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The transportation industry has always been a vital component of the economy, but it’s never been more evident than during this crisis that operators connect their community to the rest of the world. That was certainly true for Colorado boutique operator Simon Chen of Eight Black Cars—only his “community” extended 1,700 miles and six states away.
In late March, Chen received a call from his client, Anne, who was concerned about her brother Bob. The pandemic has been challenging for just about everyone, but it hit Bob particularly hard due to his added health concerns (severe anxiety and depression), and Anne just wanted to get her brother to her as quickly as possible so he wasn’t struggling alone. Since flying from Colorado to Maryland wasn’t an option, Eight Black Cars had the solution: a cross-country road trip.
Chen reassured Anne and guaranteed that he would look after her brother—personally. He enlisted the help of Senior Chauffeur Joe Mendez, who was eager to deliver Bob safely to his destination. After a thorough deep cleaning of Chen’s Mercedes-Benz E300 4Matic—complete with WiFi and a fresh HEPA cabin air filter—the three (yes, Chen included!) embarked on a trip that traversed the Midwest and ended in the mid-Atlantic state of Maryland.
Even cooler: Chen and Mendez documented the trip, highlighting the scenic (and not-so-scenic) landscape and engaging in some good-natured ribbing about who was the better driver along the way. The videos can be viewed on Eight Black Car’s Facebook page, Chen’s LinkedIn page, and here, here, here, and here.
Safety was obviously a concern, so they took all the precautions during the trip: Using hospital-grade cleaning products for after fuel and food breaks, monitoring their temperatures every 6 hours, had gloves and masks on hand, and Chen and Mendez rotated two-hour driving shifts while Bob relaxed in the passenger cabin. And when they delivered Bob to his final destination, Chen says he had become more than just a client—he was a friend.
“The thing that made it totally worth it was the friendship we developed with our client, Bob. A nicer guy you could not meet,” said Chen. “It was a pleasure and a privilege to drive Bob. And even more of a privilege to serve people like Anne. We would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Chen was also inspired to help out his Boulder County senior clients who may not have access to safe transportation, or who need a little assistance with groceries. Earlier this month, he announced that he was offering a complimentary service to pick up their online grocery order from their store of choice. The delivery is virtually contact-free as the chauffeur will leave the packages at the front door, and clients can tip via credit card.
Visit eightblackcars.com for more information.
[04.14.20]
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This month marks the 15th anniversary of Aadvanced Limousines as a luxury ground transportation provider. Established in 2005, brother and sister team Ken and Kristie Carter founded the company with a single 1999 Ford Expedition limousine.
When the Carters purchased their first limo, they had no intention of starting a ground transportation company; Ken just wanted to get Kristie to her senior prom. After being unable to book a limousine due to the Kentucky Derby and other area proms, the Carters found an affordable used limousine in Detroit, and made their way to Michigan to pick up the vehicle.
That type of creative problem solving—and sibling bond—is still part of the Aadvanced Limousine business model. Today, the company operates a 35-vehicle fleet, ranging from sedans to motorcoaches.
In addition to being one of the Midwest’s premier operations, Aadvanced is continually recognized for their philanthropic endeavors, whether it is serving as a partner for Indiana’s Children’s Bureau or sponsoring Chauffeur Driven’s annual charity auction, for which they’ve helped raise close to a half million dollars.
The Carters are proud of the company culture they’ve built, which empowers their staff to do what it takes to make sure their clients are treated with care. While Aadvanced’s 15th anniversary comes at what may be the most difficult period the industry has faced, the Carters have a positive outlook for their future.
"It has been an amazing journey and learning experience, but with a service-focused culture, we continue to grow," says Ken.
"Building a business from the ground up isn't for the weak, and when you are approaching your 15th year, it feels like a true accomplishment,” adds Kristie. “COVID-19 has brought us a slow down to finally break down our processes, procedures, and nitpick every expense to ensure that the next 15 are even more successful."
Visit 317limousines.com for more information.
[04.13.20]
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You asked for it and we listened. In this column, we ask operators of all sizes and from all walks of the industry a question about their business and report their answers so you can assess how your own company compares to your peers. If you would like to participate, please email Rob Smentek at rob@chauffeurdriven.com for next issue’s question.
TOPIC: If you have staff on board, what type of duties do you have them doing to occupy their time? If you're alone in the office, are you tackling any new projects during the downtime?
Our office is closed, but our employees are constantly learning new things. For example, some of them are in the CSR training to obtain a certification, and others will be reviewing some YouTube videos in order to improve their service skills and learn new apps to reduce our expenses, improve vehicle maintenance, and rewrite our business plan. After watching the videos, they have to write an essay. There is always something new to learn.
Agustin Hernandez, Owner
Blackcar Offers Limo Services in Mexico City, Mexico
My logistics team is working on getting updated rates from our partners and COIs. They are also staying in touch with drivers that have been laid off. We are helping them out with questions about unemployment claims as well.
My sales team is reaching out to our existing clients letting them know we are still operating and here for them. In addition, we are very active on social media and education training and webinars.
Mark Kini, Founder & CEO
Boston Chauffeur in Beverly, Mass.
Currently, we are searching for ways to keep our cars even safer and to give our passengers added confidence for future rides. Therefore, we have produced droplet protection shields for each car to reduce the possibility of infection. We are attempting to reduce our costs by downsizing our fleet in expectation of less demand.
Franz Kraus, CEO & Owner
QLimo in Hamburg, Germany
Jeffrey Lane, Senior Manager, Business Development
FlixBus in Los Angeles, Calif.
Michael Lindsey, President & CEO
Lindsey Limousine in Windsor, Conn.
Rogério Machado, CEO
Concierge Car in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ramon Mateos, CEO
Alquimavi in Mexico City, Mexico
Kevin Mullane, Owner
Silver Oak Transportation in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Juan Gonzalo Parra, Owner
Luxury Rentals in Medellin, Colombia
Maria Priestly, President/CEO
Empress Elite Limousine in Kennesaw, Ga.
Tracy Salinger, President and CEO
Unique Limousine in Harrisburg, Pa.
Jess Sandhu, Director of Operations
A&A Limousine & Bus Service in Seattle, Wash.
Paul Thompson, President
Santa Fe Valet/Accent New Mexico in Santa Fe, N.M.
Ralph van Delden, Company Director
Van Delden Limousines in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Nancy Vargas, CEO
DH2 Transportation in Jamaica, N.Y.
We’ve loved hearing your answers to our benchmarking questions—but we always welcome suggestions for future topics, too!
Send an email to rob@chauffeurdriven.com you just might see your query answered in an upcoming issue.
[CD04.14.20]