“The limousine service called. Driver is lost. Apparently he went to the wrong entrance” Sound familiar?

The decorations are perfect; the atmosphere is resplendent. The caterer is right on time with the most delicious menu. Everything is in place, and on time, for the greatest event of the year. Everything except the transportation.

Elegant events are an art form. Everything is coordinated in perfect detail and precision. But, according to some of the top event planners, it’s event transportation they stress over the most.

You can put the antacids away for your next event. Here’s 5 things that will take your stress level down a notch the next time you have to deal with luxury event transportation.

5 Standards of Superior Event Transportation

These standards aren’t normal in the industry. We put them in place at Brilliant because we understand transportation from the client’s perspective. We make it our mission that, when we provide luxury event transportation, the service is seamless, precise, and punctual.

When you’re booking transportation for your next big event, make sure they’re able to live up to these 5 standards of excellence to ensure superior service for your event.

1. Require A Dedicated Event Transportation Consultant

If a transportation company only wants to take the order, get directions, and send drivers, and send the bill, pick another company.  Superior service starts with the planning stage.

The event transportation company should provide you with a dedicated consultant. They should work with you step-by-step to ensure an adequate, strategic game plan. Thought should be given to routes, venues, times, and guest counts.  How many vehicles will it take to transport guests efficiently?  Do all guests need to be moved at the same time or can we recycle a fewer number of luxury minibuses or Mercedes Sprinter vans acting as transportation shuttles?

Custom solutions should be offered to make transportation an amazing part of the event experience rather than a necessary, unpleasant chore.

2. Require Pre-Event Route Checks

Your transportation consultant should physically go through the event strategy to check for routes, road closures, blockages, and other potential hazards.  They should check with transportation officials to ensure there is no construction planned along the routes during the event, and plan detours accordingly.

Entire routes, approach directions, and route restrictions should be thought through, discussed, and planned.

Some things to consider:

• Route Restrictions
• Height Restrictions
• Turning Restrictions
• Construction / Road Closures
• Smoothness of Ride
• Time of transport from point to point.

3. Require Pre-Event Chauffeur Dry Runs

Just having a game plan isn’t enough. Even seasoned veterans practice their sport each and every week. Why? Because excellence comes through practice and repetition, not through planning or theory.

Just because the event transportation company has a map, GPS, clock, and directions doesn’t mean they will seamlessly execute the game plan.  With your event on the line, you don’t need a transportation company whose drivers are unprepared for the unique requirements of your unique event.

Require chauffeurs to complete dry-runs of the routes, approaches, and any other custom necessities associated with your event. They should practice before the big game.

Companies that offer this service are rare so don’t be surprised if most balk at this request.  But think what would happen if an overhang was measured incorrectly during the planning stage. Do you really want to discover that vehicles, full of your guests, are too tall or too wide to make it to the venue?

4. Require On-site Coordinators

No event is guaranteed flawless performance. It only takes one, small oversight or nail in the road to completely derail event transportation. Event planners that rely on themselves to handle every emergency are setting up for disaster.

You should require your event transportation company to provide on-site coordinators. These coordinators will be in constant, direct contact with each and every chauffeur, as well as event staff and other vendors. They can handle, and divert any potential or unexpected catastrophes without you or your guests ever noticing.

For instance, imagine the headache of dealing with some of the luxury vehicles tires going flat, or they’re involved in an accident on the way to your event.  Everything else would have to wait as you put all your attention on replacing a vehicle that is now unusable.  You would have to contact the limo company who would then try and coordinate with you to get another vehicle to the venue.

With on-site coordinators, problems like this are handled directly by the transportation company.  If something unfortunate happens with one of the vehicles, the coordinators immediately dispatch a replacement. That’s superior, seamless service.

On-site coordinators are a must for larger events, especially if you’re looking for superior service.

5. Require On-site Emergency Vehicles

Finally, an event transportation company should provide on-site emergency vehicles.  We always recommend bringing along our Cadillac Escalades for emergencies.  These come in handy when unexpected trips are needed, such as a guest who falls ill, or VIPs whose flight was delayed.

There are countless scenarios where event staff or VIPs are in need of a quick transport outside the realm of what was planned. Having a transportation company that considers this as part of their service is invaluable to producing flawless events.

Why Settle for Substandard Service?

Each of these standards are just small examples of what it takes to provide superior event transportation. Your transportation provider should make it their life pursuit to making you a success.

Ultimately, providing superior event transportation comes down to delighting your clients. It’s as simple as that.

Events are an art form. Event transportation should be an art form as well.  

Everything else is just a ride in a car.