-fleet operators   smooth operations   

 

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