ARE YOU PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES
We all know that corporate executives and VIPs are a valuable piece of the overall event puzzle, but they aren’t always easily managed. Their rigorous schedules mean last-minute changes are inevitable. For an event or meeting planner responsible for a multitude of other details, keeping up with those changes can be overwhelming. When the stakes are high and top-notch service is expected, no one wants an unhappy executive or VIP on their hands.
Managing Changes
Executive schedule changes are about to happen, and if you’ve got many executives to worry about, you can easily be consumed by managing it all. There are non-stop calls, a blast of emails and text messages! To further complicate things, you are usually handling with the executive assistant, which may add another layer of potential miscommunication. Dedicating one person, or maybe two, to the oversight of this process is not just ideal, it’s essential. It is an extremely time-consuming job, we just can’t emphasize that enough! If it’s not possible for somebody on your team to supervise the executive piece of the event, then it may be wise to hand it over to a third-party. Hiring a transportation company can save you time by freeing you up to manage the rest of the event. Quite often, an Event Manager will be assigned to handle executive transportation. A seasoned Event Manager should be ready to anticipate changes, adapt quickly and have a plan B and a plan C ready to execute. Dedicating one professional to the process additionally helps ensure that information and status changes are not lost during driver shift changes, car replacements or any other potential disruption in service.
The Right Match
Unfamiliar markets and vendors are usually a meeting planner’s worst nightmare.
Choosing the right transportation company that provides limousines and security drivers to move your VIPs/executives isn’t something to gamble with. It’s important to work with a firm that matches well with your event and executives. Vetting a car company, its security drivers and experience can be a time-consuming process.
It often requires driver interviews, backgrounds checks and an inspection of their complete fleet.
If you do decide to book directly with a transportation company, you should request detailed information about their experience with similar secure transportation programs. You should also bear in mind that these firms want to get the most out of their vehicles and their security drivers. If your executive is scheduled for a 1:00 pm airport pick-up but due to a flight delay, didn’t land until 1:30 pm, that driver must be able to wait. He must not have another pick-up scheduled for 2:00 pm if there are no other cars available to replace him, because then you have got a problem.
Knowing the Customer
Like most things, a one-size-fits-all approach to executive/VIP secure transportation doesn’t always apply. However, if you decide to handle it, communication with your security & transportation provider is extremely important. You have to be sure they are aware of any special requests or schedule changes. Although we communicate directly with the client prior to and during the event, any additional information which you can provide helps us to do our job better. That allows us to make fast decisions and react to last-minute changes.
Chauffeur & Limousine Service can often be more complicated than managing transportation for 10,000 people, but it doesn’t have to be. Determining whether you have the resources to handle it all by yourself or you need a professional to oversee the process is a good first step.
Are You Prepared For Emergencies
Emergency preparedness can be challenging. With so many distressing possibilities to consider, it can be difficult to know from where to start.
It’s no secret that the security landscape has drastically changed since 9/11 even in Germany.
Schools, religious institutions and entertainment venues have been forced to deal with this sad fact that no one is safe anymore on a daily basis.
Together, we must face these new security threats and collaboration and communication are key to helping to ensure the safety of all those involved in transportation.
Emergency preparedness can be challenging.
With so many distressing possibilities to consider, it can be difficult to know from where to start.
Of course, we all know it is impossible to prepare for every possible scenario, but there are a few broad measures we can all take to improve safety in transportation.
In terms of secure transportation and in the case of an emergency situation that requires evacuation, it is of big importance to share emergency contact info with the event planners and security teams prior to the event. We have developed an internal emergency response plan to protect our clients at all cost, but sharing that plan with others closely involved in organization of the event is the key.
Many security details have assessed the different levels of danger, liability, and possibility attributed to different risk scenarios. Whether you are at a business meeting or hotel or even a dinner party, never be afraid to ask for a security brief on how to respond in the event of an emergency.
Emergency planning should involve collaboration with security and those working in and around the route of transportation. One venue alone can throw hundreds of events every year, and because many events have various set-ups, different safety measures and protocols are required.
We are able to provide a wide range of coverage, but, being collaborative in emergency situation can be vital for safety success.
To sum it up,
Talk with your security drivers about emergency protocols prior to events!