Proper Chauffeur Hiring is Key to Limousine Company Success
Your Chauffeur Is Your Company
Driver selection and chauffeur hiring are the most critical management functions in maintaining a safe limousine operation. When you fail to select and hire properly, the result is always unsafe acts committed by unqualified drivers. When driver selection and chauffeur hiring is done properly and management adheres to established company standards, a better chauffeur force will result. Your company IS personified by your drivers so why not make the selection, hiring and retention of your most valuable resource your top priority.
It is important that you and your company abide by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all areas of operations. In the process of recruiting, selecting and hiring chauffeurs this requires operators and managers to be familiar with all aspect of state and local laws and regulations.
Hiring the wrong driver could result in accidents and the associated high cost of a claims settlement. The chauffeur reflects your company and a poor selection or shoddy hiring practices will cost you in the end. It is better to have a vacant position then to fill it with the wrong person who does not meet your standards. Shortcuts in the hiring process can be deadly to both your business and your customers.
Hiring Standards are Critical
In order to select a chauffeur you have to establish job standards including tasks and duties of the job. These standards must be applied equally to all applicants. Once you have established the standards, it is important to create a job description. If you are not clear on what you expect the chauffeur to do, how can the driver ever really know how to do his or her job properly? A simple list of the job duties and responsibilities during the hiring process will go a long way in solving the dilemmas that occur when a chauffeur is not performing well. The candidate should be provided with a copy of the job description. Once the standards are established and the job description list is created, then you can create the job application form. While using standardized forms is acceptable, make sure you add appropriate questions that will provide information that is specific to your type of operation. Finally, your company driver training/orientation program must be in place before you hire the driver so both of you have a road map to follow once a hiring decision has been made.
Once a candidate has been identified and the application reviewed, you must conduct an interview. Interviews are very important because they give each of you a chance to evaluate the work situation. Interviews are “planned communications”. It is important for you to have a specific set of questions and ask them in an open-ended manner. Be prepared for the interview and schedule the time and place. Your job is to listen to the answers, so give the candidate all of your attention even if it is a short interview. Answering the phone or dispatching while you are interviewing will not work. Be cordial and purposeful and conduct the interview in as private and quiet place as possible. During the interview, you should evaluate the following: appearance, personality, speech, intelligence, education, experience, abilities, potential for further development and ambition. Be sure you do not make promises; be truthful and specific. And, if you say you will get back to the candidate, do so.
Chauffeur Hiring: Turning A Candidate Into A Chauffeur
Once the interview process is complete and the applicant becomes a candidate you still have a lot of work to do. This process can often become one-sided if either the applicant or the manager has different impressions. There is a “mating dance” to the chauffeur hiring process and the stage between the interview and the hiring is critical to both the candidate and the employer. After the manager identifies the candidate as someone who is acceptable for chauffeur hiring, the following steps have to be completed: driving/road test; complete background check; obtain and review the Motor Vehicle Record (MVR).
The job of turning the candidate into an employee can only work if the manager has a script and the script is directly related to the initial steps of having a job description and hiring standards. So, if you didn’t start at the beginning, you will get lost in the middle and lose in the end. Always recognize that the informal information you gather is important but unless it is verified, should not be taken as fact.
It’s More Than Just Driving
When considering a chauffeur candidate’s driving skills, be sure to evaluate the following: city driving, highway driving, turning, backing, adaptation to weather and/or road conditions, reaction to driving stress/pressure, ability to navigate/read a map, ability to manage multiple tasks and ability to manage passengers. Even the most technically proficient chauffeurs will make driving mistakes if they do not have the right personality to manage customers and the stress of driving. Observing the chauffeur in “people” situations is critical to his or her success as a professional chauffeur.
Chauffeur training is the final step in the hiring process. It is critical that the driver training efforts be documented and consistent. Getting the chauffeur into the vehicle is often a slower process than both of you would like but, if done properly, will protect your company and your customers.
Don’t assume an experienced chauffeur will adapt on his or her own to the unique aspects of your operation or customers. Don’t assume a new chauffeur understands every aspect of each vehicle model. Don’t assume a new chauffeur knows how to drive to the locations you travel to. If the chauffeur is experienced, then review how your company manages these issues. If it’s an inexperienced driver, then take the time to teach him or her how to do these things properly. The payoff of training is chauffeur retention and customer satisfaction, two of the most important operational issues limousine company owners face each day.
The cost of hiring a professional chauffeur is rising, but the cost of not hiring properly is skyrocketing. The chauffeur is the cornerstone of your company, so every minute of time you spend training before that individual is assigned to a vehicle will pay off in the future.
Article by: Maria
Working happily with National Merchant Services
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