How to Manage Executive Travel Itineraries

Managing executive business travel itineraries can pose a real challenge. If you slip up in just in just one aspect, the trip can fail to meet its goals and busy executives will hold you responsible. This does not just mean hitting all the meetings and transport options on time but also ensuring it is all done in the right style, paying attention to local conditions and taking the individual executive’s tastes and working practices in to account. This week’s post gives you some ideas to ensure that itinerary management is a success every time.

Take preferences in to account

A good itinerary is tailored to the individual rather than constructed based on a model. Put another way, it should take the executive’s preferences, lifestyle and routines in to account and suit them as an individual. Some may prefer to sleep in a hotel the night before an early meeting, others prefer to stay with their family until the last moment and catch the red-eye flight.

People have different preferences for baggage (travel light or travel with checked-baggage), specific hotels or airlines and others just prefer things to happen as quickly as is possible. From the perspective of a travel manager, there are a number of things that you can do to ensure that you create tailored itineraries without too much effort. The first thing is to put your own feelings aside; you may think it’s pointless to carry a printed ticket when you could email a version direct to the executives smartphone, if that’s what your executive wants, you’ve got to do it.  Secondly and perhaps more importantly, invest some time in finding out what each individual likes and then record the information somewhere.

Sequencing of events

The order that events will take place on a business trip should be the main focus for planning an executive’s itinerary. Make a timeline and include all activity, including the small things such a dinner. Ensure you allow time for travel and a small amount to ensure that the critical timings are met.

Appropriate guide

You should produce a short easy to read guide for the itinerary. Try and use headings and avoid making things too complicated – you executives are busy people. Ensure timings and contact details are clearly marked and, where possible, go for short bulleted lists to convey more information.

It’s also essential to include ‘what if’ details for the event that something goes wrong. They need to know who to call, 24 hours a day, to solve a problem and similarly, they need to be able to inform people if they’re going to be late or miss something vital. Once you got all the information, in the correct form, it’s a great idea to save it as a PDF and email it to the executive’s smart phone (if security considerations allow), that way they’ll always have it with them.

Philadelphia Limousine is a corporate and luxury ground Transportation Company that is really proud of our business clients and safety record. We hope that you find these short tips useful in some small way. We o private and business transportation needs in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. We would love to hear from you to see if we could offer a better limo service to support your needs.

Create a Lasting Impression with Customers

Many of our clients deal regularly with a wide variety of people and businesses; they tell us that the quality of these relationships is critical to the success of their enterprises. It is easy to tell a customer that they’re valuable; actually proving it is much harder. This short post provides you with a few ideas how.

1.  Be there

Making yourself available may seem self explanatory – customers will not feel valued if they can’t get hold of you. Actually doing it is much more challenging. You’ll need to get around restrictive opening hours and the various means of communications open to customers. The little efforts you make to make it as easy as possible to speak to will be noticed.

2.  Be different

If you are just average, not only will you be prevented from achieving your ambitions and goals, you’ll also never get noticed by your clients. Customers are humans, whose feelings are constantly changing. Therefore, they feel they will need more than just average customer care from your staff. As humans they will also notice if an effort is made to speak to them as a person rather than based on the fact that they’re a customer.

3.  Be them

Trying to perceive what the customer experience is like from their viewpoint is a great way of understanding if you’re delivering the right thing. In particular, if you can understand how their problems – that, perhaps, you have caused – influence their lives, you’ll be well on the way to achieving great customer service. Try and understand if your customers feel respected and if their expectations are being met. If you can articulate what impression they’re taking away of you and your company you’ll definitely be in a position to influence it.

There is no better way of creating a good impression than sending a chauffeur to pick up your client. This is particularly true if they’re from out of town and you take care of all the details from the airport. It shows that you have thought about making their life as easy as possible and for you, you’ve already started to create a positive first impression.

We hope that these short points give you a few ideas. PhiladelphiaLimousine Service is proud to provide the best possible ground transportation for business and private clients in Philadelphia, PA, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. If you need to create a solid first impression, our knowledgeable staff will take pride in delivering the most exclusive service possible. Philadelphia Limo can cater for every individual’s requirement and are always happy to go that extra mile. Call us today to discover what exclusive treatment really is like.

Philadelphia Taxi June 2014 Fuel Surcharge

On April 23, 2012 the Board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, at its scheduled April meeting approved a measure implementing a fuel surcharge system for all Philadelphia Taxicabs and Airport Transfer Services, (a category of limousine service largely provided in vans).
The surcharge system allows for the fuel surcharge to change monthly based on fluctuating gas prices as described in the chart posted with the Board Resolution of April 23, 2012 (see link for chart on this page at December 19 Posting).
As required in the April 23, 2012 Resolution, the average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline must be evaluated each month, the corresponding surcharge determined and then posted on the Taxicab and Limousine page of the Authority’s website on the third Friday of that month for the following month.
The fuel surcharge for June 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014 is as follows:

For Taxicabs – $1.10 per trip.
For Airport Transfer Services (as described above) – $2.45 per passenger.

Event Planning Trends – The Future in 5 Trends

Staging cutting edge events can be a constant challenge. You need to keep up with trends in technology, the industry and figure out what’s currently in. This post brings you 5 trends that we see developing in the near future, so you can keep your events at the leading edge of what’s going on at the moment.

Elaborate Invitations

Invitations are getting ever more personal, themed and more effort than ever before seems to be going in to them. An elaborate invitation, tied in with the theme of your event can add real flair to the event and should increase you number of attendees.

Gourmet Comfort Foods

Eating simple but very well made comforting food can provide a very intimate atmosphere at any event. It’s likely that the uptake of ‘classic’ dishes will increase in the short term. Dishes like Macaroni and cheese with shiitake mushrooms is a great example of a classic dish that when made to a very high standard can have the kind of effect we’re talking about.

Classic Games

Simple classic entertainment can also add to the intimate feel of party type events. They can ensure that your attendees laugh, participate and engage at your event, so they’re probably on the up. The great aspect for planners is that classic games can break down barriers and make the process of getting to know new people much easier.

Local Fare

Along with classic food the other major factor is locally produced or sourced food. This, as most are aware, is a trend that’s been going on for a while now but will, we think extend, to more and more aspects of event planning. If you using locally grown vegetables, that taste great and support your local community, why not provide locally manufactured hand towels for the bathroom – taste aside, they’d seem to offer similar benefits.

Vibrant Themes

While the trend for food and entertainment may be classic, themes are likely to be bold and vibrant moving forward. Colors, which are bright and audacious, like strong orchid or cerulean, will certainly figure. The theme can help set the mood for your events and so can create the same positive vibe that you’re looking for in food and entertainment.

Philadelphia Limo just loves supporting local events. Operating in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and New York we offer a wide selection of the newest models of luxury sedans, SUVs and mini coach bus rentals, for you to choose from. No matter if you are a party of one or twenty, Philadelphia Limousine offers
the ultimate luxurious travel experience available. We hope that this post has in some small proved useful and would love to be your next travel partner, call our team today.

How to choose the right limousine or car service in Philly

Finding a good limo service can be tricky. With so many companies and cars to choose from, how do you pick the right one?

It might be quite challenging to decide what “the best limo service in Philly” is, and here is why. There is a great number of limo companies in Philadelphia and it would be virtually impossible to hire them all in order to compare based on the price, level of service, dependability etc. Of course, you can Google the top 10 car services in Philadelphia, but the ones with a lot of money for advertising doesn’t necessarily make them the best limo service in all of Philadelphia. Do not get me wrong, they may well be, but how can you be certain?

Now, it depends what level of service you are looking for. Here are a few points to consider before hiring a limo company:

• Do you just want a clean black Luxury Sedan or an SUV?
• Do you want a well-dressed driver as well (black suit and tie)? Unbelievably, there are “limo companies” that allow their drivers to show up at work dressed in jeans or wearing sneakers!
• Do you mind the limo being 5-6 years old?
• What happens if the limo you want to hire brakes down one hour before your pick-up? Would that company have another car to send you?
• Wouldn’t be nice if the driver will not ask you for directions every 10 minutes?
• What if the car gets into an accident — did you check with the company to see IF they have commercial insurance? Are they fully insured and certified? Are they licensed?
• Do they even have a website, or a phone number?

Licenses

Every Philadelphia limousine service must have Philadelphia Parking Authority license number. This license is issued by the PPA and allows a limo company to legally operate in the city.

Years In Business

Business Experience is important. Services with some time under their belts are usually better than start-ups. If you run across a new business, ask about the operator’s background. Some of the finest boutique companies are relatively new but are operated by managers and drivers with years of limousine experience.

Insurance

Every car operating in Philadelphia should have commercial vehicle insurance. Town Cars  and SUVs are required to have a minimum of $1.5 million in liability coverage. Vehicles that carry eight passengers or more should carry at least 3.0 million.

I don’t think that if you have a plane to catch and your home is located in the suburbs you will be too comfortable sitting around and wondering why the limo driver hasn’t arrived yet. “Oh well, he has three more minutes to get here”, “maybe the traffic is bad”… Nope, the chances are, if the driver has not showed up yet, he or she will be late. Any reliable limo company knows that the driver should be at the designated location at least 10 minute before the pick-up time. There are so many fly-by-night limo companies around, but who has time to check them all out? After all, everything you want is to get a good price. Until you run into problems…

Another important detail is to book your Philadelphia Limousine in advance. Try to book as soon as you know your flight details to get it out of the way. However, ask the company about their cancellation policy in case you cancel the trip. Ask them about late hour fees (early morning and late night), the number of passengers for the rate you have been given, holiday surcharge, extra stop fee, toll fees, fuel charge or taxes and pets policy. Ask them to give you the grand total for you trip, all included. It is your obligation to ask these questions. They might have all this information on their website, but you probably do not have time to read all their terms and conditions. That does not make them bad companies; it is just another strategy for promoting their business.

If you’d like, arrange to see the car and check it out before the event. Is it clean? Did they give you a different limousine or another color or even another size/brand? Make sure you ask all the questions before the time of pickup.

Do your homework, call them up and ask as many questions as you want. My advice is to try a few companies and if you find one that you are pleased with, stick with it even if they ask 5-10 dollars more than the competition. Do not assume that because one company charges $65 from Philadelphia airport to Downtown Philadelphia and another one charges $85 or even $100, the last ones are automatically better. The chances they are not, the service is the same but you pay more for the name. But why pay extra when you do not really have to.

These are just some important considerations you need to look into when planning your limousine ride. It's important that you take the time to research and learn as much as you can about it. This will help you make an informed decision and get service that suits your needs and preferences.

Few Words of Advice On Choosing Limosine Servise For Prom

Regulated Vehicles Help Ensure a Safe, Smooth Ride. 

As prom and wedding season approaches, we would like to make sure that you make informed, safe decisions when selecting a transportation service for your special occasion. Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind when choosing a limousine company.

All limousines operating in Philadelphia are regulated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, which includes annual vehicle inspections, background checks on drivers, verification of insurance coverage and rate filings. By law, any company that advertises or offers limousine services in Philadelphia must have PPA license. All PPA licensed vehicles could be easily identified by the PPA sticker at the right bottom corner of the windshield.

Limousine brokers do not have actual vehicles, but coordinate transportation service (as middlemen) between customers and the limousine companies. When negotiating, remember that PPA does not regulate brokers. Customers should keep in mind that photos on broker's websites most likely do not represent the actual vehicles that are used.  In many instances, brokers websites provide false and/or misleading information to consumers.

Prospective limousine customers should follow these strategies before signing a contract:

•Ask for the company’s PPA and/or PA PUC number

•Inspect the vehicle personally

•Know the difference between a limousine broker and the actual limo company

•Review all terms outlined in the contract

•Contact Philadelphia Parking authority to verify that a company is authorized to provide transportation services in the City of Philadelphia.

Reputable limousine companies also adhere to state laws regarding underage drinking.

A driver may refuse to transport students home if they appear to be drunk, are combative, or have tobacco or drugs. It is not uncommon for limos to prohibit students from bringing outside beverages, snacks or containers (other than a clutch purse) into the vehicle.

We hope you enjoy your proms by using safe, reliable Philadelphia limousine companies.

We want you to remember this night for all of the right reasons!

Web: http://www.philly-limo.com
Phone: 215-485-7265
Google+: https://plus.google.com/108359335192097333961

Philadelphia Taxi September 2013 Fuel Surcharge

On April 23, 2012 the Board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, at its scheduled April meeting approved a measure implementing a fuel surcharge system for all Philadelphia Taxicabs and Airport Transfer Services, (a category of limousine service largely provided in vans).
The surcharge system allows for the fuel surcharge to change monthly based on fluctuating gas prices as described in the chart posted with the Board Resolution of April 23, 2012 (see link for chart on this page at December 19 Posting).
As required in the April 23, 2012 Resolution, the average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline must be evaluated each month, the corresponding surcharge determined and then posted on the Taxicab and Limousine page of the Authority’s website on the third Friday of that month for the following month.
The fuel surcharge for September 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013 is as follows:
For Taxicabs – $1.00 per trip.
For Airport Shuttle and Limousine Transfer Services (as described above) – $2.25 per passenger.