Taking an entire group from a senior living center across town or out of state for a corporate event is expensive. Yet flights are far exorbitant for most companies, and this age group may be less able to travel in that mode of transportation. The most efficient way to travel is by bus or vehicle, depending on the size of the party. As you plan event travel for elderly patients or those attending a wedding, you have additional considerations to take into account.
Here are some tips for corporate event planners searching for event transportation services and rentals.
Protect Your Riders
The biggest threat to any business that offers ride services is the safety of the riders. When you have a group of residents from an assisted living complex–all going to different medical appointments–you have to be even more on point. Here is where putting your customers’ lives at risk with mediocre or unsecured public ride sharing will not do. The best way to support an assisted living, senior care, or nursing home community is through hiring qualified drivers.
Their job is to offer medical transportation services that accommodate the elderly and needs associated with customers who are in their senior years. When working with this age cohort, you must also take into consideration the safety and comfort of your customers. Provide them with event transportation services offered by a proven leader in the industry. This will support the needs of this age group while getting everyone to the corporate event on time.
Save on Costs for Accommodations
Instead of spending a ton of money on overnight bookings at fancy and expensive hotels or lodges, plan your transportation over the road so you are out at night. Here you want to opt for a tour bus if you are going with a group for overnight travel. Your customers who are on a fixed income and budget will also thank you for saving money and taking the night bus.
Choose an ADA compliant vehicle, such as a minivan or charter bus, to best serve the needs of your customers. This may likely require you to select a handicap capable vehicle with a wheelchair lift system. Prepare to utilize different types of vehicles and accessories in order to best provide for your customers while they are transported to corporate events.
A professional bus charter service for transporting a group of seniors overnight will provide a safe and accommodating place to travel. This is similar to an airplane, as there are restroom facilities on board. Also, unlike an airplane, passengers on board who need to stop at the nearest exit could do so in case of an emergency.
Additionally, chartered vehicles and hired drivers will already stop for periodic breaks as determined by commercial driving regulations. Therefore, passengers can rest assured they will get to stretch their legs and have some fresh air while traveling. This will alleviate being unable to sleep the entire night at a hotel.
Increased Security and Presence
Alter the way you present customers as a corporate event planner by using professional drivers and fleets. This represents their brand through transportation rentals with professional drivers. This will increase security for them, as well, while they are in transit. Having a professional driver who is dressed accordingly provides an executive level presence. Plus, customers have someone to connect with and ask questions about the local restaurants or things happening in the area.
Boost brand image by showing up at events in chauffeured vehicles. If you have a high-profile customer or someone going to a special event, hire a professional driver in charge of picking them up at the airport, hotel, office, or home. The customer will be impressed, as will anyone who sees your crew arriving at such an event.
Professional drivers increase the security and provide a layer of protection for passengers while in transit. This can be the make it or break it reason for a lot of customers who are interested in hiring event transportation services.
Optimize Every Trip with Routing
If you are used to driving to every event yourself, or passing this task off to an associate, you know the troubles associated with planning and navigating the route of the trip. Trip routing is the first move any professional driver makes once they have received a request to provide transportation services for an event.
This is one of the reasons why professional drivers get paid the big bucks, too, because routing is not easy for anyone. Especially in big cities or places with recent construction, you will soon find yourself lost and unable to navigate even when using the sophisticated technology of GPS.
Double the trouble of having a group of elderly customers on board a bus who are anxious to get to their destination. Here is where having a professional driver in charge of planning the trip and getting your group to the event simply makes the most sense.
Also read: The Importance of Customer Service Excellence for All Businesses
