Chauffeur services - your feedback

[chauffeur]

Any reports on your experience of using chauffeur services good or bad?

[Stephanie Plum]

Used to use a guy regularly for airport runs when I was doing a lot of work abroad. Got pissed off with him in the end as I kept finding little extras constantly being added to the bill. If I queried them he got all defensive and "hurt" and it just became easier not to use him anymore. Theses days I just drive and hit the long term - often cheaper tbh.

[chauffeur]

Thanks for that :-)

[bmwdrivernigel]

I find every experience a pleasurable one! www.chauffeurdrive.tv

[chauffeur]

bmwdrivernigel said:

I find every experience a pleasurable one! www.chauffeurdrive.tv

Thanks - had not come across your website before

[bmwdrivernigel]

chauffeur said:

bmwdrivernigel said:

I find every experience a pleasurable one! www.chauffeurdrive.tv

Thanks - had not come across your website before

We do a lot of work in and around Bracknell, busy town for us!

[chauffeur]

here's another question:

given the choice of a more environmentally friendly chauffeur driven car would you be prepared to pay a small premium?

[Don]

chauffeur said:

here's another question:
given the choice of a more environmentally friendly chauffeur driven car would you be prepared to pay a small premium?

No. I couldn't care less how environmentally friendly the car is. What I care about is the quality of comfort. This is partially the vehicle (nice big Merc, big old seats in the back) and very much the quality of the driver. I want my driver to give me the smoothest ride possible, find his way around traffic jams and not scare the crap out of me.

Not too much to ask, you'd think.

Of course - if the car is a smooth modern diesel getting 50+ mpg that's OK with me and better for the car's operator too.

[chauffeur]

thanks for your reply

pretty much exactly how we have positioned ourselves, however we have recognised that the 'green' movement is now 'cool' and are looking at whether we need to adapt accordingly.

as you say - shouldn't be hard finding a company that delivers what you expect from a chauffeur...

[targarama]

I am a regular user of such services, usually to LHR. Three things are important to me:

- Good, smooth driver with some advanced training. So many give you a jerky ride, or you can be watching the road and thinking 'he hasn't seen that xxx'. I enjoy being driven by someone who knows the road.
- Nice exec class car with decent headroom. I'm tall (and you'll find successful businessmen who want to use your service are taller on average too) and some cars are a big tight on headroom.
- A company you can have a relationship with. i.e. you call them and they know who you are, and where you are and your usual trips/locations. Less to explain over the phone when booking.

BTW, Mercs are very nice but common. 7 Series are nice but fugly. Audi A8s are the tastiest in the LHR pickup zone queue right now.

Edited to say: I don't give a t055 about greener cars, but at the same time I won't be seen dead in a big Land Rover type vehicle. Most businessmen won't care either, other than from a 'gadget' & conversation topic while en-route perspective.

Edited by targarama on Saturday 10th March 09:58

[srebbe64]

I use a chauffeur service to and from Heathrow / Gatwick - it's easier than driving and parking. In fact I need 2 when I'm going with my family. What I want is three things:

1) to be picked up on time;

2) to not have the driver yacking all the way about a recent pick-up or whatever,

3) someone who's checked the road conditions before the journey;

Personally, I'm not too bothered about the type of car as long as it's comfortable.

[Stephanie Plum]

chauffeur said:

here's another question:

given the choice of a more environmentally friendly chauffeur driven car would you be prepared to pay a small premium?

No. As others have said the quality of the driving is paramount. And while I don't mind chatting occasionally, I expect a driver to know when I'm in the mood and when I'm not. Just off the red eye for example, I'm not going to be at my liveliest Likewise, inane chat doesn't go far either.......

And neither does being chatted up

[chauffeur]

thanks for everyone's feedback

we are looking at expanding our fleet to include a Mercedes Viano luxury MPV.

Anyone experienced travelling in or driving one?

[rcarr]

The chauffeurs of a certain wedding car firm (now closed) in Scotland were the best around, well mannered and drove the cars very well considering the ages of some of the cars.

Stretched limo drivers give proper chauffeurs a bad name!

Anyone a member?

[Bodo]

chauffeur said:

chauffeur services

Is that posh for 'Taxi'?

[chauffeur]

Bodo said:

chauffeur said:

chauffeur services

Is that posh for 'Taxi'?

Taxi's can be hailed at the side of the road and park in taxi ranks.

Private Hire vehicles are similar to taxis but cannot be hailed or parked in ranks; they must be pre-booked through a Central Operator.

Chauffeur Services are licenced in a similar way to private hire but differ to private hire by offering executive class vehicles and an experienced, professional uniformed driver or 'chauffeur'.

So no, not really...

[AeroMan]

chauffeur said:

given the choice of a more environmentally friendly chauffeur driven car would you be prepared to pay a small premium?

We use Tristar a lot as they are the chauffeur-service provider used by both Virgin Atlantic and Emirates airlines, on which we are regular passengers. Like most operators they use diesel-engined cars (Volvo S80's) and thus unless you are thinking of going the Prius or Lexus 400H route, how will you be more environmentally friendly than the default diesel choice?

Incidentally, they have stopped fitting Volvo sat-navs and are using the previously integrated booking system on a PDA, which now has an integrated TomTom that automatically picks up your postcode from the airline address details. As they change cars every 9 months, the driver told me that they were not recovering the cost of the sat-navs in the second-hand price.

[Bodo]

chauffeur said:

Bodo said:

chauffeur said:

chauffeur services

Is that posh for 'Taxi'?

Taxi's can be hailed at the side of the road and park in taxi ranks.

Private Hire vehicles are similar to taxis but cannot be hailed or parked in ranks; they must be pre-booked through a Central Operator.

Chauffeur Services are licenced in a similar way to private hire but differ to private hire by offering executive class vehicles and an experienced, professional uniformed driver or 'chauffeur'.

So no, not really...

I understand the limitations with road-side stopping; however, the last time I stopped a Taxi on the road to bring me home -this evening- was a Merc E, and the last time a called a large one to bring us to the airport, we were picked up by a Vito taxi. I'm just worried that the driver's uniform is the only unique selling point. I could imagine though, that your rates are competitive. Good luck with your business in future!

[chauffeur]

Bodo said:

chauffeur said:

Bodo said:

chauffeur said:

chauffeur services

Is that posh for 'Taxi'?

Taxi's can be hailed at the side of the road and park in taxi ranks.

Private Hire vehicles are similar to taxis but cannot be hailed or parked in ranks; they must be pre-booked through a Central Operator.

Chauffeur Services are licenced in a similar way to private hire but differ to private hire by offering executive class vehicles and an experienced, professional uniformed driver or 'chauffeur'.

So no, not really...

I understand the limitations with road-side stopping; however, the last time I stopped a Taxi on the road to bring me home -this evening- was a Merc E, and the last time a called a large one to bring us to the airport, we were picked up by a Vito taxi. I'm just worried that the driver's uniform is the only unique selling point. I could imagine though, that your rates are competitive. Good luck with your business in future!

Thanks for your views, it is great to hear what the perception is and I often get asked to explain the difference at networking events.

The other unique selling points of executive chauffeur services include:

Vehicles latest model and certainly less than 3 years old/100k miles.
Vehicles carry no signs, licence plates or decals (if granted local authority exemption).
Vehicles well specified including leather and multimedia.
Extra features including sat-nav with traffic updates, complimentary refeshments and newspapers.
The drivers have been trained in the art of being a chauffeur.

The other way to compare is that you can think of a chauffeur as business or first class, compared to a taxi (bus/public transport) or private hire (lift from your family or mate).

As the adverts say...

"This is not just travel...this is chauffeur driven travel"

Edited by chauffeur on Wednesday 21st March 10:14

[tawt]

chauffeur said:

thanks for everyone's feedback

we are looking at expanding our fleet to include a Mercedes Viano luxury MPV.

Anyone experienced travelling in or driving one?

The Viano is pretty poor, its just like a voyager but bigger, the new VW Carevelle Exec is rather nice inside and built much better.