The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

Hi, my limo business is really picking up and I can't answer the phone and do the reservations myself anymore. I would like to find a phone answering service that will take reservations for me, but I don't know if they will have to use our software (LimoAnywhere) or if they will refuse to learn software.

Does anybody know of a service like this? We are based in Seattle, WA if that matters at all.

Sander, I know this post is pretty old... but if you or anyone you know is still looking for a call center that knows how to use our software try Steve @ LimoCallCenter.com. He is one of our customers and he actually works with quite a few companies that use Limo Anywhere, so his employees know it inside and out.

Thanks!

Max @ Limo Anywhere

Hi Farhan welcome to the forum!

Well I guess it is about time for us in this industry to get the same advantage many other large corporation have gotten by moving their call centers to Pakistan. If you could, as I assume you are already in the call center business, what would be the cost to a US business to have this service performed by your company?

To give you some guidance you will basically be getting three types of calls:

How much to hire a limo - This one you will have to get a listing of vehicles and their rates from each company as they vary. Prices will also vary on day of the week and month and sometimes by the time of day. Having a personable staff that is more "sales" oriented would be a beneficial as you really have to push (or lead) callers to commit to renting a limo. IF you approach this with the same type of thinking as say a "computer technical support" call center you are doomed to fail. You really have to "sell" the company with each phone call (sales lead)

Booking a reservation - This type of call your staff will have to ask pertinent questions that are vital to the completion of the run. Guess this could be done by a computer script. Knowledge of major airports and airline procedures in the US would be helpful for your staff to know.

Where is my vehicle/driver - These would be calls from people using the service and need to get into contact with their driver. You would need to have some sort of system in place to know what driver is doing what job. Although I assume any company doing business with you would have to make their Computer vehicle dispatching system available for your staff to view via remote. Through viewing this you would know what driver is doing what job. Most all drivers in the US have a cell phone so contact via that with a call or text message could work.

The next step would then be assigning the work to the drivers but I think most of the time that would be handled locally by the limo company as they usually have a few days lead time to assign drivers. But you will on occasion get last minute orders (maybe 4 hours lead time) where a driver will have to be assigned so have procedures in place to do that with the limo company.

Also many companies get their reservations via email so providing support for that would be a good selling feature also.

Think it could work all the technology is inplace, next question is how many owners would take advantage of this service? Would the fact it is in a foreign country sway your decision?

This probly wont get much attention ;-)

I want to open up a call centre for limo, if someone could guide me about it

Waiting for a positive response.

Dr Shah

quote:

Originally posted by Dick Hall:
Sorry Gunny

Dick ( ARMY )

That's OK Soldier. Just don't want to upset the wish they can be civilian types when us military guys start funning with each other. Still trying to figure out what the hell he received because of our posts though???

Sorry Gunny

Dick ( ARMY )

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Gunny You're One of Kind.. Semper Fi !!

Look forward to being apart of the forum!

Bill Goerl

quote:

Originally posted by Viperion Corporation / Limos.com:
As a civilian, anyone that's served the country and sacraficed their time is #1 IN MY BOOK. Cmon guys, don't hijack the thread!

Sorry

See what you started Dick! If you didn't post that long plea that new guy Sander wouldn't have received all kinds of irrelevant posts!

We already have a phone answering service to forward calls and take messages. This time I was inquiring about a service that would actually make reservations for me. Thanks to the advice I've received, we decided to hire somebody to train intead of outsource the job. I think it will be the best solution.

That being said, I think it's time to close this case. I did not intend for this thread to be overtaken by zealous Veterans and my inbox has been inundated with totally irrelevant posts. Thank you for serving our country, but this is a Limousine site! Let's all get along!

As a civilian, anyone that's served the country and sacraficed their time is #1 IN MY BOOK. Cmon guys, don't hijack the thread!

Need to send this request to a much higher authority Dick.

If the Army & the Navy
Ever gazed upon heavens scenes
They will find the streets are guarded
By the United States Marines

An open letter to our Beloved Administrator.

Sir or Madam

You will have noticed on this great forum,that a number of persons have crept in, whose principle claim to fame is that they served the United States of America as Marines.

They, of course, suffer under the delusion that their Corps is the only one in the Armed Forces.
They also think they are the smartest,sharpest and smoothest but that is a crock of ....

It is of course the Army that have produced the cream of the Military,and I think it is time that these infiltrators are relegated to their rightful place, three steps behind.

Would you use your good office to ensure that this is put into effect as soon as possible.

We can then all fight the same wars, but in the right order of battle.

When I am appointed Chairman of the World I will issue a directive to keep Marines out of sight and mind.

As a very humble soldier I thank you for your help in this matter.

Dick Hall ( ARMY )

Oh Man, the old boss has shown up.

Billy!!! What's going on?


Watch it Dick, another Marine has infiltrated the lines!

For the rest of the Operators, especially the new or struggling, this is the man to contact to learn the nuts & bolts of putting a successful business together including fine tuning the chauffeuring skills that will set you apart.

quote:

Originally posted by Limo Scene:
Welcome to the forum Bill. We are extremely fortunate to have you join and share your knowledge and expertise of the industry.

Keep watching,reciprocation is inevitable.

Welcome to the forum Bill. We are extremely fortunate to have you join and share your knowledge and expertise of the industry.

Sander,

There is a company called limophone, www.limo-phone.com. I have not used their service, nor do I know anyone who has, but they may offer a solution to your problem.

Good Luck!
Bill Goerl

Account clients have a special line. If they call the main line by mistake they are quickly put through. Since we don't have or wish to have a retail footprint, there usually aren't any calls to return in the morning. French Quarter bar charter calls are never returned. Ditto with proms and wedding package calls, etc. Every business has its own rhythm and ours is Government, Corporate & Convention. We followed and developed the path of contract work for our firm. The expensive Answering Service that we utilize is a necessary buffer for us. We are open 24 hours during City-wide events and certain high-profile moves that I am not at liberty to discuss on a forum.

I'm sorry Dean I just want to clarify that you DO use an answering service and ONLY account holders are put through and everyone else has to leave a message and you return their call during office hours OR do your clients have a special number that they call?

For account holders only after 10 P.M.

Dean, are you saying you use an answering service that "puts calls through" to you?

Dean, being intimately familiar with my operation, you know that I service surgical teams through out California and their calls frequently come in the middle of the night. I think it is important that they get someone to speak to immediately as lives are literally in the balance. They are, as you know, one of my largest clients. Additionally, I do a lot of work for companies based in New York and Florida who begin their day at 8:00am in NY which is still 5:00am in CA. We get change orders at midnight from someone on the East coast changing their plans in a discussion at 9:00pm in Boston. I guess being in the middle, of the U.S. you are only +/- 1 hour so probably not the big of an effect on you.

I personally go home at 5:00pm and come back at 8:00am and I don't mind sharing that I have put the fear in night and weekend employees not to call me in my "off time" as I refuse to let the business run me and my family. I have been there and done that 16 years ago. We are a large enough operation to have department managers, field supervisors and dispatchers who should be able to make command decisions on routine matters or they shouldn't be in their job. I want to hear from them only when a serious accident happens.

I know many, many friends in the business who forward their business calls to their cell phones 24/7. They take orders on Aisle #5 of the grocery store and on the 5th hole at the golf course. We all started that way but the goal should be expansion and freedom. Continuing to operate like that for years does nothing but burn you out.

Why would I want to hear about a breakdown on Saturday afternoon? I am not mechanically inclined. The dispatcher can dial a tow truck as well as I can AND knows what we have available to replace it with. She/he knows how to farm out a job, because it is what they do. I have a Fleet Manager who's job it is to get that car back on the road immediately and he will get it done. Same with surgical teams in the middle of the night calling for service.

I cannot tell you how cool it is to come in at 8:00am and find out that you made $4000 while you were sleeping. It's like my own personal form of a bonus!

I fully believe that in-house staff should answer all calls, day and night. I totally support an automated system which would page you or even send the call through to a designated rep such as:

For hourly rates & vehicle info, press 1
For Wine Tour Info, press 2
For airport service information, press 3
To speak with a reprsentative, press 4

You can buy these systems for in software form to work on your computer for less than $50 from Pingram Marketing. Please note, I don't use this system I am just aware of them.