A truly professional limousine hire company should pride itself on the quality and professionalism of its drivers and vehicles. The health and safety of passengers and their wellbeing should always be first and foremost, while for self-drive hire services, top priorities should also include the care and attention given to servicing and maintaining all vehicles, not to mention good customer service throughout. Like all businesses, there are a number of challenges frequently faced by all limousine hire companies, whether they specialise in events or airport transfers, with the following being the most common:
1. Unsocial hours
When the rest of us are out partying or going away on holiday, limousine hire companies and their drivers are the ones that are there at the end of the night or in the early morning to make sure that we get home safely or catch that all important flight.
This is definitely not a nine to five business, as they also have to be on call in case of breakdown or emergencies. The hire company needs to operate on a sensible shift work programme, making sure that drivers are not on the road for long periods of time and driving when they are so tired they cannot keep their eyes open.
2. Alcohol fuelled customers
Most of us these days are very sensible when it comes to drinking and driving, so often the best way to get to and from social events is to hire a limousine or people carrier. Unfortunately there will always be the risk of having passengers who cannot handle their drinks, and which might result in them becoming aggressive or throwing up (or sometimes both).
In cases like these, the health and safety of the employee should always be paramount, so there needs to be a process in place to ensure that the drivers are not put in dangerous situations. It also goes without saying that having to clean up after someone is not a pleasant thing to do, but regrettably these kinds of incidents do happen from time to time.
3. Parking and rear-enders
When collecting and dropping off customers at popular events or localities, it can be difficult to find somewhere to park, particularly if stretch limos or people carriers are being hired in this particular instance. Limousine companies have to get to know their locality and also be aware of any restrictions or changes to parking permits, as these should all be taken into account while finalising the hire.
It can also be the case where other drivers, perhaps not realising the difficulties of limousine driving, don’t allow enough space for these bigger vehicles, and there is always the chance of them accidentally hitting the limousine in front of them. This is why looking out for inexperienced drivers, particularly during the holidays when teenagers who are new to driving might be out and about with their friends, is a useful skill that all limousine drivers should have. After all, it’s going to be a recurring challenge if they are going to stay at their job.