As many of you might already know I am the founder and acting CEO of a limousine business called Insane Limos, Inc. Every once and a while you will see me post a few limousine specials here on my blog for some of the local people in Tampa Bay that read my blog, you would be surprised how much this blog impacts my limousine business as well as my tanning salon business.
I planned on starting a weekly series a few months ago that would include new pictures or information about the different daily occurrences with the limousine business, much like so many of the decent ideas I have it really never got off the ground. Owning and operating a limousine business is a pretty interesting experience to say the least, if it isn’t the fights or some of the vandalism that goes on from time to time, it’s something else.
One of the things that blows me away about the limo business is just how much disrespect for high-end quality property that people have, or better yet just how poorly some people must have been raised to have such a lack of respect for even themselves. I decided to share a few pictures with everyone to show the results of a few girls going out for a 21st Birthday this past Saturday night, and yes keep in mind I said GIRLS.
Now the picture above really isn’t that bad, I mean it’s just a piece of gum stuck to the custom interior of an exotic stretch limousine. Wouldn’t anyone slap their gum in the same place if they needed to get rid of it? No sense in messing up the two metal trash bins that are built into the pink H2.
This one really isn’t that bad either as long as you don’t mind finding some strange pile of soft gunky substance decorated with crushed potato chips.
This picture only gives you a small idea of just how many jello shots can end up all over the interior of a limousine when brought into the limo with two pizza boxes, all though where I am from we actually drink jello shots instead of shitting up interiors of Insane Limos.
Being in business and knowing just how careful and courteous people are when using someone else’s property we have an “Excessive Debris” section in the limousine rental contract that clearly states that a $500 fee will be charged for any excessive debris left in the limo. It took four large trash bags to empty out the inside of the limo and clear all of the trash that was left behind, the gum was a joy to get off and the potato chips used as confetti was trully a classy move. All of the above = excessive.
Here is the part that gets on my nerves and I am curious about your feelings as well so please don’t forget to leave a comment when your done reading this.
I realized that the credit card on file belonged to the mother of the girl that was celebrating her 21st birthday, the mother was very nice when they came in and just happens to own a business in the area, instead of just going ahead and nailing the credit card on file for the $500 cleaning fee I decided to call the mother and extend some professional courtesy. Here’s the best part, instead of offering up a quick “thanks for not nailing my credit card” or a quick “thank you for calling me about it” she turns around and asks why someone didn’t call her so she could look at it.
I explain as kindly and as patiently as I can that the limo needed to be cleaned right away because it had a wedding later that day, and I also explained to her that we had pictures if she felt like coming up to look at them, she completley ignored that offer of course. Needless to say it will be the last time I ever call anyone to offer any kind of “professional” anything, instead it will be “ring it up” and move on and let them bitch and cry about it later.
So whats your thoughts on this matter? Do you charge her anyway because you have the right to or do you move on and toss it up to some people having no self respect?
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{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! Those girls were nasty. Yeah I think being a goody goody backfires sometimes. Oh well you can just charge it to experience John.
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@MichaelR@VoIP tips and tricks, you would be surprised at just how much more messy and careless girls can be than guys when it comes to things like this.
Without a doubt their last ride.
The only way these types of people will ever learn courtesy and respect for someone else’s property is to pay for it. $500 may be excessive, but I do not know what you pay your cleaning crew.
I would certainly put that customer on my “never again” list if she complained enough to warrant it. Every body’s money is the same color of green, but there comes a point where it’s just not worth pulling your hair out or banging your head on the wall or whatever it is that you do to keep from slugging them. If she doesn’t trust your evaluation of excessive, she should have been in the limo with the partiers.
An accident is one thing, but this just looks careless and inconsiderate to the people cleaning up. Your rates are too reasonable to justify include excessive cleaning.
Hopefully, Mom reads this blog, and she has seen the pics now. Maybe she’ll volunteer her own vehicle next time. NOT!
By the same token, you spend a lot of time and money acquiring customers…
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@Keith@Norman Rockwell Art, you have to keep in mind that the $500 fee is meant to deter people from being morons when they are in the car.
In this case you can see they didn’t care about the fee or acting with a little self control, and I can assure you they are on the never again list haha.
Oh yeah to boot, they received a VERY large discounted rate when they reserved the limo because they were referred by someone who I am good friends with.
So look at it like that, get a special price than go ahead and shit up the limo. Craziness I tell you.
I would of slammed the card 500 sounds like alot then I would of got some free publicity when I won in court
After she sued me.
But I would of had a time stamp on my pics ;)
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@John Sullivan, the time stamp is a big plus, not sure why it wasn’t on there it usually is.
I still haven’t decided what I want to do, once I receive the bill from the cleaner that will aid in making my decision.
Definitely ring her up the $500. That’ll teach her – and her daughter. And yeah, put’em on the “never again” list.
Well, if you believe they’ll be back for more business (and you want that) if you don’t charge them $500, then not charging them would probably be the way to go – but I kinda get the feeling you don’t want them back again :D
Wtf… some people!
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@Klaus @ TechPatio, yeah I told the mother yesterday that I wouldn’t be having their daughter back for any future limo rides, her response was, “Well her, not me. I didn’t do anything.” which was also said in a less than pleasant way, like I couldn’t refuse her service.
@Extreme John,
She got some kind of attitude John…the mother. Well maybe mother like daughter huh?
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@ZXT@Newbie Blog, yeah who knows I don’t really want to make it a personal attack Im sure they are very nice people.
I would be willing to bet that the others in the limo had more to do with it than the girl that rented it.
Alright, I’ll play devil’s advocate. :twisted:
21 year olds, out to celebrate legal drinking, in a limo, probably on the way to Ybor or the casino … But you knew all that and probably expected something like this when you included the cleanup clause!
So I guess, the business question is this: are messy customers worth their repeat business?
If a lot of the customer base comes from young people partying and getting drunk, then maybe it makes sense to distribute the cleaning costs among all customers by raising the standard rates. People don’t usually notice the mess a party leaves until the morning, and by then the limo has been cleaned up and sent off to the next gig. They paid and (hopefully) tipped the driver, so they’re satisfied customers long before the buzz wears off and responsibility kicks back in. Satisfied customers are repeat customers – and they’re also some of the best advertising you can get.
But if the majority of the customer base comes from business people or weddings or whatever the hell old people use limos for
, maybe its better to assign the costs on a case-by-case basis. Maybe the girls won’t call back for the bachelorette party, but then maybe you’re booked up anyway without customers who are trying to get drunk and crazy.
Maybe there’s a third way, too. Maybe you could have a “party van” with a more resistant interior designated for bar hopping, concerts, and casino trips. I realize now after sitting and pondering this dilemma for a while that the vehicle in question here is really something one of a kind and unique. Way more custom than anything we’ve taken on a bachelor party (but I’m pretty sure we’ve left bigger messes too).
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@John@Web Biz, hey there is nothing wrong with playing a little devils advocate, it makes for excellent conversation.
As for spreading the charge accross the board, it sounds nice but in this area of Florida EVERYONE wants a deal and the price (regardless of how nice) is never low enough. In addition we have a very wide area of customers that we service, most customers respect the vehicles and treat them with exceptional care, than you have the other percentages like the fighters who have bloody brawls, or the drink throwers or in this case the potato chip confetti group. None of which includes your pukers
In business the most important thing is learning something from every situation regardless of how crappy it might be, and as long as you learn from it you will be better off moving forward.
I learned a few things from this situation:
1) Never call and be the nice guy, just charge.
2) No discounted prices for “friends” friends when it comes to bachelorette and bachelor parties.
3) I am now considering raising the hourly rate for 21st Birthday parties those seem to have the most pukers, fighters, etc.
Remind me to tell you about the time a discounted 21st birthday ride let the emergency exit blow off the top of the car costing me $2500 because we didn’t have that in the contract yet….. We learn ;)
@tessa, I would have to agree with you Tessa, my Father would have put me through hell over something like this. Wow I can’t even imagine, but than again I guess thats why when I get out of anything I rent I make sure I am returning it in the same if not better condition.
Hey John, unfortunately this is typical. I worked in the hotel business for many years and each year at prom time, moms would call with their credit cards to register a room for Suzie and her skanky friends to use on prom night. Man could those girls trash a room. We also had a clause that the CC holder was responsible for “excessive” damage, which included but was not limited to: smoking in non-smoking rooms, carpet stains, broken TV’s, trashed bed linen, clothing flushed in toilets, etc. And to a one the mom would first dispute the extra charges, then they would call corporate and whine about how good a customer they were, Hilton honors and all that crap, finally getting their way. So I say charge em and let em bitch.
@Dick@pargazer.com, the skanky friends line almost killed me, it’s just too bad that in today’s day and age with families being as thin as they are and not communicating like they use to that stuff like this gets worse and worse.
After that call John I would have charged her 2 double fee. $1.000 for being rude and for trashing the limo. You have a lot of patience my friend.
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I would get the cleaning fee from your cleaners, double it, and charge them that amount. A flat fee should discourage poor behavior, but the smart businessman will be flexible to guarantee repeat business (remember, the 21 year old isn’t your customer, the mom with the credit card was!)
This puts the blame for the charge on the behavior of her daughter and her guests, not you. She signed the contract, but you being a professional only want to recover the cost of repairs/cleaning.
As for the 21 year old, I doubt she has any responsibility and will learn nothing from this event. Mommy will take care of it, and she will live to trash another limo/hotel room on another day.
Get your money, just don’t be excessive about it for the long term success of your business…but post the pictures and explain to future customers what you mean by Excessive Trash. A strict warning could save you time and money in the long run.
I wouldn’t rent that ride to Brittney when she rolls into town, she chews gum like a cow, y’all!
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@Mark Smith, wow some of these comments today are just killing me, poor Britney gettin picked on. Maybe she would at least invite me to the party, or after party purr.
On a serious note your 100% on point when you say she won’t learn anything from the situation because mommy will handle it.
@Mark Smith, Now that depends on the mother. If it was my kid I would have explained to her that there would be a penalty of $500 bucks due if there was any mess left behind, and I would make sure she knows she had to cough up whatever was owing.
There is no excuse what they did, and I can’t see how leaving gum and shit everywhere had anything to do with having fun.
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@Sire, your last line pretty much says it all, not really sure how those things go hand in hand.
@Extreme John, They don’t, it’s just that the kids were not brought up to respect other peoples property.
Sire´s last blog ..Sire’s Tale Of Johann Herbig The Man Who Lived In A Tree
:twisted: Ughhhh..gross! I don’t even treat hotel rooms like that! I make sure everything makes it in the garbage..but that’s just how I was raised..by 2 very intelligent parents
@Lisa, how people are raised has everything to do with it in my opinion.
jesus christ that’s disgusting and least to say inconsiderate. i can’t imagine someone having fun trashing someone else’s property, especially with a 500 dollar upcharge hahah. that’s nasty and i hope they all went home alone that night hoe bags.
@KANDRA, wow Kandra don’t hold back let them have it. Your too funny.
Sorry to say this John (and there were some excellent comments about this issue of yours) but it may just be a fact of life for someone in the limo business. You try to stay competitive, be a nice guy and it bites you in the ass every time.
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@Dick, without a doubt it’s part of the territory.
When I took Andre out with my asian buddies for the bachaleor party, it was a wild asss night and the limo didn’t look remotely as disgusting! I knew that there was gonna be a credit card on file incase of any damages and stuff soo I pulled everyone aside before we went out and explained that if any damages were to occur the best man’s credit would be charged . These girls have no consiense because everything goes out the window when people are just shitfaced! This incident should be told to future rental people , where you don’t have to explain why someone’s credit card got charged!
@sangalicious1, I have been considering posting the pictures in a larger format in the office as an example of how not to leave the limo.
When you guys rented Andre the limousine was returned in excellent condition, I would rent it to you and your friends anytime.
Yuke! That’s nasty!!!!
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I’d handle it just how you did – by extending some professional courtesy. Of course, some people will become defensive as soon as they realize why you’re calling, but not everyone. In most cases, making the phone call is a gesture of good will that will be remembered and earn you some repeat business and good word of mouth. Heh. Hopefully I’ll still be this idealistic when I’m running my own business.
@sean@stair lifts, you will be to some degree because if not you would most likely explode, at every corner there is something else.
I think you did the right thing John, what they did was disrespectful and the mother should have taken it out on her brat of a daughter and not on you.
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If it’s in the contract then the terms have to be enforced. You conduct yourself however as a gentlemen, good business person by being giving the mom a call. I am sorry you have to pick up the tab for those nasty “cute” pigs.
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You already know what I am going to say. Charge her the $500 asap. It’s all about the bottomline. Why should you pay for their mess? Charge her and keep it moving. You have better things to do.
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Wow… what a bunch of great comments you have going here John. This is a tough one as you are in business to make money and having to deal with that mess is a total pain, but I am sure it happens on a pretty regular basis (maybe not to that extent).
Sure charging her $500 seem like the logical thing to do as that is what is stated in the contract. But charging her that amount will almost guarantee that her and her friends will probably never use your service again, which I am sure you and it sounds like 90% of your readers agree with… and don’t sound like they care about.
The problem is they are all going to tell their friends and their friends and there is a good chance it will end up costing you MANY TIMES more than that $500 in possible future bookings, so is it worth it in the long run? This course something you need to decide, and you probably know best on how this could effect your business.
I was wondering if your drivers have the passengers look how they leave the limo when the trips are over and sign something on the state of the vehicle, but I am guessing there is a good chance that everyone is so wasted when they get out… it would not make a difference.
Good luck with your decision
Great topic for discussion… for sure!
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@Doug Dillard, Trouble is Doug if you don’t follow through it’s possible that you will get a lot more of this happening. I think John did the right thing.
If the 21 year old woman, old enough to know better, stood back from it all she should realize that she was in the wrong, and if her friends had any brains they would tell her so. She has to learn that for every action there is a reaction, and if she doesn’t know this by now her parents have failed to teach her what she needs to know to survive in this world of ours.
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some people just have no class and no respect. i’m glad i was brought up by parents who taught me right from wrong and taught me how to properly treat property that is not my own! i’m that girl who even makes her own bed at a hotel in the morning b/c that’s what mom told me, lol.
lol megan, that is exactly why we all love you so
Well John. These girls really did something, huh. Unfortunately, and as long as you deal with the general population, these “shit” will happen all the time. Some more, some less. You can imagine in my Tanning salon what I see sometimes after someone has just had a session (no comment).
Regarding your professional courtesy, I think that it should be your policy. Will you extend it or not? In my opinion you are again one step ahead of the pack, if you continue to do this kind of gesture – the small portion of people who do not understand this is worth the trouble. But then again, you will be appreciated by the majority and should “no self respect” people come along the way, then apply your contingency policy or plan B:)
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Get a refundable deposit for extra-special events, like proms, 21st birthdays, Burning Man (heh…), etc.
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Hey John, I been immobilised for the last little while with a trio of broken ribs, so I’m catching up today on your blog.
I’d charge the cow… unfortunately she’s not going to learn anything from the experience and nor will her daughter, but you might as well get compensation our of it
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oh.. and by the way, that’s a killer shade of pink
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I think we need an update to this post ;) What did you end up doing?
Myself, I would charge them at least the same amount the cleaning cost.
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I ended up letting it go and feel confident that the interaction with her mother resulted in some kind of discussion at the very least.
You reap what you sow, isn’t that what they say? You know, I’d feel for you, but this sort of thing looks like it goes hand in hand with the limo business. Something that would have to be thrown into a budget on a seasonal guess. I’ll bet that problem never goes away, no matter how well mannered the crowd can be.
@eSINess, I would love to agree with you, but you couldn’t be more incorrect.
The average person or people that use a limo, respect and understand what using a limo is all about. If having fun requires you to stick gum on seats, throw chips on the floor and have cups of jello shots all over the seats than it’s safe to say you really shouldn’t be anywhere near a limo, nevermind in it.
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