Showing posts with label 2017 at 01:54PM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 at 01:54PM. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Creating Community & Charity Team Spirit

Getting involved in community charity events can benefit your business. By assembling a team from your company, you can help the charity while marketing your services. Millennial employees love to be a part of a movement. They will roll up their sleeves to belong to anything good.

What Types of Events?

Volunteers organize most charity events. You can never have too many hands working one. From festivals to fishing derbies, there is something for everyone. If you see an ad for an upcoming charity event, call the group and ask if they need help. A typical event could use bartenders, food servers, trash monitors, ticket takers, ticket sellers, and other jobs. Tell the organizers how many people you can provide and make your company available.

Presenting To Your Staff

Never try to force volunteer work on people. It can be construed as a work assignment rather than a true free choice. Share your enthusiasm of the charity group with your staff. Let them know who will benefit and why your company is involved. If you support a charity that does business with you, it’s even better.

For instance, if you provide rides for Make-A-Wish and they have a fundraising event, you can tell your staff you are enhancing a client relationship. Ask your staff to complete a short questionnaire about jobs that may interest them (such as bartending) and the specific skills they would like to offer at an event.

Spot Tip

Look for charities you are passionate about

Marketing Your Company

Consider investing in T-shirts with your company logo and ask your employees to wear them at the event. If it’s more formal, consider nice polo or button-down shirts. Create-A-Card, an industry marketing company, offers a full line of logoed casual wear. 

Send an email or social media message to your local news outlets about what your company is doing. They just might send a reporter out to cover your efforts. That makes your company look like a wonderful community citizen. If a program will be provided to participants, ask if your logo can be included in exchange for the manpower. Most charities would find this request to be reasonable and include it. Ask if you can park some vehicles to display at the event.

The Camaraderie

When your crew works together on a charity project, it brings them closer together and makes them feel satisfied. This strengthens the working relationships of your team when they return to the office. They will gain a sense of team accomplishment. Millennials find community projects like these to be rewarding, and the company enjoys the advantages of true team spirit on and off the job and a camaraderie that exceeds that of being co-workers.

Connecting With Charities

If you want to find some local causes in your community, check Eventbrite.com and Guidestar.org. Local charities frequently use Eventbrite to sell tickets to their events. Find something appealing to you. Guidestar.org is an organization that tracks and monitors charities and assigns ratings based on their benefits to the community. Guidestar.org ensures charity organizations are legitimate and the money raised is spent on the intended purpose. 

Great Ideas provides a broad range of information focused on new concepts 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 operator Jim Luff

Keywords

charity   community involvement   company culture   marketing/promotions   Millennials   

 

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Arizona Group, Chosen Payments Host Casino Fundraiser

<p>Dan Bouronnais, sales manager for The Hudson Group, plays roulette at The Hudson Group sponsored table. (photo courtesy of Chosen Payments)</p>

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Chosen Payments, an industry vendor that frequently sponsors NLA and indusry association events, co-produced a Casino Night Fundraiser for the Arizona Limousine Association on July 29.

Chosen Payments marketing manager Jim Luff, also an ALA board member, presented the idea to the association last year after Chosen Payments helped organize a similar event for the Greater California Livery Association in Los Angeles. Luff served as the chairman and emcee of the ALA event.

The Casino Night raised money and introduce non-member operators to the benefits of belonging to the ALA, said Jeff Conly, ALA president and senior VP for Vitesse Worldwide.

The estimated $5,000 raised will help pay for group overhead, lobbying efforts, and marketing the ALA to non-members. 

<p>The Driver Provider owners Jason and Kendra Kaplan attended ALA Casino Night. Jason also serves on the NLA board of directors. (Chosen Payments photo)</p> About 130 guests enjoyed a night of food, fun, and gambling. Event sponsors also included many industry vendors such as Create-A-Card, Drive Profit, Acton SoCal Penske Professional Vehicles, Creative Bus Sales, Driving Results, The Hudson Group, First Class Customs, FASTTRAK Cloud Livery Systems, Ground Widgets, and Livery Coach.

The event was held at Benz & Beemer, a Scottsdale auto dealership which cleared its showroom to allow blackjack, roulette tables, and craps tables to be set up for the night of fun.

Greg Maddock, West Coast sales director for Acton SoCal Penske Professional Vehicles, and Dan Bourbonnais from The Hudson Group traveled from Southern California to attend.

The ALA plans to make the fundraiser an annual event.

Keywords

Acton SoCal Penske Professional Vehicles   Arizona Limousine Association   Arizona operators   Chosen Payments   fundraiser   Greg Maddock   Jim Luff   limo associations   

 

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17 Chicago Party Bus Operations Ordered To Shut Down

<p><a href="http://ift.tt/2mAxWpL">Photo via PEXELS user Trinity Kubassek</a></p>

CHICAGO — The party is over for 17 party bus companies, the Chicago Police Department and Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection said Monday.

The agencies said those companies violated an ordinance that cracks down on illegal party buses.

ABC 7 article here

Keywords

Chicago operators   illegal operators   Illinois operators   party buses   passenger safety   regulatory enforcement   

 

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Monday, July 31, 2017

Trump’s Former Cadillac Limousine For Sale

<p>Creative Commons photo via <a href="http://ift.tt/2tXS5uP">Staff Sgt. Aaron Knowles</a></p>

Based on the pictures, trim, badges, and level of pre-hosing-down dust, this Trump Cadillac limousine appears to be the real deal.

Jalopnik article here

 

Keywords

Cadillac   custom limousines   Donald Trump   stretch limousine   unique vehicles   used vehicles   vehicle sales   

 

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Stand Out By Showing You Care

<p>Dave Stacks believes with Uber and Lyft around you have to strive for excellence daily.</p>

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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