Dallas,
Texas, may seem like just your run-of-the-mill
Southern city.
Sure, Dallas is the fourth largest market in
the U.S. (including Fort Worth). It’s well known
for its barbeque, authentic Mexican, and Tex-Mex
cuisines. Of course it now lays claim to the
world’s largest video screen, housed in the
state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium. And what American
doesn’t call to mind the assassination of President
John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 in Dealey
Plaza, which now has a museum inside the former
Texas School Book Depository, where the fatal
shots were fired. The city definitely plays
a major part in America’s history.
However, when thinking about Dallas there are
a lot of facts that aren’t common knowledge,
but are surprisingly impressive. The Metroplex,
as Dallas and neighboring city, Fort Worth,
are known, is home to 24 Fortune 500 company
headquarters, including AT&T, ExxonMobil, American
Airlines, Texas Instruments, and Southwest Airlines.
The AT&T Performing Arts Center, which opened
in October 2009, is the largest urban arts district
in the U.S. The Dallas Farmers Market is the
largest working local growers’ market in the
country, with more than 1 million visitors annually.
The team at ALT Worldwide Chauffeured Services
has settled into Dallas quite nicely. Since
founding the company in 1999, Mike Hoque, along
with partners Rickey Khan, Talal Mumith—who
passed away in 2005 (his wife Sultana now holds
controlling interest)—and brother Kevin have
become more than transportation providers: they
see themselves as providing solutions. Whether
it’s day-to-day service for corporate clients,
assisting meeting planners on site visits, coordinating
lunches at any of their four restaurants, or
helping the local professional sports organizations
with event management, ALT does it.
The Hoques, originally from Bangladesh, have
been in the United States since they were teenagers.
Mike was driven by an entrepreneurial spirit
at an early age—which he inherited from his
father who was in the transportation industry
in Bangladesh—and founded ALT, of which he is
now chairman in an advisory role.
Their father passed in 1991. From then on, Mike,
now 36, assumed the role of mentor, best friend,
and, more importantly, father figure to Kevin.
He even put Kevin, now 29, through college at
the University of Texas, where he originally
planned to study medicine, until he himself
was struck with the same entrepreneurial itch
and joined ALT.
“I was in my third year of college studying
pre-med when I realized during all of the lab
hours that I wanted to be an entrepreneur,”
says Kevin, who graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor
of Science. “It’s in my genes and my classmates
were just different than I was. I was spending
less time in class and more time in the office
and enjoying industry functions. I was learning
more on the outside than inside the classroom,
and it just grew within me.”
ALT initially targeted the retail market in
the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It worked for the
company for a while, but as many transportation
services have found, diversification is necessary
to succeed. “The retail side was a bit of a
revolving door,” says Kevin. The abundance of
major companies meant transitioning to corporate
clientele was inevitable. Kevin, who is ALT’s
President/CEO, says retail work plays a minimal
role in the company. Requests usually come for
a CEO’s daughter’s birthday or high-end weddings,
and ALT keeps an Escalade and a Hummer stretch
in its fleet for those purposes.
ALT is a preferred transportation provider for
the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas
Stars, and Texas Rangers. It also works with
the American Airlines Center, AT&T Performing
Arts Center, and hotels such as W, Westin, Hilton,
Omni, Hyatt, and Warwick-Melrose. The keys to
ALT’s continued success are relationships, hard
work, and integrity, according to Kevin. “Building
relationships with sports teams, convention
service managers, and hotel associates helps
us better service those niches,” he says.
Proximity is important. ALT is headquartered
15 minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth International
(DFW) Airport and 10 minutes from Dallas Love
Field Airport (DAL). Its sales office is in
the process of moving into the Comerica Building
in downtown Dallas. “This is key for our sales
staff to be nearby the businesses and the decision
makers of various Fortune 500 companies and
hotels. We’ll be able to hold meetings conveniently
in that office,” says Kevin.
Kevin stresses that the relationships created
with these clients are all about being a solution,
not just transportation. “We want to help these
organizations become more efficient. They are
all looking for different things, and we adapt
to better suit them,” he says.
“We look at ourselves as an extension of our
client, like a hotel for instance. When a meeting
planner comes to town for a site inspection,
we are the first and last impression on them
as the transportation—not to mention an ambassador
for Dallas. So we embrace and represent the
hotel brand all the way down to the details
inside the vehicles,” he says. Those details
would include branded water bottles, information
packets, and even scented cloths in the air
vents to make the car smell like the hotel.
The Hoques have other valuable tools when it
comes to being a solution for their clients.
Mike is also the founder and owner of Dallas
Restaurant Group Concepts (DRG). Nearly 5 years
ago, Mike decided to venture into other businesses
outside of ALT, and he opened Go Fish Ocean
Club, a seafood restaurant. Then he opened Dallas
Fish Market, which was rated the “5th Best Seafood
Restaurant in America” by Bon Appetit in 2008.
As the fine-dining arena took off for Mike,
he created a franchise opportunity and opened
a casual, fast-food version of Go Fish, called
Fish Express. The only place of its kind in
Dallas, this restaurant offers a healthy menu—50
percent of which is certified by Medical City
Heart’s restaurant program, which promotes heart-healthy
dining.
With his seafood niche secure, Mike just opened
Dallas Chop House, a steak restaurant in the
heart of downtown Dallas, on New Year’s Eve
2009. (On the day after this profile interview
concluded, Mike and his partners were featured
in an article on the front page of the business
section of the Dallas Morning News.) Housed
on the ground floor of the Comerica Building—a
main employment center in Dallas—Dallas Chop
House is DRG’s third fine-dining establishment.
These restaurants launched ALT to a new level
of becoming a solution for its clients.
“Private dining areas can be sectioned off in
these restaurants for board of director’s meetings
or for private luncheons. There’s a lot of cross
promotion, and it allows for our clients to
get more from ALT than just car service,” says
Kevin.
Outside of these companies, Mike partnered with
Jamie Adams, owner of a premium real estate
services company in Dallas, and Lane Darracq,
an accomplished builder, to form a commercial
and residential construction company called
Greenmark Build. Projects in the company range
from $500,000 to $5 million, according to Kevin,
and include homes, shopping malls, and remodels.
The next project is still in the works, but
Kevin guarantees it will be much larger than
anything previously done.
The driving force in these endeavors remains
the Hoques’ entrepreneurial spirit. “It’s important
never to settle for mediocrity,” says Kevin.
“That word does not exist in my vocabulary.
We have the highest standards for everything
and don’t compromise.”
This mentality trickles down to every aspect
of ALT, including employees, or as they are
referred to at ALT, associates. There are 13
office associates and over 30 chauffeurs in
the organization. Kevin places a premium on
hand-picking his staff. “We feel that we spend
more time with each other during the day in
the office than we do with family,” he says.
“I like to hand-select people based on how their
personalities will mix with the rest of us.”
The candidate endures a rigorous selection process
that begins with a phone interview, then a face-to-face
meeting, and followed by an invite to a social
setting with the rest of the ALT team to observe
etiquette. “I get opinions from other associates
so I know if there will be a harmony of personalities
in the office. People don’t spend enough time
on this, but it lessens the chance that I will
get a call in the middle of the night that someone
didn’t show up for a shift,” he says.
Keeping every aspect of the company running
smoothly begins with training, says Kevin. “It
does come down to training, especially ongoing
training.” Staff go through ALT University and
learn customer service 101. “Everyone goes through
the reservation process so they can understand
the standards, sales etiquette, or phone taboos,”
he says. “The key to managing is empowering
every associate and making them a part of the
decisions.”
A big emphasis is also put on chauffeurs. “We
have a sign outside of the building that says
‘Hiring Chauffeurs.’ When someone comes in to
apply, we ask them what position. If they say
the word ‘chauffeur,’ then we know that we have
a viable candidate who recognizes the difference
between a chauffeur and a driver,” says Kevin.
“Chauffeurs are always anticipating clients’
needs on the go. It’s not only about how much
experience a candidate has either. It’s also
about attitude. Anyone with the right attitude
is eligible.”
Kevin is inspired by his own customer-service
excellence experiences. One he always shares
with chauffeurs is about an Emirates Airlines
flight he took from London to Dubai. “I was
very tired when I got on the plane. I pulled
out a sleeping aid to take and before I could
even get it unwrapped there was a glass of water
sitting next to me from the hostess,” he recalls.
“Then she got out a pen and paper and asked
if I would like to give her my meal order right
then so she wouldn’t have to wake me up later.
This is a prime example of anticipating a client’s
needs on the go. I share this all the time.”
Training is a two-week process that includes
written exams, customer-service standards, training
videos, and a review of neutral conversation
topics—sex, religion, and politics are avoided
in the car with clients. ALT has also formed
a breakfast club for chauffeurs that meets every
other week. Chauffeurs discuss best practices,
view training videos, or dissect an airport
ride to see if the chauffeur followed the correct
order of operations—even getting down to intricate
details like whether or not to open the client’s
door before putting his luggage in the trunk.
“This has been instrumental in the growth of
our chauffeurs’ customer service,” says Kevin.
“With the advent of the breakfast club, we’ve
gotten calls from clients saying they noticed
an improvement in our services.”
Associates are motivated by several things to
maintain this high level of service. All associates
are reviewed once a year. Dispatchers also rate
chauffeurs once a month for a Chauffeur of the
Month program. There is even a Wall of Fame
outside of ALT’s dispatch center where all positive
client e-mails are posted for the company to
view. “These things have played a big part in
the retention of associates in the company,”
says Kevin. “It also creates a bit of friendly
competition internally.”
ALT also keeps its associates motivated with
incentives, like rewarding them with tickets
to sporting events, dinners, a night stay at
partner hotels, concerts, spa treatments, or
even the occasional rodeo. “We’re always reinforcing
our business relationships by using their products.
It shows how we value our associates, and allows
them to see their stake in the company and make
their careers here a success,” Kevin says.
He continues by saying he is who he is because
of the team he has around him. Rickey Khan,
one of the founding partners, is VP of operations.
“He has a great deal of the decision-making
power. He knows the secrets to our operations
and best practices, and he has done every job
from chauffeur to accounting and dispatch,”
says Kevin. Apart from that, Kevin also cites
Khan as a lifelong friend. “He is one of the
mentors and role models in my life and has always
encouraged me to reach out and network.”
Sultana Mumith, wife of Talal, is the vice president
of finance. She graduated from Detroit College
of Business and joined ALT in 2001. Kevin admires
her for her always-giving attitude and her passion
for promoting diversity programs at ALT.
Ryan Bradford, operations manager, is important
to the daily operations of the office, says
Kevin. “He brings 12 years of industry experience
and knows dispatch and group management. He
assists Rickey in all aspects of daily procedures.”
Sales manager Jillian Loughlin and Lori Clark,
director of sales, play instrumental roles in
ALT’s growth. Loughlin has been with the company
for over 2 years and helped ALT acquire the
W Hotel as a client. “She also works with nationwide
clients and will travel with meeting professionals
on site visits,” says Kevin. Clark is a hospitality
industry veteran. She spent 13 years with the
Marriot and has experience with acquisitions
and the RFP process with Fortune 500 companies.
“She has a wealth of knowledge in the travel
industry and can handle our elite clientele,”
he says.
Another key person is Vicki Stanbery, a 20-year
industry veteran and a former general manager
for a local DMC. “She brings an expertise in
everything from meeting solutions and manifest
planning to departure notices,” says Kevin.
Tim Hill is ALT’s customer service manager and
has been with the company for 2 years. “He has
outstanding management skills and brings much
experience from previous positions, especially
dispute resolution,” says Kevin. Hill is also
responsible for randomly monitoring phone calls
in the office. After a brief time with the company,
Hill was just named Associate of the Year for
2009, which is based on votes from within the
organization. Kevin says ALT will send him on
a week’s vacation to the Caribbean as a reward.
Overnight operations are handled by Lee Faz.
A former EMT and 911 operator, Faz’s quick-thinking
and reliability have made him a major component
of ALT’s progress.
When it comes to dispatch and affiliate relations,
ALT relies on Lauren Wakefield. “She will research
potential affiliates and examine their service
standards and if the phones are answered 24
hours,” says Kevin. ALT farms out about 20 percent
of its business to cities like Los Angeles,
New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C.,
and other cities. “Lauren helps us make decisions
on new affiliates. And in dispatch, she monitors
the four screens we have.”
Yes, four dispatch screens. Technology is a
major factor for ALT. In its 4th year of operation,
ALT began offering real-time online reservations.
“These are a necessity to our corporate clientele,”
says Kevin. “About 20 to 30 percent of our reservations
are done electronically. Generation Y is more
likely to go online for the reservations, and
we do see an increase every year. It’s an efficient
way to communicate changes back and forth.”
Kevin says he is actively seeking additional
cutting-edge technology. “The savings are unquestionable.
It helps so our office associates don’t get
tied up on the phone too long. Any automation
in the operations is a cost-saving.”
Kevin believes that GPS tracking and phone recording
have been instrumental for the industry. “These
technologies enhance our ability to provide
greater service to our clients. Knowing where
chauffeurs are with vehicles and being able
to determine which vehicle is closest to a certain
client is invaluable.” On his wish list would
be to see an all-in-one unit that has an on-dash
camera, GPS, communication, and Wi-Fi. “There’s
nothing on the market like that, but it would
be great not to have to buy five gadgets for
the things we as limousine operators want,”
he says.
“On our website, we strive to deliver the ultimate
bespoke experience for visitors,” says Kevin.
Bespoke—a British word that originally referred
to custom- or tailor-made clothing—has been
adopted by the technology community to mean
custom services or products. “Everyone wants
a customized experience for themselves,” says
Kevin. “We’ve categorized our site visitors,
so whether it’s an executive assistant or a
hotel agent, they can click on our site for
a customized landing page.” Once logged in,
visitors will see different tools available
from ALT that will make their travel experience
more suitable. “Executive assistants might be
looking for receipts or itineraries, while meeting
planners may be seeking manifest management
tools. Our site acts as a central spot for them
to find all of that information.” All of ALT’s
client hotels also have their own pages, re-affirming
the two-way relationship that the company believes
in.
It brings the high standards full circle as
well. “Things like this differentiate us from
our competition,” says Kevin. “The training,
the bespoke website, and even customization
inside our vehicles make the difference.” Just
as its location lends itself to servicing corporate
clientele, so does the vehicle mix, which is
particularly appealing to meeting planners and
hotel managers. ALT runs just over 30 vehicles
currently—16 sedans, 4 SUVs, 2 vans, 7 minibuses,
and 2 specialty vehicles.
Besides the in-vehicle standards mentioned previously
for its hotel clients, ALT has detailed requirements
for each and every client in its vehicles: Two
water bottles—one room-temperature and one cold—wrapped
in napkins, copies of the Wall Street Journal
and USA Today, up to 3 magazines (usually business
or health-related), standard 72-degree temperature,
and the radio tuned to a classical station.
ALT has service down to a science.
Kevin and the ALT team also pay a great deal
of attention to philanthropic work, so much
so that the company sets aside money in its
budget to give to charity every year. “We find
that sponsoring and donating to charitable causes
pays off in many folds,” says Kevin. Working
with the sports teams gives ALT the opportunity
to get involved in those foundations, as well
as put it on the radar for other organizations
like the American Heart Association or aWish
with Wings, a non-profit organization fulfilling
the wishes of children with life-threatening
illnesses. “Donating rides or transferring these
ill-fated children to and from the airport is
never a problem for us,” says Kevin.
Outside of ALT, Kevin dedicates much of his
own time to philanthropy and community-building
as well. He is a founding board member of the
Dallas chapter of the Society of Young Philanthropists
(SYP). The organization formed in Los Angeles
and has satellite chapters across the country.
Dallas is now up to 40 members of movers and
shakers—young, successful entrepreneurs or business
professionals who have a passion for helping
others. The group meets once a month to discuss
fundraising goals and donations to charities,
which are decided upon by the board. “I am so
grateful to be a part of SYP,” says Kevin. “I
am thankful to be around such giving people
who want to help those who are incapable of
helping themselves.”
Besides SYP, Kevin is also a board member of
the Dallas/ Fort Worth Limousine Association
(DFWLA). The association is growing, and all
members are gearing up for the Super Bowl, which
is being held at the Cowboys Stadium in 2011.
The DFWLA is currently fighting to spread awareness
to its regulatory bodies about creating a universal
permit between the counties, cities, and airport.
Right now, operators must have each vehicle
inspected and permitted by three different places
for three different permits, a major inconvenience
for all of the DFWLA’s members. ALT also belongs
to Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
and the National Business Travel Association
(NBTA).
Kevin is also a member of the Sports Club at
Four Seasons, a private membership golf and
country club. Here Kevin is the youngest member
and enjoys mingling with people of all backgrounds.
He sits on the social events committee for the
club and chaired its charity gala last year
where money was raised for the Cancer Services
at Baylor Medical Center Hospital. Kevin also
relaxes by playing golf at the club. “I’ve been
playing for almost 3 years now and it does calm
me,” he says. Kevin tackles each day by beginning
with a morning workout and breakfast at the
club, which pumps him up and gets him focused
for the daily operations. “It puts me in the
zone to conquer the next quest for business,”
he says.
As anyone in the industry knows, there is always
the challenge of balancing work with family
life. Kevin, who is single, loves being an uncle
to his brother’s, Rickey’s, and Sultana’s children,
taking them out places like the circus. “I try
as much as I can to enjoy time with my family.
I spend time at home with them on the weekends
and also get out with my friends,” he says.
Dallas is home for Kevin and his family now.
“I am acclimated to the weather and I probably
use the word ‘y’all’ more than I should,” Kevin
laughs. “The people here are genuinely caring
and strangers will actually have conversations
with you in elevators. You won’t see that in
L.A. or New York. The people I meet here are
willing to share life lessons, even those who
aren’t in the industry.”
The ALT family has developed into a Dallas dynasty
by letting their entrepreneurial spirits guide
them to transportation, fine-dining, and construction.
This is one company to watch in the coming years
to see where inspiration takes them next. LD |
