FOUL PLAY? Fall brings the football games that may rearrange some employees’ priorities.
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GOOD SAMARITANS: When was the last time you did something for someone without expecting anything in return? Friends of mine relayed this story about a Washington, D.C. operator who went above and beyond. Stories such as this one remind me that this is truly a great industry made up of nice people who work hard.
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TAKING THEM TO THE BALL PARK: Make sure your chauffeurs stay in line and with their vehicles as clients and fans can become friendly and unruly.
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SOMETHING BETTER THAN NOTHING? How clear should you be on your pricing structure? What's the best approach for concert clients?
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LINDA JAGIELA: Last week, Commissioner Matthew Daus gave a favorable ruling to the Avis/We DriveU model in New York City. Although the New York/New Jersey Port Authority had already ruled against the Avis model, Commissioner Daus and his legal team found that the Avis model did not violate any city laws.
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PUT ON YOUR SALES CAP: How much time do you spend selling? Do you have a sales force or are you the main salesperson?
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STEP UP, LADIES: One of my favorite events at the International LCT Show in Las Vegas is the women’s event.
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TRUTH IN LABELING: Most limousine companies automatically add 18-20% “gratuity” to their bills. Is this really a gratuity or is it a service charge?
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ROUGH RIDERS: With preparing for a wedding, my husband and I were not able to get the motorcycle out this year. The summer was just too rainy, and when the weather was finally good, we were working to clean up our backyard to host the big event.
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WHAT DO YOUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT YOU? Building business is becoming harder and harder. Advertising and marketing budgets seem to be shrinking or even disappearing. Consider building a chain of Raving Fans.
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Whenever pricing is discussed fire seems to brim out of the ears of operators. How dare we question late and early morning charges? Who are you to question why I have both an STC and a fuel service charge? I’ve been called to the carpet a few times (one person even asked for my resignation).
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FAMILY TIES: Whether you are a limousine or charter and tour operator, family businesses dominate our industry. Working with family members can have both pros and cons.
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THE JEWELER SHOULD BE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND: As many of you know, I will be getting married soon to the most wonderful person I know. As part of our wedding plans, we have been searching for wedding rings. We decided that we wanted matching wedding rings and we looked first on the Internet to see what style appealed to us.
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NO JOINING, NO WHINING: Times are tough and you are looking to squeak every penny out of your expenses. You look at the money you are spending to be a member of industry associations and you wonder whether it is time to cut this expense. Think hard before you do this.
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TOTAL CHAOS: Criminals are out there. How do safeguard against them? Can you protect your company and your employees from those who are motivated to steal from you?
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FRIENDS? Facebook, Plaxo, Linked In — I’ve recently joined them all. I am not Tweeting yet. Give me a little bit of time to figure these out first. Maybe you recently got an email requesting that you be my friend.
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NOT DRESSED UP WITH PLACES TO GO: Whenever I am out and about and see a limousine, I check out the car. Unlike others who are looking for celebrities, I look at who built it, what it looks like, (scratches, dents, etc.), and what the chauffeur looks like. I went to the Toby Keith concert on Saturday and there were about 10 limos there. I did not see any chauffeurs wearing formal attire.
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TOO MUCH PHONE? Many operators are pushing clients to move to online reservations as a way to cut costs and increase efficiencies. But these same operators are the ones who call the affiliate company three to five times with each reservation doing quality checks. Why is it necessary to make so many calls?
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EMPLOYEE SEARCH: A friend of mine ran an ad to hire some chauffeurs and a dispatcher. He scheduled interviews with the candidates who responded that he felt were the most qualified. One candidate pulls a no show. The next day, he is sitting at his desk and he gets buzzed that his candidate is here for the interview. So he walks out and says to the guy that your interview was for yesterday. The guy says no it’s for today.
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PHONE PROCEDURES: Put a group of operators together and the conversation will eventually circle around to drivers’ cell phone numbers. Do you give the client the driver’s cell phone number? There are many different opinions on this but let’s look at all sides.
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BECAUSE YOUR VEHICLE BROKE DOWN. Breakdowns are eventually inevitable in our business. Even the best maintained fleet can have one. Keeping the client happy after they encounter a breakdown takes special handling on your part. Most operators will not charge for the ride or even the return as a means of containing the problem. . .
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IN THE SHADOWS: During the past few weeks we have been working on our Big Black Book which is our August issue. I have had the opportunity to discuss with operators what issues are affecting their geographic area. . .
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LINDA MOORE: When did it become the norm not to take messages? I spoke to an operator and promised him to write a story about his company. .
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LINDA MOORE: We have not seen an economic environment such as this in our lifetimes. Our business in general is off about 30%, compared to this time last year. It is inevitable that with this kind of loss there will be some fallout for operators who just won’t be able to hang on.
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LINDA MOORE: August marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. I was 4-years-old when the muddy music lovefest occurred. Now, at 44, I see opportunities for operators. . .
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LINDA MOORE: Drug manufacturers are still one of the few business segments spending regularly on group transportation. They often take doctors and medical personnel on trips to teach them the benefits of their products. As Congress looks at heath care reform, one of the casualties may be these trips. . .
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LINDA MOORE: As a writer, I take for granted that everyone in this industry understands the difference between fact and opinion. I write both. The content in LCT Magazine is mostly factual/explanatory; the Driving Force e-newsletter emphasizes breaking news and some commentary; and LimoCentric is almost all opinion — with the opportunity for anyone to talk back live 24/7. Why am I stating the obvious?
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LINDA MOORE: As many of you know, I spent a good portion of last week at the NLA Day on the Hill in Washington D.C. I walked across the Capitol many times, going from the House side to the Senate side and back. On one trek across, I saw a young couple taking photos on the Capitol steps. The young man who appeared to be in his 20s wore a T-shirt that said “New F*#$%^G York.”
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LINDA MOORE: A friend of mine relayed a story about an affiliate of his that royally messed up. He farmed the job for an all day charter for one of his top clients out of state. During the first hour of the charter, the chauffeur was stopped with the passenger in the vehicle and he was arrested for having a suspended license.
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: Is the term "limousine" a goner? Does it belong in the category of dirty words? Will the stigma ever vanish? Are operators who take limousine out of their names being practical or fearful? Will stretch limos become popular again? LCT will be addressing these questions in upcoming coverage, but Linda wants to get some discussion started.
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SMACKDOWN: Former South Florida operator and Florida Limousine Association member Linda Moore takes former colleagues and FLA members to task for the latest intra-association bickering over elections, influence, and agendas. But she reserves her strongest firepower for those operators who whine but never find the time to volunteer or participate.
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LCT’s Top 100 Fleets survey is circulating through the industry as we speak and will be compiled after the May 29 survey deadline. The list will be published in the August issue. Of course, the more accurate the better. So now’s your chance to sound off.
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OPERATOR DEBATE: We're glad to report that after Linda's last "Fee Fight" question and the passionate and instructive feedback comments, she did not resign nor apologize. We would never want an LCT editor professionally fatwa-ed simply for asking a tough question or making a controversial point. Now Linda broaches the topic of networks. Seems as if everyone can farm-out and in, but does that really constitute a network?
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HANG UP, SHUT UP: East Coast Editor Linda Moore grapples with the whole cell phone-cyclone-syndrome. While it's an issue for everyone in the working world, it can get even more dicey for operators who have to stay constantly connected to either run a business or handle a client run. What's the balance, Linda asks?
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: Why are there so many line item charges on chauffeured transportation bills? Are operators becoming more like hotels, with their nibblesome "resort fees?" Do fees drive away customers?
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: I am not sure about your geographic area but in New Jersey gas stations post two prices: one for cash and one for credit. Why is that they can do this and other industries can’t? In the merchant agreement you sign with the credit card companies you are clearly prohibited from doing this. If anyone has further insights, please let me know why gas stations are able to do this? Is this a state by state thing?
YOUR WEBSITE IS UGLY, AND YOUR MOMMA DRESSES IT FUNNY: That pretty much sums up a lot of the operator websites east coast editor Linda Moore has encountered while checking out the industry's Internet presence. We at LCT can't say it enough; if you don't have a savvy, easy, accessible website for reservations, promotions, and customer contact, you're likely losing business. (LCT plans to update its site by 12/09).
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LATEST FROM LINDA MOORE. As you read the following question-of-the-day for operators, remember that the Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico appears to have peaked with fewer deaths than first reported and symptoms closer to the conventional flu than the Bubonic Plague. Maybe the swine flu can somehow be tied to global warming to create more media hysteria.
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LINDA MOORE ASKS operators to share some positive insights, for a change. The recessionary malaise gets old, and what better way to cope with it than to find the successes, breakthroughs, and advances amid the doom and gloom. Someone out there still must be riding around in a limo?
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SELLING IN A RECESSION: Keeping customers and finding new business are more critical than ever now. East Coast Editor Linda Moore asks operators for the best ways to hire, keep, pay, retain, and motivate a sales force.
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: In this recessionary climate, some operators are closing down while others are limping along. What happens when a bankrupt or on-the-brink company can't pay? How do you deal with collections?
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: Why aren't you part of an association AND the NLA?
LINDA EXPLAINS: Why you should belong. Bottom line: You hurt your business if you don't.
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SNOOZING CHAUFFEURS: East Coast Editor Linda Moore recently trekked to the Newark Airport and found some operators and chauffeurs who could use a good dose of LCT's Limo 101. . .
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AIRPORT HOSPITALITY: When is it worthwhile to have someone greet youR clients at airports, help them with their luggage, call the limo or sedan, and then escort them to the curb -- as opposed to having the chauffeur wait and greet?
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UNSPEAKABLES: LCT usually gets an earful from various industry quarters whenever we broach the "back-of-the-limo" subject, but you can count on East Coast Editor Linda Moore to be brave and address any situation operators face. Operators take strong measures against booze and drugs on prom nights, but what happens when the prom run turns into a porn run? Linda's tactful and tasteful inquiry below. . .
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LINDA MOORE DEBATE: It has happened to everyone who's been in the industry long enough: A chauffeur leaves and takes client(s) to a competing operator. . .
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BAD MOUTHERS IN BAD TIMES: How do you handle disgruntled ex-employees? Linda Moore asks. Example below. . .
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OPERATOR DEBATE: This week Linda Moore delves into the issue of premium chauffeurs. . .
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IS IT STEALING OR JUST A SPECIAL TREAT? In her ongoing operator debate series, Linda Moore asks whether under the table deals among employees constitute company theft. . . .
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LINDA MOORE ASKS: LCT is getting a strong response to operator questions and issues posted by our east coast editor and associate publisher. Here is the latest matter requiring your input. . .
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OPERATOR PLATFORM: In today's operator discussion, LCT East Coast editor Linda Moore asks how operators should reciprocate work among multiple affiliates in the same service area. . .
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OPERATOR DISCUSSION: So one of your affiliates turns out to be a deadbeat operation. How do you make them pay?
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ETHICAL PRACTICES: In this week's LCT operator debate, Linda Moore asks if it is acceptable for your affiliate to farm out -- your farm out. . .
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NEW EDITOR JOINS BLOG: Linda M. Moore, our new Associate Publisher and East Coast Editor, joins LimoCentric as a regular contributor. Her vast expeience in limo publishing, managing, operating, writing, etc, no doubt will enhance all the content fanfare and drama we try so hard to maintain. Her first post below. . .
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