
California Operators Close Out A Breakthrough Year
The Greater California Livery Association’s annual holiday event took on a more festive tone as the industry stands to benefit from measures that will ease business operations.
I recently had the chance to visit Exclusive Sedan Service, which is run by founder Ron Stein and his son, Brandan. As I walked through the front doors of their office, I was greeted by a big sign that read “Exclusive Sedan Service Welcomes Lexi Tucker.” Way to make a girl feel wanted!
Now, I don’t know if this was just a coincidence, but the sign was also in my favorite color. Mind you, this was all for someone who wasn’t even a prospective client. This was a good sign (no pun intended).
As I walked down a narrow hallway, I noted little plaques with familiar movie titles and large posters with famous actor’s autographs. Clearly, these guys did a lot of business with major studios (later, I’d discover it made up about 60% of their runs). As a fan of the entertainment industry, my nervousness began to turn into excitement.
When I found Ron’s office, he immediately stood up and greeted me with a warm handshake. We then took a walk around the building while he explained the origins of the company as well as their business philosophy.
Founded in 1980 as Exclusive Limousine Service, the business began to expand quickly. By 1983, the company had changed its name to Exclusive Sedan Service (ESS) and in 1998, Brandan joined the company and was promoted to vice-president of operations in 2005. With three shifts and 24/7 service, their success didn’t surprise me.
One thing that did surprise me was the family’s passion for what they do, as well as the strong bond between father and son. Ron has a huge personalized surfboard, a Father’s Day gift from Brandan, proudly displayed in his office. When we reached Brandan’s office on our tour, Ron made a point of explaining why it was larger than his own: he had worked hard and earned it.
From baby seats meticulously sanitized after every ride, to gifts of homemade eggnog at Christmas time, I could tell the Steins know what sets chauffeured transportation apart from careless TNCs — love and appreciation of their customers.
It was apparent clients weren’t the only focus here, though. Ron hosts summer events like baseball game outings and barbeques for his staff and considers them family. This is probably why everyone I met, from dispatchers to accountants to reservationists, greeted me with huge, genuine smiles. How could they not when they are made to feel like they aren’t just cogs in the wheel?
After we had lunch together, both the Steins gave me a big bear hug goodbye and had me follow them to my freeway exit (even though it was out of their own way) on my way back home.
Their kindness got me thinking: A common concern we hear at LCT is how difficult it is to find, hire, and keep good chauffeurs. To remedy this, maybe you should be looking at yourself first. Why would someone want to work for your company? Will they just be treated like employees, or will they be part of your family?
Related Topics: California operators, employee benefits, employee management, employee perks, employee recruitment, employee retention, LCT editor, Lexi Tucker, operations, operator profiles, recruiting chauffeurs, Ron Stein, Think Fast Blog
The Greater California Livery Association’s annual holiday event took on a more festive tone as the industry stands to benefit from measures that will ease business operations.
It stands to reason serving both the red and blue political contingents should add up to green. If only it were that easy.
Global Charter Services Inc. (GCS) is offering online booking for group travel on motorcoaches, minibuses, vans, and school buses.
Limo Livery has added premium luxury, electric, and ADA vehicles.
Good moods abounded Dec. 3 as the trade group celebrated regulatory successes that benefit the state's luxury transportation industry.
eNews Exclusive: JC Yancy and team are providing wheelchair accessible transportation to make a difference in their community.
The industry consultancy is supporting the Dawson A. Rutter, III Scholarship Fund through a Facebook auction.
Vehicle Pick of the Week: This SUV is perfect for making multiple trips to the airport during this busy holiday season.
The G90’s rear-seat offers stretch-out comfort with plenty of legroom and a comfy seating position.
A new six-cylinder plug-in hybrid joins turbocharged six-, eight-, and 12-cylinder engines.
The automaker has announced the 500,000th S-Class W222 sedan has rolled off the production line.
The shuttles will whisk passengers from arrival baggage claim areas to the LAX-it TNCs and taxicab lot.
Charging times require precise planning of route lengths, fleet usage, and daily turnover to max ROI on fixed routes and one-off trips.
Be careful how your company presents and implements a “Zero Tolerance” policy.
How I ended up leader of the LCT brand after 15 years of reporting and blogging for the magazine.
The world's No. 1 online marketplace and trader for professional chauffeured and chartered vehicles, including all types of motorcoaches, buses, vans, stretch limousines, sedans, SUVs, exotics, and classics. New and used vehicles are available from sellers across the nation.
The best online networker to find quality affiliates worldwide and market your company.
Click on any state to see the latest industry news and events in that region.
Get the latest news and most popular articles from LCT delivered straight to your inbox.
Current newsletters: