BUSY LIVES: It's always easy to look at someone having a good time and assume. . . the BEST. But appearances can be deceiving. . .
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CUSTOMER SAVIOR: Over the years, LCT Magazine has accumulated numerous tales of outstanding customer service, where chauffeurs improvise to help a client in a jam. However, a recent act of kindness at RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation in Rockville, Md., sets a new standard. . .
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A FLORIDA OPERATOR finds a way to market his services while getting valuable client testimonials. . .
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TAKING THE OPPOSITE APPROACH:
A report from Southwest Florida provides a snapshot of an OPERATOR FILLING UP A BLACK VEHICLE, while describing fuel-driven economic woes. Which brings to mind that the Great Recession/Gradual Recovery in many ways needs to be considered the Contrarian Economy; things are not what they seem, the old rules don't always apply, and sometimes it's best to go against the panicky herd. For example, during the last surge in fuel prices, SUVs piled up on used car lots while waiting lists mounted for those little Toyota Priussys.
Many customers could name a price for an SUV and walk away. By January 2009, fuel prices actually dipped below $2 per gallon again. So now, with fuel prices once again revistiing 08 levels, it will be an opportune time for operators to stock up on cheaper SUVs. Gas prices will come down again, eventually, which will mean it's time to buy a hybrid, once those waiting lists subside -- again. -- Martin Romjue, LCT editor
PLAYING IT SAFE: Operators should try this cost-effective marketing solution that provides great exposure but more importantly does good deeds.
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Tired of dealing with all the hassles of the airlines but still want the luxury of a first-class seat on a trip? Thinking about riding in a bus but want to maintain your privacy? We’ve seen how motorcoaches have been constantly evolving to include more passenger amenities such as LCD TV screens and free Wi-Fi Internet, but what about different classes of seating arrangements based on ticket price, such as in airplanes?
One company based out of Osaka, Japan, has done just that with its luxurious first-class seats.
WILLER TRAVEL, INC’s Express Cocoon service, which runs between Osaka and Tokyo, seats its passengers in SELF-CONTAINED MODULES that are angled toward the central aisle and are partially enclosed by a rounded partition. The seats recline 140 degrees and include a padded footrest, a personal TV screen offering Video-On-Demand mounted above a fixed table, and of course, each passenger enjoys free Wi-Fi Internet access.
Each Cocoon bus has just 12 seats and only 2 seats per row, meaning each seat is a window seat. Willer Travel, Inc. also offers various other types of SEATING ON THEIR BUSES. -- Michael Campos, LCT assistant editor
Developed by former Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels and former BMW-Williams Formula 1 team aerodynamics expert Antonia Terzi, the Superbus is constructed with ultra-light carbon fiber material and is powered by an electric motor backed up by lithium polymer batteries. The project began in 2004 and has thus far cost around $19 million. The interior features television, internet access, and air bags fitted for each passenger.
The developers said the Superbus is likely to go into service in the United Arab Emirates if it passes government inspections. -- Michael Campos, LCT assistant editor
I learned a hard lesson about handling a blunder and how a government agency doesn't need to compensate for its mistakes as would a private business. . .
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COMMENTARY: If LCT could give an award for Ad Of The Month, it would have to go to CLS NEVADA’s one page dramatic promo in the Farm-In/Farm-Out section of the April issue of LCT Magazine.
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WHAT NOW? In today’s information age, everything has the ability to go viral in an instant, especially fatal bus crashes which can decimate a business like never before. It’s even possible for clients to shoot quickie-videos of employees behaving inappropriately, such as using their cell phones while driving or being rude to clients. “As a bus operator, you may become the face of the industry when something bad happens,” Media Consultant Group President and CEO Eron Shosteck writes in the introduction of the new 20-page step-by-step guide.
For this reason, good communications and PR are vital to every operation. Companies need to know how to protect their reputation as well as turn any type of media coverage, whether positive or negative, into an opportunity to display their safety compliance and customer-centric service.
CREATIVE CONCEPT:
THIS SURFER LIMO may appear a bit frivolous at first, but in Southern California and South Florida at least there would be a likely tourist market for chauffeured rides to, from, and among beaches and surf spots. The retro-cool design evokes a mix of 50s –era station wagon nostalgia with 21st Century aerodynamics. Designers: GRAY DESIGN and STRAND CRAFT. It also proves the vast potential for chauffeured transportation; it’s not just about limos and sedans anymore. It’s not far-fetched to think operators someday could be fielding client requests for “a Malibu to Manhattan Beach A/D for three passengers and surfboards.”— Martin Romjue, LCT editor
International Fleet Directory Puts You on the Map!
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PREVIEW AND ARTICLES from the April 2011 issue of LCT MAGAZINE. . .
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