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Selecting a Corporate Transportation Provider

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Corporate travel represents a large sector of people you will see in hotel lobbies, and airports. Simply put, corporate travel is big business. The decision of selecting a company to provide the best transportation for you and your work team is an important one. If you make the decision based upon price and go with companies like Uber, Lyft or other network companies, you might be placing your team in jeopardy as these private individuals driving people around are not subject to the same federal, state and local oversight that licensed transportation companies operate under. You might be surprised to learn that most vehicle insurance policies have a specific exclusion that does NOT cover accidents where a paying passenger was in the car or the car was being used for commercial purposes. Here are several other important tips when selecting a ground transportation provider. Plan Ahead Whenever possible, make your travel arrangements in advance. Doing this will ensure you get the vehicle you want and perhaps even your favorite chauffeur. One more reason to take care of the booking as soon as you plan to travel is to make sure you don’t arrive at your destination and realize you forgot to book a pick-up. If you are the one responsible for the travel arrangements of others, a mistake like this could be even worse than forgetting your own transportation arrangements. To book corporate transportation with Ecko Worldwide in any of the 1000+ cities we serve, we will always ask you how many people you need to transport, the type of vehicle you are requesting and any specific requirements you might have for the vehicle. We also need to know the date of service, what time service will begin, the pick-up location and your destination or itinerary. Specify Exactly What You Want Car services such as Ecko Limo are frequently called a car service, a limousine company or ground transportation providers. Your selected provider should have thorough experience with corporate transportation. Don’t be afraid to ask for references. If a company cites confidentiality for not providing references, move on. Companies that have solid relationships with their provider are always willing to speak on their behalf. Be as specific with your requests as you want with your order. There is a vast difference between a luxury ground transportation provider and Uber. Experienced providers know the importance of having SUV’s, sedans, limousines, luxury shuttle buses and even limousines. Whether you prefer a black Escalade or a black Expedition, your provider should be able to provide what you want. Concierge Services Many corporate travelers take advantage of the services a chauffeur can provide that extend well beyond simply driving the vehicle. Many chauffeurs have spent hours tracking down lost bags and delivered them to the hotel long after the ride was over. If you need 100 copies of a document to be printed, chances are your chauffeur knows where to have them printed right away. Looking for the perfect Italian restaurant? Your corporate chauffeur likely knows the best one in town and will even make the reservation for you. This is the difference between luxury service and taxi cabs or Uber/Lyft drivers. Ask About Pricing You simply cannot engage luxury service based upon price. As a corporate traveler or travel booker, you already know that you can get a cheap room at Motel 6. You also know that you cannot expect your room to look like a Marriott room. You know the old saying, you get what you pay for. Pricing in the industry varies from flat fees to hourly fees or time and distance fees. While corporate pricing may exist, you may need to earn your way to different “tier levels” based on actual past usage. Transportation companies are wise to those who claim they will be a big account and deliver a lot of business so they set corporate pricing based on the intended reward of loyalty. The more travel you do, the better rate you will get. Donot be afraid to negotiate despite this fact. Confirmations Some transportation companies can go overboard with confirmation after confirmation. This isna’t a bad thing. Sending no confirmation is never acceptable. Ask about what confirmations you can expect. As soon as you complete your reservation you should receive an email confirmation. Within 24 hours of your reservation day you should receive another confirmation by email and perhaps a phone call in the hours leading up to your pick-up. For airport pick-ups, you should also receive notifications telling you the name of your chauffeur, his/her cell number, where they will meet and a description of the vehicle they are driving.