The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

Last night I attended a local Chamber of Commerce event called Summer Social. Those of you who have been on the board here for awhile know that I am the president of a childrens charity and put on a beer festival each year for about 6000 people as a fundraiser.

It is important to be connected to your community. I made it a point to sit with two of our city council people. Getting to know politicians is good. Specially to keep things like Gunny has to deal with from happening to you. See other threads for more on Gunny's issues.

Anyway, throughout the night, the announcer would say, "If you might have had too much too drink, we have limousines available from Limousine Scene to give you a free safe ride home. They care about the community enough to donate these vehicles for your safety." This message was repeated every 40 minutes from 6:40pm to the end of the event at 11:00pm.

I ran into my main competitor. We had cocktails, laughed, talked about how much exposure I was getting for doing safe rides home. I told her we had been doing it for ten years at the annual event. She said, no one ever asked her to help out. They didn't ask me either. I asked them!

So, before the night was over, I took the stage and the mic. I explained how a community should work together to make it a better place, a safer place. I told everyone that we had been giving free rides home for ten years and at this time I would like to ask my competitor to share this service with me next year. I pointed out this is an example of two competing companies coming together for a good cause.

This is the fabric of a community. Now, I issue a challenge to every reader of this post. Within the next 6 months, I challenge you to make some type of contribution to your own community that simply is being a good neighbor.

The marketing results can be fantastic from an act of random kindness and assistance to fellow mankind.

quote:

Originally posted by Dean Schuler:
It is obvious that your market doesn't have any of the ancient need and necessity laws which breed poor service and the culture of corruption.

"Need & Necessity" whereas the politicos & check writers decide for the public what businesses they need.

It is obvious that your market doesn't have any of the ancient need and necessity laws which breed poor service and the culture of corruption.

KC, I hear ya. There is absolutely no value in my monthly contributions to Make-A-Wish. I don't call camera crews to capture the dying child's shopping spree or make-over or whatever it is. Those are the one's you do so when you lay your head on the pillow at night you know you did something to make a difference in someone's life and hope that someone else takes notice and chalks it up as "good points" to offset other sins......... ya know what I mean.

But sometimes doesn’t it feel good just to help out the community - even if you don't get any direct exposure from it. Sure the marketing is a big plus, getting your company's name out to the public - having your company's named mention over the PA system or your company's name listed on the evenings programs. But sometimes having your heart feel good for doing something for others is very rewarding.

I have been lucky, as sure as many of y'all on the board. I have been in remission from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for almost a year (September 4th is my 1 year anniversary). I have a place in my heart for children who have cancer. I'm not the owner of the company, and typically when we donate our service, we only ask the passengers to tip the driver and some sort of recognition (which is usually done without asking). However, we donated our service to a local Cancer Hospital for dozen children to be taken out, and be driven to a local Build-A-Bear store, (I'm personally tipping the driver for their services). Is the owner expecting any publicity or to milk all he can...No. But do he and I just feel good that we did something for make little kids feel good on what might possibly be one of their final outings out of the hospital...Yes. Sometimes that alone is rewarding enough.

Jim, I do applaud you for all you have done for your community…I hope many others follow your lead.

I hear you Big Dawg & why I wished I kept heading west when I left NY. Last week in the news, F**king Hillsborough Commissioner brought up the idea of placing toll booths on county lines. Give you any idea of cooperative local governments here?

You must live it to understand it!

Gunny, I would like to believe that my local politicians have connections in Los Angeles but here is my thought on schmoozing them NOW. You refer to "big cities". Well, as Bakersfield is rapidly approaching the 1 million population level, we will soon be a "big city" and as cities grow they come up with more b.s. laws to govern more things & people. I started developing my "political roots" as soon as I was hold enough to vote. When you demonstrate to the politicos that you are a responsible business, operating safely with common sense and courtesy, there is little need for regulation to exist. We are fortunate enough to still be able to park in front of the airport terminal and go in to meet our guests. Our vehicles have airport decals (small) and our chauffeurs have airport issued photo ID's and the airport police will assist us in anything we ask for.

If a client loses luggage, when it arrives later, we go pick it up and deliver it to our client. As long as we have our airport ID, there is no problem with us picking up a third party's luggage. Don't try that at home.

If your politicians see you as a vital, participating member of the community who does the right things, it makes them think twice about slapping burdens on their "friends".

I am a member of a non-profit food bank that provides more than $300,000 worth of food boxes the Saturday before Christmas each year, valued at $250 each to members of the community that are too proud to ask for help. The people that are not on any form of gov't assistance are the ones who need help the most. I have been involved with the group sonce I was 10 years old.

I also own a lawn care company and I provide lawn maintenance for free to some elderly people that cannot afford a service and otherwise would go without it. I would like to start a non-profit that would accept donations so that we could provide this service to more than a handful but it is so damn hard.

quote:

Originally posted by Limo Scene:

Specially to keep things like Gunny has to deal with from happening to you. See other threads for more on Gunny's issues.

Good points Big Dawg but not applicable to the issues I deal with. If LA starting regulating Tampa style doubt your Bakersfield connections would make a big impact on the politicos in LA. Or in other words, if you can't vote them into office, you are not part of the equation.

Of course, Houston may want to take this lead as Houston Operators are constantly finding their peckers in a vice. Fighting a empowered taxicab lobby can be an uphill battle though.

Guess things just work different in big cities!