Starting an Executive Chauffeuring business

[JGBinks]

Dear members,

I have been out of work for coming up to 2yrs and have decided to change my career.

I am considering in looking into setting up an 'Executive Chauffeur' business, where by I would be the sole employer and operator.

I would like some help and advice if possible from someone who's in the profession please.

Also would it be advisable to gain some work experience and if so is anyone willing to give this to me.

We've all been there at some point in our lives - where you go for a job interview or what ever and the BOSS turns round to you and say's he/she is sorry but they can't give you the job because of your lack of experience.

I have to ask the question though - "How do you expect someone to gain the neccessary experiences needed, if nobodys willing to give you the chance"???

ANYWAY.

Oh and i'm 27yrs old so whats the insurance etc going to be like??

Thank you for reading and look forward to hearing from you all.

Yours sincerely

JGBinks

 

[tfeb]

I have considered this line of work myself a few times. I like driving and think I could do it. But im fortunate enough to be employed at the moment so havn't had a kick to do it.

Good luck with it!

 

[JGBinks]

I have considered this line of work myself a few times. I like driving and think I could do it. But im fortunate enough to be employed at the moment so havn't had a kick to do it.

Good luck with it!

Thank you. I'm having the problem at the moment of (£) MONEY!!!

Been out of work and not been able to get anyone to give me the simplest of jobs just to tied me ove while i set it up is IMPOSSIBLE.

No matter press on, be positive and I'm a very determined person and I WILL GET THERE!!!

If it means me having to work for a few years and putting the dosh away I WILL!!!

BUT I WILL SUCCEED. I can only be positive now - done the whole depression thing for a few months now and the only way is up for me.

You never know fella one day it might be me that picks you up lol.

Cheers and good luck for the future.

 

[asj100]

Hi JG,

There are number of elements you should think about before you go down this road

First the purchase of a vehicle, no point turning up in a 1995 Honda Civic and expecting excutives to be willing to pay you, They could get that from a bad taxi rank at 3 am.

So how will you finance your vehicle purchase? I suspect this will be in the region of about £20,000
Where are you going to store it? no point leaving it in the street outside the house as it will need to look like it just left the showroom each and everytime you make a pickup.

Insurance and running costs are going to be a major cost factor in this business as well as covering the costs of your financing.

Marketing and promotional costs are also likely to be a heart straining part of the new company right from day one.

Would I do this?

The first part is to establish if there is a market for the service and what else is operating in my area... If I beleived that there was a market open and ready for this kind of service, then my next consideration would be set-up costs

I would think that unless I had around £15k available to launch this business (that does not include the financing for the vehice) and was also able to cover my own salary requirements for the first 3 months, I would not be inclined to start a project like this..

By the way, if you need to get some work, this time of the year most security companies are screaming for night guards for over the Christmas and New year periods, doesn't pay great, but it's a job, its income and it may enable you to get financing for that car....

Good luck

Regards
Steve

"Having fun when doing business, makes work just another form of play"

 

[accountancyextra]

Things to consider:

• The vehicle. It will need to be a prestige car, probably a merc I would guess. You can either buy (£60k+) or lease for say £700 a month
• Marketing...A bit more than a few leaflets here. Yopu are marketing to Executives, presumably who have large offices and lots of gatekeepers. How will you get past them and into the Exec office?
• I would have thought that during the recession, this is one of the areas that corporates will cut back on and find cheaper alternatives (eg taxis)
• What sort of revenue can you generate? Have you considered "I'll be doing x jobs a week on average for £Y. Allowing for holidays etc, that gives me an earning potential of X times £Y times 48 weeks (say). Take off all the running costs of the vehicle, inclluding lease/ loan and does that make enough to live on? What if you only got half as many jobs?

 

[RadiusBPO]

This could be easily set up I think. There are hire companies hiring out executive cars, the SEO comp on Google isn't too bad and the day rate isn't too bad either. I think you could start just hiring a car when needed and build form there. Once you have a few months of accounts a non-status lease company might help reduce the car costs and give you a lease.

This is really strange though cause I was reading an article the other day about Rolls Royce hire and wondering about the SEO comp and search volume.

 

[marlinman]

Things to consider:

• The vehicle. It will need to be a prestige car, probably a merc I would guess. You can either buy (£60k+) or lease for say £700 a month
• Marketing...A bit more than a few leaflets here. Yopu are marketing to Executives, presumably who have large offices and lots of gatekeepers. How will you get past them and into the Exec office?
• I would have thought that during the recession, this is one of the areas that corporates will cut back on and find cheaper alternatives (eg taxis)
• What sort of revenue can you generate? Have you considered "I'll be doing x jobs a week on average for £Y. Allowing for holidays etc, that gives me an earning potential of X times £Y times 48 weeks (say). Take off all the running costs of the vehicle, inclluding lease/ loan and does that make enough to live on? What if you only got half as many jobs?

Leasing is no good, most chauffeurs like me are doing 70,000 - 80,000 miles a year and leasing options are limited to 10,000 - 20,000 with high penalties for going over this.
New Mercedes E-class cost £30,000 with year old cars costing only £25,000.
Much better option, with finance approx £650+ per month.

 

[marlinman]

Thank you. I'm having the problem at the moment of (£) MONEY!!!

Been out of work and not been able to get anyone to give me the simplest of jobs just to tied me ove while i set it up is IMPOSSIBLE.

No matter press on, be positive and I'm a very determined person and I WILL GET THERE!!!

If it means me having to work for a few years and putting the dosh away I WILL!!!

BUT I WILL SUCCEED. I can only be positive now - done the whole depression thing for a few months now and the only way is up for me.

You never know fella one day it might be me that picks you up lol.

Cheers and good luck for the future.

Get your taxi licence and sign up with an existing chauffeur/wedding car company, earn while you save

 

[ryan lilley]

Hi there very interesting to see peoples opinions and there thoughts on how to help you move you idea forward.

My advice to you would be research what insurance you will need and licence you will need.

Start up cost for you should be pretty low as your only planning on been a sole trader and running one vehicle.

Now as for expensive car purchase prices there is no need to be renting vehicles or paying twenty thousand pound plus for a vehicle. They are plenty of top executive used cars out there such as BMW 730d for less than eight grand stick a private plate on there symbolizing your companies name whos gonna no the year of the vehicle.

The information and advice i have given to you as come from been around family friends with chauffeur busnisses and extensive information and knowledge of used cars.

 

[karldavison]

Hi,

I agree with various posts above, you definitely need to do research, crunch the numbers, plan for scenarios, breakdowns, repairs, fuel cost rises, insurance, running costs etc.

Seeing whether you can manage upto 12 hrs a day in a car and earn money through private hire taxis is a good idea.

Re car, although I would be surprised if you had enough assignments to rack up close to 6 figure mileage yr 1, I would have thought maybe looking into startup grants and or buying a few years old executive car would be the best financial option, although have an exit plan with the vehicle considered.

Good luck! Hope that helps,

Karl

 

[Gwekids]

Have you thought about contacting any of the Eco friendly companies and asking if they would be interested in an Eco friendly car service? I don't think there are many services offering that option. Look at clean green cars website to see what cars would fit that model of business and maybe work from there? I suspect it's not only a cheaper start up cost but also a niche market. You just have to find the businesses that want it.

 

[JGBinks]

Get your taxi licence and sign up with an existing chauffeur/wedding car company, earn while you save

Are you able to simply do this without having a company first to employ you?

 

[JGBinks]

I am seeking employment too within the Wakefield, Huddersfield, Leeds and Sheffield areas.

Either someone to steer me in the right direction as we all have to start somewhere or within a Adminitrative area office envirnment which i am familiar with. Background is from working in Architecture as a Draughtsman but its the third time this careers landed me out of work and I've been out of work now for over 2yrs and continuing to this date - if i've not found work by the 26th September 2011 I will have been out of work for 3 whole years and I CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THIS I'M GOING INSANE not able to get employment down to the fact I've worked in "Architecture".

Employers seem to be blinkered they see my CV career history and think I'm incapable of turning to something else and think the moment a "Architectural" position comes up I'm gonna run off back to it.

I CAN SAFELY SAY RIGHT NOW TO ANYONE - I AM NOT RETURNING BACK TO THAT FIELD & I seek a NEW CAREER, PREFERABLY IN CHAUFFEURING, wehter thats working for a private household or a limo company (my own business isn't going to happen any time soon - I aint got the cash to do it and I have nobody to turn to for help in finding a job).

Can anyone PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE HELP me please.

Job Centre and other bodies are as much help as a chocolate fire guard - blumming rediculous having them they help 16-25yr olds and them from 30-60+yrs but WAIT have they forgotten 26-30's. Are we just as likely to suffer - am I mistaken and is it just I who's been singled out here.:|

I am not like the vast amount of people who don't want to work and only want to claim their benefit - theose people drive me insane and make me sick. Here am I trying desparetly to get back into work and I'm sat every two weeks next to somebody who doesn't.

I NEED TO WORK!!!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

One thing nobody has mentioned is can the driver drive smoothly and safe, I imagine if not the word would soon get around, also would they not expect a advanced driver qualification as the minimumm to protect their managers and Directors.

Is the driver seen as acceptable i.e. dress and accent, (gorbels accent could turn off somone from the south.

Are they discreat, as they hear and see lots of information that could be usefull to others (just a question"have you had any interesting runs or people this week" could give away loads of info

Just a few things customers may consider and may need to be adressed in marketing

 

[JGBinks]

This could be easily set up I think. There are hire companies hiring out executive cars, the SEO comp on Google isn't too bad and the day rate isn't too bad either. I think you could start just hiring a car when needed and build form there. Once you have a few months of accounts a non-status lease company might help reduce the car costs and give you a lease.

This is really strange though cause I was reading an article the other day about Rolls Royce hire and wondering about the SEO comp and search volume.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the meaning of 'SEO' please???

 

[JGBinks]

One thing nobody has mentioned is can the driver drive smoothly and safe, I imagine if not the word would soon get around, also would they not expect a advanced driver qualification as the minimumm to protect their managers and Directors.

Is the driver seen as acceptable i.e. dress and accent, (gorbels accent could turn off somone from the south.

Are they discreat, as they hear and see lots of information that could be usefull to others (just a question"have you had any interesting runs or people this week" could give away loads of info

Just a few things customers may consider and may need to be adressed in marketing

People who know me not including family know that I am what i say I am and know that anything they say either directly or indirectly to me know that it is treated as confidential either in a personal or professional manner because thats me.

I also like to drive and enjoy meeting people hense the career into a Chauffeur.

 

[JGBinks]

People who know me not including family know that I am what i say I am and know that anything they say either directly or indirectly to me know that it is treated as confidential either in a personal or professional manner because thats me.

I also like to drive and enjoy meeting people hense the career into a Chauffeur.

Its trying to find someone whos willing to take me on thats the problem.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

People who know me not including family know that I am what i say I am and know that anything they say either directly or indirectly to me know that it is treated as confidential either in a personal or professional manner because thats me.

I also like to drive and enjoy meeting people hense the career into a Chauffeur.

How about the driving skills and Advanced test, not knocking your ability but if I was paying more for you than the normal taxi rate I would expect both the car and the driver to be above average by a long way

What do your wife and kids think of your driving, often we all get into very bad habits and would fail a re-test if required to take one

 

[Esk247]

It's not just the driving remember. It's the entire service and this includes courtesy, language, appearance...etc etc.

Execs will expect the very highest quality of service for the money and they will not stand for sub standard driving or any of the above. A polished chauffeur service, a polished car with polished alloys and exhausts.

Forget standard engine servicing too, the vehicle has to be above standard, it needs to be a show car and that includes what lurks in the engine bay. You should be able to eat your lunch off the battery compartment.

 

[yorkshirejames]

Have you considered PSV or truck driving? Both nurture and demand an extremely high standard of driving.