Disqus - Latest Comments for lindamoore

Re: LINDA JAGIELA: Two Wheeling In The Limo Industry

lindamoore — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:59:53 -0000

Josh send me yuor contact info to linda.moore@bobit.com

Re: LINDA MOORE: Affiliate discounts and your mark-ups

lindamoore — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:38:06 -0000

Great points. It's funny how the the prices of everything else seem to go up, but our industry tends to hold prices from as much as 15 years ago. Clients who buy on price alone should be taking shared rides or taxis if they are looking for cheap. The problem is that they tend to want cheap and service. We walk a fine line.

Re: Wineries don’t want limo drunks

lindamoore — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:34:31 -0000

Ralph--You are correct. Clients who don't have a wonderful experience that they can remeber are not going to come back to you. You do have to manage it for them. I would love to read your books. How do we get copies?

Re: LINDA MOORE: Do Industry Associations Deliver Value?

lindamoore — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:58:17 -0000

Individual companies across the country have had their share of problems. NELA and LANJ both have executive directors.
It is a big expense for these asociations but it has freed up the mebers to concentrate on their own businesses rather than the administration of the association. I think all of the associations would aspire to this.
People have to be involved though before you can get to this level. The NELA board which has changed over the years has had member who are truly workers for that association. I commend them on their accomplishments.

Re: LINDA MOORE: Do Industry Associations Deliver Value?

lindamoore — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:53:06 -0000

The New England Limousine Association is like what you described. they have a great executive director who has been there through numerous presidents. YOu are also right about the cronies. I think that the only way to stop this is to grow the organization with open minded people who are able to see past the group think and vote for what is right. Our industry associations are getting stronger. They are doing some really cool things with laws and they are making the industry better. I can't imagine why any operator in Philadelphia wouldn't join the association. They are fighting to save operators $10K per year.

Re: SPECIAL REPORT: Wrong Regulatory Turns Around Tampa Bay - Limousine, Charter & Tour

lindamoore — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:35:35 -0000

Florida has the most restrictive system in the country. Take Boca Raton as an example. It has one of the highest per capita income levels in the country. Only 9 companies are permitted in Boca Raton. According to Ruby Childress who handles the permitting in Boca, only those companies who have those permits can drop off or pick up in Boca. You are illegal if you go into the city with a for hire vehicle without those permits. This is ludicrious. If you are a Miami company who has a client that wants to go to Boca you have to 1. decline the ride or 2. farm it to one of those 9 companies.

Miami Dade has had a lottery for which each company pays $1000 for the right to have a chance to get a permit. If your name is not drawn you don't get your money back. This is a tremendous revenue stream for the consumer affiars department which allows them to hire enforcement officers. This will not go away even though the time has expired for the lottery system.

In Ft. Lauderdale, it is easier to get van permits then sedan (which includes SUV's) so operators install a seat in the hatch to get the passenger count up and make their SUV into a van. Safety is truly an issue and the city recognizes it but the problem does not get resolved.

The reason that there are not state wide permits in Florida is that the companies who hold the greatest number of permits paid big bucks to get them. They see them as commodities and they do not want them to go away as it is part of the value of their company. The industry in Florida is not organized enough to fix there own problems and the moast active people in the industry are among those who do not want to see the permits go away.

Re: LINDA MOORE: 3 Scenarios For Limo Crime

lindamoore — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:51:14 -0000

David--I am surprised in your quiet neck of the woods that you have encountered all of this. I have found that it doesn't matter which operator I speak to they all have their war stories similar to these. These stories were from all different areas but with a little change they could be in your back yard. Crooks are creative. I didn't mention the real crooks who hire you and then even though you told them up front what the price would be, dispute the charges with the credit card company. It is getting harder and harder to tell the good guys from the bad ones.

Re: LINDA MOORE: Should Chauffeurs Give Out Their Cell Phone Nos.? Keep A Book Of Clients?

lindamoore — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:56:42 -0000

I agree the independent contractor issue does blur the lines at times. There is currently a bill in the Senate that will redefinie what an independent contractor is exactly. I wonder what that will do to our industry. You can't always have your cake and eat it too. I think it also matters though what your independent contractor contract says. I would think a smart operator would put in something about poaching customers.

I remember you well David and welcome you to the forum. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts when we spoke and I hope you will continue to chime in here.

Re: LINDA MOORE: Are 5 Affiliate Calls Per Ride Too Much?

lindamoore — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:29:32 -0000

Nathan,
Actually I wasn't referring to Fortis on this one. There are now two others that I know of doing the same. I won't state the company of course, but there is a trend in the industry especially with high profile clients to send chauffeur photos. The personality stuff is a little different (more like chatty, quiet, spanish speaking, etc.). As a client and a female, I personally like this. I want to know who is picking me primarily for my own safety. I also personally believe that we need to stop the commoditization of the industry; we need to continue to differentiate supperior service. This topic came up at the request of a few samll operators who want to do affiliate work but don't have the infastructure. It's a Catch-22. Most of the affiliate companies prefer working with small and midsize companies but they are the exact ones who have the hardest time meeting the stringient requirements of the affiliate company. There needs to be a balance which you described. Chauffeurs who understand the client's needs are better equipped to handle their requirements. You again get into the problem though of client's becoming attached to particular chauffeurs which go directly toward our other threads here on this blog.

I intentionally didn't go into the topic of affiliate signs as the opinion on this goes all over the place. Some affiliates want a sign with their logo and the clients name also typed. For a company who may have to dispatch on the fly, this is sometimes impossible. I know companies out there that carry thrity different signs. This may be an area where we could all standarize. Someone should come up with a machine to print signs in the field that fits in the chauffeur's pocket.

I think you hit it on the head when you discussed how you alleviate pressures from the affiliate. It's truly about partnering and trust. Your company obviously does its due dilligience on the companies it uses. I think you get into a 5 phone call scenario when you don't them and have not established a pattern to instill trust. Thanks for jumping on Nathan--Your views are insightful.

Re: Limo Drivers Left In The Desert Dust - Limousine, Charter & Tour

lindamoore — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:10:54 -0000

John, This article is a pick up article from the Las Vegas Sun. We typically run half of our pieces as original content and then we will pick up pieces from other news sources as this piece is. When we write in the magazine, chauffeurs are always referred to as chauffeurs and not drivers. Drivers drive cabs--chauffeurs drive luxury vehicles. There is a distinct difference between the two. Compensation is always a heated topic and I suggest you also look at Jim Luffs recent blog on this topic. Linda M. Moore, East Coast Editor