Preparation Makes Perfection- Chauffeurs Are No Different

When people ask me what I do and I tell them, a “Chauffeur”, their first response is always, “That sounds cool! So who have you driven that’s famous?”. My stock answer to every one is……. “Everyone I drive is famous in their own right”. I think the point that most people miss about being a professional Chauffeur, is that it is not just about jumping into a fancy car and driving. Their is a level of preparation and planning that goes into being the best. Like any other profession, you need to hone your craft, in order to be the best. I thought I would share with you the “Day in a Life of a Professional Chauffeur.”

1- Cleanliness is next to Godliness!– Part of the pre-planning for a professional Chauffeur is to make sure that your uniform is clean and pressed. Being well groomed and professionally attired is the first impression you make upon arrival and I believe, that first impression is the most lasting of our guests experience.

2- Research and Development- What? Yes, I research my clients itinerary, make sure I understand where they are going, understand what type of event we are planning and the venues they will be playing. I will also try to locate my Client on Facebook, Twitter or other social mediums to try to get an idea of their personality or better yet the event they are attending. Research is key to a professional Chauffeurs ability to immediately and positively connect.

3- Develop a Personal Travel Strategy- Knowing where we are going for the evening and how to arrive is extremely important. A professional Chauffeur will develop their own personal travel strategy of what routes to take and understand any major congestion or construction issues that may arise along their route and will amply inform their clients of approximated timelines for travel.

4- Pre-Flight– I’m no airline pilot, but I do know that your airline pilot is at the airport hours prior to their flight to inspect equipment and familiarize themselves with the unit they will fly for that day. As a professional Chauffeur, I do the same thing. I crawl around the back of the vehicle and play with switches and knobs to ensure I know where everything is and how/if it works properly. Being early also gives me the ability to check something that may be malfunctioning and potentially repair it prior to a client impacting negative experience, this also becomes important to make sure the vehicle is safety inspected prior to departing the base. You can’t plan for everything, but understanding your equipment and equipment condition can certainly keep you from crashing and burning with a negative client experience.

5- Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail- So you know your equipment, you have a clean, pressed uniform, you’ve researched your personal travel strategy, the client and now your pulling out of the garage with plenty of time to arrive at your clients pick-up location on-time, relaxed and prepared to deliver a positively memorable experience. Call your customer on the way and make sure that they didn’t forget something and make the offer if there is time enough to pick-up any last minute items they may have forgotten. Success! is now your motto…. Better preparation allows for the professional Chauffeur to be better prepared for the unexpected as well! Call Cleveland Corporate Limousine Services to find out how our Chauffeurs prepare. 855-867-2270