In this page you can find the basic Chief Chicago Limo’s chauffeur training manual. As one of the top rated Chicago limo companies for years, we decided to get together all the requirements and characteristics needed to be an excellent chauffeur. Our chauffeurs strictly follow these guidelines which are our secret to win and retain loyal clients. Please feel free to use this page for informational or training purposes.
In addition to that, we can consult your team and train your chauffeurs/limo drivers all over the world. This way we will present you our extensive chauffeur training manual. Upon completion, we will issue you a certificate of excellence. For more information and pricing, please email us at bookings@chiefchicagolimo.com.
Chauffeur Training Manual
Everyone uses the same car makes for limousines, but the chauffeur is the the one that makes the difference. Your limo driver is the face of your company, especially if booking is done online and client has had no contact with anyone else. The chauffeur can either make or break your business. He/she is the backbone of your business. If you would like to be successful and stay on top of your competition, you need to realize that and make it your priority when running a limo company.
The hiring process is important-no doubt about that. However, it is just a screening to see if the candidate possesses already some qualities and skills for the job. The more you find, the easier your training process will be. Have in mind though, that not everyone is born a chauffeur and the job is getting harder and the hours are getting longer. It is very likely you may not have many “great” applicants. That’s why you will need to pay great attention to your training process to shape your drivers and grow your business.
Let’s discuss some of the most important qualities, skills and responsibilities of a chauffeur.
Qualities Of A Great Chauffeur
These can be and must be discovered at the hiring stage. Try to find out more about the person’s character, behavior and work ethic. When you interview your applicant, you should look for specific qualities which can make your life easier down the road. Don’t get me wrong! Even if these qualities are not present at the interview, you can still hire the person and train him/her. It’s just that it will take you more time, cause you more headaches and might cost you some business.
Well mannered, caring and sincere persons are great hires for chauffeurs. Think about it, you don’t want to babysit someone and pay them for that. Instead, you have business to run so look for people who are not missing the first 12-15 years of their lives. Avoid the rude and cocky applicants. Stay away from the phony ones too. There are other jobs for them. The position you offer is a face-to-face customer service position where your chauffeur will spend average one hour with each client. You cannot afford to place just anyone in that role.
Hard-working and ready-to-sacrifice individuals are a must for that role. Explain to your applicants the dark side of the job- the long hours and busy weekends and holidays. They should be aware that their day off will be probably mid week instead of a weekend. The job requires stretched hours with gaps between the jobs. Find out if the person is ready to miss a family holiday or two.
Reach out to former employers and teachers to find out more about the person applying to be your chauffeur. This screening part is very important for you because if you do not do your homework well here, you may have high turnover and misunderstandings later.
Skills Of A Chauffeur
Customer service skills are essential for being a chauffeur. The best way to train your employees is to explain them why certain thing should be done that way. This way you will have a limo driver who will know how to react in a certain situation. Cover all possible scenarios and teach them how to face unpredictable scenarios. Last but not least, tell your future chauffeur what and why should not be done on the job, what words are better to be used in conversations with clients, etc.
Driving skills are very important for the job. The safety of your passengers is your number one priority. Comfort and smooth ride come next. Spend as much time as you need training before you let your new hire drive your clients. If your vehicles are equipped with cameras, show them the everyday life-threatening situations on the road. Watch videos online or sign them up for defensive driving school. For comfortable and smooth ride, teach them the tricks of the trade. Some are to switch lanes and break earlier, scan the environment and predict the actions of the other drivers.
The customer service and the driving skills are essential part of the chauffeur training manual. It’s actually an ongoing process and your company should do weekly, biweekly or monthly briefings on these 2 skills. Discuss what has happened during that time and try to improve operations and avoid mistakes.
Our experience shows that those are the 2 main reasons a client will either stick with you, or go and look for another limo service. Do not underestimate them!
Responsibilities Of A Chauffeur
A chauffeur has ongoing daily responsibilities which are crucial for the growth and image of the limo company he/she represents. Personal hygiene, dress code, inspecting and cleaning the limo before each trip, keeping the client happy, maintaining clean driving and criminal record, etc. Each of these responsibilities have subcategories and makes the list of responsibilities longer. However, once mastered well, a limo driver makes them a habit and keeping up with them is very easy.
What More To Expect When You Invite Us For The Extensive Chauffeur Training Manual
As mentioned earlier, we offer extensive Chauffeur Training Manual seminars and webinars to those who are interested in bringing their limo business to the next level. When you book us for presentation, we will cover each of the above topics in detail, go through unpleasant situations from your and our experience and learn how to deal with them and avoid them in the future. We will also train your fleet managers how to enforce the chauffeur training manual and hold limo drivers responsible for their mistakes or violations.
Upon completion of the seminar/webinar, we will issue your limo company a certificate and we will do 2 follow ups within 6 months to see how are you doing.
