Both Uber and Lyft are operating on experimental licenses that are running out. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission granted two-year experimental licenses to operate until Jan. 29, 2017 for Uber and Feb. 12, 2017 for Lyft.
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Harvard Business Review article here
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Los Angeles area operators and dealership customers turned out Oct. 18 for an official unveiling of the Continental by South Bay Ford in Hawthorne, Calif. To read more about the event, click here. (All LCT photos)
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South Bay Ford, a longtime West Coast Lincoln livery dealer, held an official unveiling Oct. 18 at the Ayers Hotel, a sophisticated setting for a new sedan that offers the classic luxury and progressive amenities sought by the chauffeured sector.
No other chauffeured fleet vehicle has created such a stir and curiosity among operators nationwide since the old Lincoln Town Car L receded in 2011. In fact, a Facebook fan page dedicated to the vehicle is called “Conti-Curious.” It’s become so popular that livery dealers taking orders now can’t deliver new ones from the next production job until January at the earliest. The first Continentals were delivered to chauffeured fleets the week of Sept. 12-16.
At the Tuesday evening dinner reception event, South Bay Ford vice president and host Steve Wood unveiled livery and retail editions of the Continental. He brought a team of product specialists and salespeople, along with Craig Hall, the Ford/Lincoln Limousine & Livery Vehicles program manager, who all answered questions and explained the vehicle features to attendees. The Greater California Livery Association helped promote the event, which registered about 165 attendees.
“This is product that will revolutionize the livery industry again,” Wood told the audience before introducting a video clip of the vehicle.
The debut drew a balance of loyal retail customers of South Bay Ford along with limousine fleet operators who belong to the GCLA.
GCLA President Kevin Illingworth said, “I can’t tell you how excited I am to have Lincoln back in the livery indusry.” Illingworth, owner of Classique Limousines in Orange, Calif., said he recently bought his first one and is still driving it himself. “I’ve not relinquished it into my fleet just yet. The chauffeurs are begging me to.”
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Those extra features you experience in a quality store like employees who introduce themselves, readable signage throughout the store, and attentiveness to your confused looks all lend themselves to a company that is making sure customers have experiences, not just transactions.
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The good news is technology can help brands achieve this. Here are a few ways companies can achieve these goals.
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Successful limousine company CEOs and executives know “Big Ideas” don’t always come from the top down, but often from the bottom up.“I bring my staff to the LCT shows because I need them to think outside the box,” said Robert Xavier, CEO of Long Island, N.Y.-based Legends Limousines. Xavier and his crew will be attending the upcoming LCT-NLA Show East, Nov. 13-15 at Harrah’s Resort and adjacent Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City.
Xavier noted he takes his management team to the International LCT Show in Las Vegas and the rest of his staff attends the Atlantic City show, just a two-hour drive from Long Island. “It’s also important for staff to walk the show floor to see all of the new products and services, and to check out the vehicles that our competition uses so they understand the quality differences from our fleet,” explained Xavier.
He added it’s important for staff to attend sessions because “they come away with great takeaways that spark creativeness and innovation for the company.”
Xavier and his staff also have a game plan when they attend shows. “For example, I charged one manager to check out GPS exhibitors at last year’s Las Vegas show and make a recommendation on the best technology for the company…it’s all about having a well-educated staff that helps the company grow.”
In fact, this year’s LCT-NLA Show East offers a wide array of education sessions and Sunday training workshops for office staff, dispatchers, and chauffeurs. In addition, your entire team will not want to miss Monday’s 9:30 a.m. General Session: “Moving Employees From Compliant to Committed: Creating a Culture of Ownership in Your Company,” presented by Randi Busse of the Workforce Development Group.
The staff training sessions are all grouped together on Sunday, the opening day of the show, which allows you to bring your team to attend these valuable sessions and experience the excitement and camaraderie of an industry trade show and conference.
The training courses are being held Sunday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to Noon:
10 a.m. –11 a.m.: Chauffeuring 101: Defensive Driving
Description: So many aspects of your company depend on your chauffeurs practicing safe, defensive driving skills. You chauffeurs will learn the “Rules of the Road” to protect both your assets and your clients.
Presenter: Mike Barrato, Flyte Tyme Worldwide
10 a.m. –11 a.m.: Chauffeuring 102: Etiquette/Customer Service
Description: Your chauffeur is the face of your company and can make or break your clients’’ experience. This session will teach new and veteran chauffeurs alike how to provide your clients with the service they expect and deserve.
Presenter: Barry Gross, Reston Limousine & Travel Service.
10 a.m. –11 a.m.: Dispatch Excellence
Description: A skilled dispatcher will ensure the right people are in the right place3 at the right time. Your dispatchers will learn how to put the pieces in place that will maximize your company’s efficiency and guarantee seamless operations.
Presenter: Jeff Shanker, RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation
11 a.m.-Noon: Reservation and Phone Skills
Description: Your reservationist is the first contact both current and potential clients have with your company. Your reservationist will learn tips on how to ensure your business is providing a positive experience — the first and every time.
Presenters: Lauren Gulino, Gem Limousine Worldwide; Jonathan Erlich, Europe Limousine Service, Inc.
NOTE: Individual and group discounts are available, as well as affordable hotel rates. Due to Hurricane Matthew, the deadline for the group rate at Harrah’s has been extended until Oct. 28. For more information go here.
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“If you’re going to do something, do it right.” In sum, this is what members of the industry who want a level playing field are saying to TNCs such as Uber and Lyft. But here’s the catch: Not all states require fingerprint background checks for drivers for hire. If this is the case where you do business, are you still going above and beyond to guarantee your clients aren’t being driven by thieves and rapists?
Mandatory? No. Wise? Yes.
Operators gave mixed answers when asked if they believe most limousine companies fingerprint background check their chauffeurs.
Unless mandated by the state, it’s unlikely many operators conduct checks that thorough, says Wendy Kleefisch, owner of Brevard Executive Limousine & Transportation in Indialantic, Fla. “I think because of the cost and time involved, the answer is no. In today’s market, operators are having a hard time retaining chauffeurs and don’t want to invest in somebody who is going to turn around and work for somebody else.”
Although fingerprinting is only mandatory in some Florida counties, Kleefisch does it anyway. “As a business owner, I feel it’s my responsibility; it’s also a tax write off. This way, I know it’s done properly and the chauffeur has been vetted to the very best of my ability so there’s no room for error.”
Richard Fertig, president of Brilliant Transportation in Brooklyn, N.Y. where fingerprinting is required, believes more operators would do it if mandated. “I don’t think anyone has a real bias against it, it’s just time consuming and financially constraining,” he says.
While fingerprint background checks are only necessary to serve the airport in her area, Diane Forgy, president and owner of Overland Chauffeured Services in Kansas City, Mo., believes they are important. “I think [many] operators do perform these checks, but I think it’s primarily driven by local legislation that as a rule we all follow and comply with,” she says.
In California, fingerprint background checks are not required by law, but Kevin Illingworth, president of Classique Limousine in Orange, Calif. and president of the Greater California Livery Association, conducts them anyway. “It’s never been mandated through the Public Utility Commission, but it has been brought up and we’ve been asked if we would be willing to participate. We’ve said yes because if it turns around and makes our industry whole, then we’re definitely on board.”
[PAGEBREAK]
Nothing Good Comes Easy
He believes one solution might be an NLA approved background check that details what type of check operators need and at what price point. “In an ideal world, the industry overall would need to work more closely together and share best practices. There’s no proprietary edge in limo company A having a better background check than company B. If B sends a felon to pick up a CEO, then it will shine negatively on A also,” he explains.
The fingerprint process is cumbersome, making it an obstacle, Forgy says. Not everyone has the time to go in, stand in a line, and pay a fee; it needs to be streamlined. “In a perfect world, I think everyone who’s going to drive other people should be fingerprinted. I think huge companies like TNCs that have an issue with fingerprinting are not being straight with why they feel it’s a problem. They are just trying to get people behind the wheel as fast as possible and this is a hassle to them.
“I don’t think the obstacles are any more than doing proper screening and background checks, because it’s still a process that takes at the minimum several days,” she says. “We are doing drug screening, physicals, and verifying employment at the same time.”
Kleefisch adds it takes a lot of patience because you are often working with volunteers at your local police department by appointments who normally are available only a few times a week.
“It reminds me of what we do in the limousine world; we hurry up and wait. I encourage people to make an appointment through HR at your local police department or establish relationships to get your foot in the door. Ask very nicely; if you go in shouting, you won’t get anything. It becomes frustrating because time is money.”
Unfortunate Realities
The big question is whether TNCs will ever be required to conduct thorough background checks on their drivers. It will take something big to get the public’s attention, Illingworth says. “I’m hoping, for my own kids and Millennials, that it happens. Because if it doesn’t, I think a lot more people are going to get hurt.”
At his company, applicants must meet with the general manager, fill out an application, come in for training, go out on the road with a driver trainer, and also make it through a series of background checks. “This way, you’re getting a sense of who the person truly is, and learning if this is someone you truly want working for you. We’re not just putting a body to a car to fulfill a need for an app.”
Because the public wants cheap rides, they just don’t understand the value of a fingerprint background check, Forgy says. “They assume TNCs do a relatively better job of screening than they actually do. They say, ‘I use the service and I don’t have any problems. Why are you making a big deal out of this? You’re just jealous. You don’t want the competition because you’re a dinosaur.’”
Fertig understands the unfortunate reality is TNCs have so much political clout, money, and teams of lawyers, they do whatever they want. “Stopping that runaway train can be challenging. The only thing that stops it is something where the general public is left shaking their heads in disbelief; not the threat of the incident, but the incident itself.”
Seeing The Difference
One of the only ways to stay competitive is to lead by example by not compromising high standards, Forgy says. Raise the bar and keep it there. If you’re not doing fingerprint background checks, you should. Find the quickest, easiest way to do it and get the process down on paper for prospective chauffeurs. Talk to your clients in a way that doesn’t come across as a lecture, but help them understand the risks of riding with Uber drivers.
And when the “Uber is cheaper” line comes up, consider these words of wisdom from Fertig: “One of the reasons a client would elect to pay more for a service is for the security and the reliability and the things you don’t see. The shiny new cars and iPads are nice, but I think what operators are missing is the fact people want to pay for what’s happening behind the curtain. If you don’t do that, then it becomes really challenging to justify a higher price point.”
— Lexi@LCTmag.com
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Operators should look long-term when using social media strategies for their businesses, say experts in the industry. If operators merely compare the number of booked rides per Facebook or Twitter post, they’ll likely be disappointed, especially in the beginning. It can take months to grow a sizeable number of “likes” or followers, and it’s an ever-changing and continuing challenge to connect with clients on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn because of the different communication patterns and etiquette required for each.
As social media permeates the business world, operators are experimenting with new techniques to establish healthy, ongoing dialogues with their customers. Whether social media natives or newcomers to technology, all operators can book new business first initiated through a Facebook message, Instagram like, or Twitter retweet.
Learning Social Media Basics
Umut Aslan, head of marketing for MIB Transportation in San Diego, realized early on the value social media had for the company. Although he’s not a social media native, he enrolled three years ago in social media business classes at UCSD. “The best thing they told me were two things.”
1) You have to create a winning strategy.
2) You must listen.
“It’s no different than when you communicate with a person in real life,” he says. “The most important thing is to listen and don’t push the sale.”
Aslan implemented a straightforward social media strategy. He created an MIB Facebook and Twitter page, divvying up posting and messaging duties among staff. Aslan uses the ‘Jab Jab Jab, Right Hook’ strategy made popular by writer Gary Vanynerchuk, who advocates sending frequent, light-hearted social media posts with direct-sales and discount posts sprinkled in. “The girls are posting some funny things from time to time that are not business related, and sometimes I allow a couple of drivers to take a picture and post it,” he says. “But we’re getting responses. People are messaging us on Facebook and Twitter about our pricing and rates. We message them back, and sometimes this turns into a booked job.
Then, when we post our advertisements for a newly available car or discount price, we’ll have people comment underneath or call. It works out pretty well.”
Aslan plans to hire someone to handle social media full time while considering college students as interns. “We’d start with part-time interns and see how it works and see how much [business] we generate with that one person. I’m looking for people who have training, because it takes a lot of time. There are a lot of things we could be using with social media, but now we’re not yet using it to 100% of its full potential.”
Considering SnapChat
Elisabeth Jachym, marketing manager for Deluxe Chicago Limo and a pioneer in industry social media marketing, has successfully booked business through SnapChat, a new instant picture- and video-sending message app that deletes each message upon viewing. Jachym first began experimenting with SnapChat earlier this year, creating a Deluxe Chicago Limo account and uploading quick, fun-hearted posts of downtown Chicago. “It was just funny stuff in the beginning; screenshots of the snow with the temperature. Then we started doing some ‘limo-confessionals,’ and people started adding us and snapping us back.”
She says initial return messages were mostly silly in nature, but believing “any interaction is good interaction,” she responded to some with Deluxe’s contact info, which led to them calling the company to book a service. “We’ve had a few group outings reserved and one evening charter for an aquarium trip. These [leads] originally came from SnapChat,” she says.
Jachym has even received Snapchat messages from people in Uber rides looking for an alternative service, but connecting with corporate travel clients she says has proven elusive. “I don’t know if it’s a stigma SnapChat has but I haven’t captured that [business travel] market yet. I think even if young professionals are on [SnapChat], it’s more for personal use and they’re not looking to mix it with their professional work.”
#LimoChat, Twitter Networks, and Affiliate Relations
During early 2015, a group of chauffeured transportation industry Twitter users would meet once a week on Wednesday nights for #limochat, a hashtag-centered discussion that served as a forum for industry pros to share business tips and insight. Started by Jachym, the chat was co-hosted by a handful of contributors including Alysia Morris of Absolute Transportation in Redding, Conn. “We tackled a multitude of topics during #limochat,” she says. “TNCs, marketing, staffing, vehicles, maintenance, you name it, all in a question and answer format. The highest ROI for us truly was the relationships forged.”
The weekly sessions brought Morris closer to her company’s affiliate partners and expanded her network by connecting her with operators from places such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Virginia, Massachusetts, and even Trinidad and Tobago. Although attendance at the weekly sessions has trickled off, Morris hopes the fall will bring more users back to the #limochat discussions. “It was a great forum for sharing, networking, and developing business partnerships. We would hear from single-car/owner-operators, brand new fleet owners, and seasoned professionals, all coming together to share information, tips, and insight.”
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Trinidad and Tobago native Vesh Maharaj, also owner of Priaco-based Transport Solutions Limited, reports he has booked business through his company’s Instagram page. With short dashcam clips of time-lapse videos, the vehicles are shown traversing through tropical jungles and over coastal highways. Maharaj’s Instagram page for Transport Solutions attracts local clients and destination travelers researching the island from overseas.
“60% ask for more info and 40% are ready to book,” says Maharaj of the direct messages he receives from Instagram and Facebook. Maharaj uses the hashtags #limo, #trinidad, and #airport, and regularly posts photos of his limos being used in picture-friendly settings like weddings and beauty pageant events. “When new people send me messages I tell them my rates, and then email them for confirmations. It works out no problem,” he says.
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Tesla has made its cars autonomous. Well, semi-autonomous. And it did it with an over-the-air update, effectively making tens of thousands of cars already sold to customers way better. Here’s what it does. Autosteer, the beta feature of Autopilot that’s being pushed to the Model S and X, uses real-time feedback features and a suite of sensors—-a front-facing radar, a camera with image recognition capability, and 360-degree ultrasonic sonar—-to read lane lines and detect other vehicles. Based on that info, the car steers itself and maintains a safe speed.
Read the full story at www.wired.com.
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The vast majority of people buying cars fully intend to drive them. That’s not necessarily the case with the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Those buying one might slide behind the heated wheel — or they may not. According to Rolls-Royce, half are looking to be driven, a statistic not shared with Corolla (or many cars for that matter).
Read the full review at www.nytimes.com.
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Remember the Lincoln Continental concept car that wowed visitors to the New York International Auto Show last spring?
It, or something a lot like it, is headed for production. And we may see that production version as soon as January.
Car and Driver is reporting that Ford (NYSE:F) will unveil the production version of the Lincoln Continental in Detroit early next year.
What will it be like? And why is it so important to Ford?
Read the full story at www.fool.com.
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General Motors is no stranger to autonomous tech, which it started exploring almost a decade ago when it collaborated with Carnegie Mellon University for an autonomous vehicle competition sponsored by DARPA. It plans to capitalize on that work with “Super Cruise,” a semi-autonomous feature that will let a car handle itself on the freeway. The feature is expected to appear on an unspecified Cadillac model next year.
Read the full story at www.wired.com.
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