Chauffeur in london looking for work (advice)
Discussion
Ive got a mate who is a chauffeur in London, top bloke, and I cant remember which model of car he drives 
but its a twin turbo luxury merc with a fridge etc. His clients are mainly the VIP sort. Hes over 7 foot tall, 20 something stone, and could break schwarzenegger over his knee like a stick (no really 
) The sort of chap you'd want chauffeuring you, if you needed protection.
In my business, it took a good few years to find my feet and figure out what advertising methods worked best, and what would bring me the most business. He could also use a boost to his business. Can anyone recommend any courses of action or advertising opportunities which would give a guy in this line of work a good boost and ROI. As you know 90% of advertising doesnt work, I was hoping someone else might have been down this very path (perhaps also in London) and be able to make some suggestions.
but its a twin turbo luxury merc with a fridge etc. His clients are mainly the VIP sort. Hes over 7 foot tall, 20 something stone, and could break schwarzenegger over his knee like a stick (no really ) The sort of chap you'd want chauffeuring you, if you needed protection. In my business, it took a good few years to find my feet and figure out what advertising methods worked best, and what would bring me the most business. He could also use a boost to his business. Can anyone recommend any courses of action or advertising opportunities which would give a guy in this line of work a good boost and ROI. As you know 90% of advertising doesnt work, I was hoping someone else might have been down this very path (perhaps also in London) and be able to make some suggestions.
UKBob said:
Ive got a mate who is a chauffeur in London, top bloke, and I cant remember which model of car he drives
In my business, it took a good few years to find my feet and figure out what advertising methods worked best, and what would bring me the most business. He could also use a boost to his business. Can anyone recommend any courses of action or advertising opportunities which would give a guy in this line of work a good boost and ROI. As you know 90% of advertising doesnt work, I was hoping someone else might have been down this very path (perhaps also in London) and be able to make some suggestions.
Is this him????...
........
My brother is in this line of business.
Mostly it is word of mouth, and if security/safety is an issue, you tend to go for ex-SAS guys, not big, lumbering 7-footers!
Takes a long time to break into the big time, though. My brother does a lot of work for several embassies and one of the arab royal families (runs Merc S-classes and Chrysler Voyagers), but took him a lot of years to build up the reputation and good-will.
It's a very competitive business these days, too - there are a lot of eastern european types fighting over the scraps at the lower end of the market, working for peanuts; it is only when u are an established name that u can start to charge decent money.
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 14th February 22:44
Mostly it is word of mouth, and if security/safety is an issue, you tend to go for ex-SAS guys, not big, lumbering 7-footers!
Takes a long time to break into the big time, though. My brother does a lot of work for several embassies and one of the arab royal families (runs Merc S-classes and Chrysler Voyagers), but took him a lot of years to build up the reputation and good-will.
It's a very competitive business these days, too - there are a lot of eastern european types fighting over the scraps at the lower end of the market, working for peanuts; it is only when u are an established name that u can start to charge decent money.
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 14th February 22:44
Wacky Racer said:
Ive got a mate who is a chauffeur in London, top bloke, and I cant remember which model of car he drives
In my business, it took a good few years to find my feet and figure out what advertising methods worked best, and what would bring me the most business. He could also use a boost to his business. Can anyone recommend any courses of action or advertising opportunities which would give a guy in this line of work a good boost and ROI. As you know 90% of advertising doesnt work, I was hoping someone else might have been down this very path (perhaps also in London) and be able to make some suggestions.
Is this him????...
from the description, he's missing 5 feet, try
and without the hat Wacky Racer said:
Ive got a mate who is a chauffeur in London, top bloke, and I cant remember which model of car he drives
In my business, it took a good few years to find my feet and figure out what advertising methods worked best, and what would bring me the most business. He could also use a boost to his business. Can anyone recommend any courses of action or advertising opportunities which would give a guy in this line of work a good boost and ROI. As you know 90% of advertising doesnt work, I was hoping someone else might have been down this very path (perhaps also in London) and be able to make some suggestions.
Is this him????...
he's that hard, he's crapping pure granite!
Sam_68 said:I think hes got a royal saudi someone or other (i could be talking out my arse as I cant remember now) but he does have his billionaire clients, and govenors of states.
My brother is in this line of business.
Mostly it is word of mouth, and if security/safety is an issue, you tend to go for ex-SAS guys, not big, lumbering 7-footers!
Takes a long time to break into the big time, though. My brother does a lot of work for several embassies and one of the arab royal families (runs Merc S-classes and Chrysler Voyagers), but took him a lot of years to build up the reputation and good-will.
It's a very competitive business these days, too - there are a lot of eastern european types fighting over the scraps at the lower end of the market, working for peanuts; it is only when u are an established name that u can start to charge decent money.
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 14th February 22:44
But he could use more hours and work - I think the biggest expense is keeping the car on the road. He pays the cost of a new TVR just in maintenance, depreciation and major services every year.
Sam_68 said:
My brother is in this line of business.
Mostly it is word of mouth, and if security/safety is an issue, you tend to go for ex-SAS guys, not big, lumbering 7-footers!
I work in this line of business, size does sometimes matter
it depends on the client, and how much £££ they want to pay. Having an experienced CQP driver isn't cheap, I have known clients that are willing to pay to have a big guy rather than an experienced guy Sam_68 said:
Takes a long time to break into the big time, though. My brother does a lot of work for several embassies and one of the arab royal families (runs Merc S-classes and Chrysler Voyagers), but took him a lot of years to build up the reputation and good-will.
Echo that it does take time and you have got to earn a reputation, although all you need is one chance to impress.
UKBob said:
I think hes got a royal saudi someone or other (i could be talking out my arse as I cant remember now) but he does have his billionaire clients, and govenors of states.
But he could use more hours and work - I think the biggest expense is keeping the car on the road. He pays the cost of a new TVR just in maintenance, depreciation and major services every year.
Must be the wrong Royal Saudi, then - when working for the Arabs, my brother spends most of his time in the palace kitchens, chatting up the maids, waiting for the call to take the princesses shopping! The S-classes aren't that flash, either - certainly not costing that sort of money to run. A lot of the Royals don't like to be so conspicuous, to the extent that a lot of the work is now done in the Voyagers rather than the Mercs. I've driven close support for him a few times, which is fun!
There is a definite pecking order, though, even when u get in with the right family - it can take several years to work up to the juiciest jobs!
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 14th February 23:04
UKBob said:
But he could use more hours and work - I think the biggest expense is keeping the car on the road. He pays the cost of a new TVR just in maintenance, depreciation and major services every year.
Running costs, Insurance etc is atronomical.
If he has already got clients, he should look at bulding from that - get some high quality business cards done, when he drops a client at or picks one up from a highclass establishment leave a card with and befriend the concierge, receptionist, security etc.
My boss pulled a major new client doing this :O)
>> Edited by pagey on Tuesday 14th February 23:10
pagey said:
Running costs, Insurance etc is atronomical.
I'm pretty sure my brother's insurance and running costs aren't that astronomical. I remember him telling me the insurance once...can't remember the figure, but remember thinking that whilst it was a bit steep in comparison to, say, a trader policy, it really wasn't that bad for someone who spent their time dicing with London cabbies in an expensive Merc.
Similarly, whilst the S-classes are as expensive as any Merc to have serviced, they are pretty reliable and I was suprised to find that he actually does considerably fewer miles a year than me! (I average about 30K).
He has quoted some really stupidly low figures that some of the Eastern European drivers are willing to work for - down to something daft like £30 an hour all-in, which barely covers the running cost of the car! Not even worth tying to compete at the bottom end of the market, therefore.
Sam_68 said:
Running costs, Insurance etc is atronomical.
I'm pretty sure my brother's insurance and running costs aren't that astronomical. I remember him telling me the insurance once...can't remember the figure, but remember thinking that whilst it was a bit steep in comparison to, say, a trader policy, it really wasn't that bad for someone who spent their time dicing with London cabbies in an expensive Merc.
Similarly, whilst the S-classes are as expensive as any Merc to have serviced, they are pretty reliable and I was suprised to find that he actually does considerably fewer miles a year than me! (I average about 30K).
He has quoted some really stupidly low figures that some of the Eastern European drivers are willing to work for - down to something daft like £30 an hour all-in, which barely covers the running cost of the car! Not even worth tying to compete at the bottom end of the market, therefore.
Astronomical - according to my boss
IIRC the renewal on a Daimler was over £2k
pagey said:
Astronomical - according to my boss
IIRC the renewal on a Daimler was over £2k
...we obviously have different definitions of 'astronomical'! £2k per annum will be the same ballpark as my bro for the Merc (like I said, I can't remember the exact number, but that sounds about right). Since I have a motoring journalist friend who pays about £1400 per annum for a 'trader' policy and since I pay £500-odd a year for a Lotus Elise, though, that didn't sound too bad to me! Certainly, just the 'tip' when the Arabs decamp back to the middle-east each Autumn would cover the insurance, the running costs and a fair chunk of the depreciation for the year!
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 14th February 23:49
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