SERVICE ENHANCEMENT: As the chauffeured transportation industry increasingly invests in more sophisticated technologies, will
Wi-Fi service in vehicles become the next major amenity for traveling clients? Some U.S. companies have experimented with varying degrees of success, but operators find most clients either prefer talking on cell phones, don't have the time on short runs to use the Wi-Fi, and/or use individual connectivty solutions such as broadband cards in their laptops. -- M.R.
DRIVE AWAY CAM: Whether by design or via a business model that wasn’t very well thought out, DriveCam has made it clear they don’t want to do business with our industry.
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INFO MINING: There are
MANY WAYS TO MARKET when you have a solid database of customer and potential client contacts. It's all a matter of asking the right questions and tracking the answers through sophisticated software.
LEARN about one of the unsafest uses of technology behind the wheel. . .
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CHAUFFEURED FUTURE IS HERE: At least in the San Francisco Bay Area, where operator Gary Bauer's Bauer's Intelligent Transportation is wowing clients with the cutting edge combo of: 1) Greener group ground transportation; 2) Technical offerings and conveniences that make a bus ride better than a plane trip. LATEST PROFILE HERE.
PREVIEW: October is technology month at LCT Magazine, and although we are combining our October and November print issues this year, there's no reason to wait on technology information that can help you better run your business. See posted monthly features below.
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The New York Times reported this week that new technology in LED lighting is intriguing lighting designers. LED’s have long been used in limousines for twinkle ceilings and other star like effects. The new technology OLED’s create light in sheets rather then points and can even be made flexible. The new technology when integrated into limousine interiors will take designs to the next dimension. Visionaries may be even able to create rolling advertisements in light for companies within the window panes. OLED technology is currently being used in cell phones. The panels are only .07 of an inch thick and give off very little heat. Keep your eye on new designs of limousines coming out at the 2010 ILCT show for integration of this new technology. Which manufacture will be the first to bring it to life? Be there to see.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/07/technology/07bulb.html?th&emc=th
MULTI-TASKING = MANGLED RESULTS: With cell phones, IMs, Blackberrys, and laptops available to stay plugged in 24/7, who's got time to just focus on one thing at a time? Actually, the truly successful businesspeople do. The rest allow technology to make them think they can do it all while in reality coming off as hopeless half-taskers.
This online column by a veteran Southern California
businessman and entrepreneur offers some helpful advice. -- M.R.
WEB NEWS: Here's the latest on LCT's website LCTmag.com:
-Three new important industry channel pages are starting up: Finance & Insurance, Technology, and Driving Green, and more are in the works.
-eTrader will soon be added, and is a great place to purchase and market chauffeured transportation vehicles.
-Visit the website for daily news (especially on Wednesday when the weekly Driving Force e-newsletter goes out, and which has been getting really good in the past month) and regular feature article additions.
-Take the Web Poll and give LCT timely feedback on industry issues of great concern.
-Ask Dr. Limo to cure fleet maintenance and repair problems giving you a headache.
-See photos from LCT events (some cool ones from the Vegas show are up now) and links to all of these exciting upcoming destinations.
-A section on LimoCentric (which you should know something about, being here now).
-Links to important industry associations for chauffeured transportation and charter and tour operators (recently added).
Some of this you can see now, some will be taking shape soon. -- Jon LeSage