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When
I started my limousine business in 2005, literally
from scratch,
I received priceless amounts of advice from
the seasoned operators I befriended. Perhaps
the best piece of advice, however, was also
the simplest: Be different. Do something to
stand out from your competition.
I meditated on those words for a while, noticing
that the simplicity of the words actually created
a fair challenge; then I set out to find the
secret ingredient that would make my cake better
than all of my competitors—or at least to make
mine the irresistible choice for my customers.
The first thing I did was to try and figure
out a niche, something that was smart, creative,
and realistic. What could I do that my competitors
didn’t? What did I have that would benefit my
customers more than using the limousine service
down the street? It was a moment that required
me to think like my customer, without falling
into the trap of being so unique that the idea
didn’t connect with them. This is where market
research becomes a valuable tool. Just having
a different cake doesn’t “cut” it; you also
have to look at the not-so-successful niches
that your competitors have tried and abandoned.
It’s pointless to have a killer recipe for Black
Forest cake when your market only demands carrot
cake with cream cheese frosting.
I started by thinking at a very basic level:
the initial phone call. I called around 50 limousine
companies at various times of the day to get
an idea of how they answered the phone, how
efficient the call was, and, most importantly,
if it was answered by a live person. To my surprise,
only eight companies out of the 50 answered
the phone with a live operator. I knew I had
found something. When I first started out, the
business was run out of my home. I had an assistant
who answered phones from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During
those hours there was a live voice, and I took
over from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. After that time,
calls were routed to a cellphone. I never used
an answering service because I feared that my
customers would not receive the same attention
I would give them. As my business was young,
I was not going to take a chance of losing one
single customer.
Next, I thought of my marketing efforts. I created
a memento for my retail customers who were celebrating
a special event. I would take a digital picture
of my birthday, anniversary, and wedding groups
in front of the limousine, which I would later
crop and add a note such as “Happy Birthday
from Clique Limousine.” The photo would be placed
in an acrylic frame with a magnet so the customer
could hang it on his refrigerator. It reminded
the customer of the trip, of which my company
was a part, and encouraged him to call me again
to book another trip. And no one would throw
away a picture of themselves.
Continuing my simple approach, I knew another
way to make it all work was to have the very
best people working for my company. It was my
people in the best possible positions—on the
frontlines—that would make it all click. This
approach alone could be my selling point. Some
companies are proud of their low prices; some
choose to highlight their distinctive or eclectic
fleets. Having the friendliest, most professional
staff alone—where even small errors were instantly
addressed—could have easily been my company’s
motto. Think: high-end hotel over discount travelodge.
As an aside, I just cannot emphasize enough
the power of a good team of people. By hiring
passionate and caring people who live and breathe
customer service, they become dedicated to your
success as well as their own.
This is a highly competitive business and we
must find our way to be different, while continuing
to meet the demands of the market. The business
is changing and we are heading into many directions
of opportunity; we simply cannot operate today
as we did 5 or even 10 years ago. I encourage
operators young and old to always look for a
new and exciting niche that will make your companies
stronger and more powerful. Be creative, be
competitive, and always make your cake more
irresistible to customers than the other guys’.
LD
Jake Hellner is the owner of Clique
Limousine based in Olathe, Kansas, which he
opened in 2005. Before joining the industry,
he worked in professional management for the
retail and service industries for 12 years.
Hellner can be reached at (913) 271-6786.
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