Stay Home, Protect NHS, Save Lives

As we are sure you are all aware, we are unable to provide our chauffeur services currently as it is sadly impossible for us to observe the social distancing rules. Life is certainly very different to what it was at the beginning of the year!

What have we been doing?

Over the last month we have had numerous DIY projects ticked off the to-do list; finished building the greenhouse, hung the driveway gates (this means Clover, our dog, is able to roam freely in the garden safely kept away from the road), started growing fruits, vegetables and mountains of salad - although they are all rather small seeds at the moment. The garage is now fully organised and Dave has started to give our big cats a deep polish and wax.

Next up for us, is to start repairing our walls and decorating inside following the rewire that we had done earlier in the year.

Clover has loved 'helping' us dig new borders - here she is making the potato bed!

The government's help for small businesses sadly doesn't include us, so as we have no income coming in, Dave has had to diversify and recently started delivering parcels for Hermes. This was just a trial and we have found that using our big cat for this wasn't financially viable and too much risk to her, so we have decided to put the breaks on that idea for now. 

It was amazing how many parcels fo varying sizes and weights that could be fit into the car, even though the back seats were down. All the leathers were protected of course!

Dave has been applying for numerous temporary jobs - supermarket delivery driver, keyworker positions and more to help tide us over until we can get back to normal. Hannah has also applied for lots of jobs, she is hoping to start a career in the care sector. Once the business is up and running again, she'll be able to keep working part time in our business.

How have you been coping with the huge change in circumstances? Have you had to diversify in ways you never imagined? Are you getting to catch up on the to-do list?

We'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, we hope you are staying well and coping during this social distancing period. 

To discuss any questions you may have about travelling when we are permitted to, after the virus passes, get in touch now by:

📞 07850 100 859

📧 dave@dbexecutivetravel.net

#StayHomeSaveLives

Safety Guaranteed - Really?

I became an executive chauffeur following the poor experiences I had in the past when I was travelling in the back of cars with other people driving, during my previous career in corporate.

This propelled me to offer a very different way of travelling where we actually guarantee that travel with us will be safe and comfortable in the knowledge that we are legal and reliable. This means that our clients have a stress free journey with us every time.

So, I thought I without trying to state the obvious, what does it mean to be safe, and then in future articles, I will elaborate into being comfortable, legal and then finally reliable. There will be some points made along the ay that are actually not the obvious, so it will be worth while checking in on these articles. I quite literally, hope you enjoy the ride of this mini series!

The Safety Guarantee

Can we really guarantee safety, when we all hear about road traffic accidents just about every day? In the news recently as I write this, is the Duke of Edinburgh who was involved in a motor accident, so none of us are without risk.

What I can say, is that as far as is in our chauffeurs control, we will drive in a way that does guarantee your safety.

Even when we walk down a street, we cannot guarantee that we will not be hit by a flying object, or anything else - so I think we have the correct perspective on the subject.

Advanced Driving

Yes, driving safely does come back to the Advanced and Masters driving qualifications that currently myself and all our future executive chauffeurs are required to have. In fact, our wedding car chauffeurs have all qualified as Advanced Drivers. Although some of this very different driving style is also common sense, it is good to describe how our chauffeurs drive, whether for wedding car service or for that which I am focussing on more in this article, our executive chauffeur service.

Fit to Drive

Whenever you agree to travel with us, you can be assured that none of our chauffeurs will have taken any alcohol at all within 24 hours of driving for you. This is more than the legal requirement, which permits driving as long as the driver is below certain limits. We believe that our clients deserve more respect and looking after so we operate a zero tolerance rule on alcohol without exception. 

Additionally, our chauffeurs will not have drinks for use by them while they are driving and they will not eat food whilst driving. We ensure that they are focused on their driving and not the crumbs they are dropping etc.

Being a chauffeur requires us to be driving at all times both day and night, so one obvious question is how to stay awake and alert when driving through the early hours of the morning at night time. I have already written an article about his entitled  “How to be fresh as a daisy when night driving”, but needless to say, we only take on work when we know we will have enough time to plan sleep before and after night driving.  

Mobile phones will not only be on silent but will also be disconnected from the car system, so they are not distracted. No phone calls will be made when they have clients on board.

Observation

One of the key training skills learnt during the Advanced and Masters qualifications is observation. This includes checking what is going on in the road at the limit point of vision (explained in my earlier article “So, What's in the Masters?”) and also in the immediate vicinity. It also, includes having 180 degree vision, so constantly scanning not only ahead but also from side to side as well as behind. This ensures that very little can take the chauffeur by surprise, if anything at all. Therefore, braking can be a gradual and planned experience instead of a sudden reaction.

Safe distances

The training our chauffeurs receive, is to learn the safe stopping distances, which are listed below from The Highway Code:

Above 70 mph, you guessed it, our chauffeurs do not do that, as the maximum speed is 70 mph in the UK!

The above stopping distances are those recommended in dry conditions, whereas wet weather requires double the above and ice significantly more!

I am also aware that the above guidelines were written before ABS and other braking aids, but safety is about erring on the side of caution and reducing the risk of an incident wherever possible, after all, how valuable is someones life !

Braking

The best grip on the road when braking is always going to be when travelling in a straight line, so our chauffeurs will plan to slow down to the correct speed to take the hazard, whether a corner or otherwise, before entering that hazard. This ensures that there is minimal risk of a skid happening with the potential of losing control. 

Naturally, this is even more important during adverse weather conditions. If a situation arises during mid-corner braking, our chauffeurs will brake progressively to avoid locking the wheels - this is a skill where our chauffeurs will actually feel for the moment to release the brake pressure before the wheels lock up.

Tyre Condition

Due to the amount of miles done in a month, averaging 4,000, it is necessary for us to check the tyres condition which also includes the tread depth and tyre pressures. This is done several times a week when we are very busy and at the very least every time we refuel. This ensures that the grip on the road is the best it can be, and therefore stability on the road is good.

Courtesy to Clients

Although I am sure this topic would interest our clients, how does this relate to safety I hear you ask?

Quite simply, it is about the little touches, so for instance, our chauffeurs as they welcome you, they will open the car doors and invite you to enter, while they then load any luggage in the boot. At the end of the journey, they will say that they will ‘get’ the doors, and be the first to get out of the car and check that it is safe to open the door(s) for you, avoiding any traffic that could cause an accident.

Indicators

Too often on the road, we all have noticed that some cars do not seem to have working indicators. Or could it be a functionality that many drivers are not using these days?

In any case, our chauffeurs will use indicators appropriately when switching lanes or turning off a road onto another one. This gives other road users and pedestrians the knowledge that the car is changing direction.

Even in the night and if there is little traffic, indicators will be used when changing lanes on the motorway - this at least, gives you our client, the knowledge that changing lanes was deliberate, and helps to give you confidence that our chauffeur’s attention hasn’t dropped or worse!

There are indeed many other aspects of safety, but the above are the key ones that we focus on. Nothing has been mentioned about the safety functionalities of the Jaguars that we drive. Today’s modern vehicles have many inbuilt safety features which re increasing all the time as technology develops. While our chauffeurs will use the technology available, the above mentioned are fundamental to our service and therefore, our guarantee.

Next time I will elaborate how we guarantee that you our client and passenger will be comfortable. 

From Here to Gold and Beyond!

So here we are at the end of 2018 and about to embark on another year.

I am amazed at how quickly this year has just flown by, and to think I can almost say that I have been self employed for 2 years is just incredible. But to achieve this and to be still growing is evident from the past 12 months, I am very thankful to all our clients whether they were for our executive travel service or for our wedding cars.

They are each equally important to us and we have been so privileged to be able to provide for each one our consistently high standard of chauffeur service.

To give an idea, here is a brief summary of the places we have taken our clients to with the number of times we have been there during 2018 alone:

They were sailing and now for a cruising with our big cat!

Airports: Heathrow 75, Bristol 16, Gatwick 15, Stansted 6, Birmingham 5, Luton 2, Southampton 1 and also Southampton Docks 4.

We have also travelled as far as Middlesborough, Swansea, Cambridgeshire, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Bolton, and BBC Salford Studios, Manchester with a certain Gold Cup, and many other locations in between, which illustrates that we will travel just about anywhere in Britain as long as it is cost effective. In addition, we have been to 18 locations in London.

We have collected clients from and taken them to helicopters, ships, trains as well as planes, and taken other clients to events such as Ascot and Cheltenham Races, as well as concerts at Wembley, football at the Emirates Stadium and the Harry Potter World, Leavesden.

As far as business to pleasure ratio, our clients have been interestingly split 50%, which we could not have planned! In addition to all the above journeys and more, we have also done 19 weddings.

So the message from all the above, is that 2018 has been a year in which we have grown in experience, completed 40,000 miles, and evidenced by our 60 five star google reviews and many more on our website, our clients agree that we are safe, comfortable, legal and reliable where we plan to do the waiting so that our clients do not have to.

In 2019, we would like to provide more clients with our service which we plan to expand on during the year and to encourage this, we would like to offer every new client for their first journey with us, a 10% discount from our standard executive travel price including any airport return if required.

…. and many more on our website!

2019 will be a year to consolidate and to expand so more people can enjoy our and benefit from our quality personal chauffeur services in the future.

So, What's in the Masters?

After the good feedback received from my previous article on POWDERY checks I thought I would  make public the 27 check points that examiners use to judge the skill of an advanced driver when they take the Masters driving test with IAM Roadsmart.

I realise doing this could make me vulnerable, but it does provide an insight into the testing involved should anyone be interested in improving their own driving skills to make them a safer and more observant driver.

I passed the Masters test in November 2017 after previously passing the advanced test in 2013. We travelled a distance of around 50 miles over approx. 2 hours covering A, B and C class roads with dry and bright conditions. 

Throughout the 2 hour test, I was required to give a verbal commentary of what I observed and what difference that made to the way I drove and planned the journey. 

To obtain a Distinction in the masters, each of the check points in the image must score a 1, but as you see there are some 2’s, so my grade was a Pass. I was told that there is no shame in this as to get a masters qualification is no mean effort.

Also, in the image of the pass certificate, are comments about why I did not achieve a 1 for certain checks. I am actually encouraged that the main reason is because I drove the test being more client focussed to ensure the drive was smooth with no rapid acceleration, braking or sharp cornering - the problem is, to achieve a masters distinction, requires just that - to demonstrate that I can drive at the limit.

The Limit Point of Vision (LPOV) is a very useful system to enable driving to the limit but also being able to stay safe. 

The LPOV is the farthest point along a road to which you have a clear and uninterrupted view of the road surface....” ... It is the point along the road ahead where both sides of the carriageway appear to meet and form in a point; this is the limit of your vision. The LPOV moves as you progress along the road and the speed you go is determined by the distance you can see to be clear and the distance within which you can stop.

The points graded as a 2 were on planning, hazard management, use of gearbox, braking, signals, cornering, overtaking, restraint and progress. My learning for the next time I take the masters test is to be more aggressive, but for now, I take comfort in that my priority is to give my clients a smooth and progressive journey when they can feel totally safe and comfortable at all times.

So there we have it, I passed but was too focussed on safety to be able to achieve the distinction - goes that is not too much of an issue really!

From Irresponsible "Boy Racer" to Professional Chauffeur

During my travels and I am sure you all do, I notice varying skills of driving. It sometimes still shocks me at how some people can be when they squeeze their car into gaps when travelling at often excessive speeds even over and above the speed limit.

We have seen on YouTube clips of people overtaking and only just making it avoiding a collision by a whisker - but to be on the receiving end of this in real life ourselves is something quite different.

Thankfully I have not been involved in a massive accident myself, but I have been a victim of a lorry driver falling asleep at the same moment as I was overtaking him at 1:30am on the M25 at 70 mph! Again thankfully, the damage was not severe, although inconvenient, and amazingly my car held straight and no one was actually hurt.

In my younger days, I did have quite a number of accidents, that I can now look back and say that I could and should have avoided. My father was so patient with me in those days, even when I wrote off a vehicle that he loaned me. So, yes, I am ashamed to admit that I have been the cause of accidents in the past and I even drove much in excess of the speed limit when returning from Cheddar, Somerset to our home at Dauntsey Lock, near Lyneham, Wiltshire - indeed, I used that route as a time trial to beat my last time in my Mini 1000.

So, from my experiences and observing other driving standards, I thought I would write a further  blog that attempts to explain what is going through my mind as currently, I drive in excess of 1,000 miles per week for clients.

I P S G A the System of Car Control

This can be best explained by considering what is know as I P S G A, the System of Car Control as taught by IAM Roadsmart and the Police Federation Roadcraft. It was first devised at the Police College at Hendon over 60 years ago and has formed the core of the Police Rider’s Handbook or Roadcraft since then.

The 'System' is a systematic method of driving which, if used correctly, will substantially reduce the risk of a driver being the cause of an accident. A detailed explanation of the System is given in Roadcraft, the police driver's manual, and it is to this book you must refer if you want a thorough understanding. 

There are five phases of the System which must be considered on the approach to any hazard. A hazard can be the presence and/or movement of any vehicle or pedestrian, a road feature such as a roundabout or a climatic feature such as a sudden downpour of rain.

The five features are:

• Information

• Position

• Speed

• Gear

• Acceleration

The Information phase overlaps every other phase of the System.

In the description of the Information phase Roadcraft adds the sub-acronym T.U.G or Take-Use-Give as an indication that we have to do something with all that information.

Take in information by looking at traffic signs and looking at the position and movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Be aware of observation links i.e. the hazards associated with what can be seen e.g. parked vehicles, a pedestrian flagging a taxi, a garage forecourt, a pedestrian walking to the front of a bus or roadside telephone poles formed into a curved line in the distance. Use your mirrors at any point in the System but particularly before changing position, before slowing or after changing gear i.e. a final check behind before the hazard is reached.

Use the information you have gathered by making a plan to deal with the identified hazards and making contingency plans for dealing with the unexpected e.g. car doors opening, a taxi suddenly stopping, a car shooting out of a roadside garage, a bus suddenly stopping or a car coming fast out of a bend ahead.

Give information to other road users e.g. using your indicators to inform them that you are going to change position, using your horn or flashing your headlights to let them know of your presence. 

Position your vehicle to re-enforce any other form of signal.

Position yourself so that you can pass hazards safely and smoothly. Give a good clearance when passing parked vehicles, cyclists or when overtaking moving vehicles. Follow the advice given in the Highway Code for positioning on the approach to roundabouts. Position yourself when approaching bends in national speed limit areas so as to maximise your view of the road ahead - taking account of oncoming/following vehicles and nearside hazards. Good observation will allow you to make the most effective use of available (legal) road space e.g. taking a clear lane at traffic lights on a dual carriageway. Good positioning smoothes progress.

Speed: 

Obtain a safe speed to negotiate the hazard. Reduce speed, if need be, by either easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal (deceleration) or by braking. Whatever method is used it is essential to lose speed smoothly.

Gear: 

Once you have the right speed for the hazard, engage the correct gear for that speed. The aim, almost all of the time, is to have a clean separation between braking and changing gear i.e. no overlapping. Slight overlapping when going downhill into a corner or a bend is acceptable PROVIDED you do the gear change when most of the braking has already been done.

Acceleration: 

Consider accelerating away from the hazard after taking account of your speed and the position/movement of other road users. The accelerator pedal is NOT an on/off switch to be suddenly pressed to the floor when a hazard has been negotiated. Use the pedal smoothly. 

Summing Up

The emphasis I personally place on driving in each of the above phases, is making the experience smooth, so I plan ahead and aim to slow down gradually, so as to maximise the comfort for my passengers and minimise the stress that can be caused by sudden or erratic movements of my car.

Obviously when necessary I can brake suddenly in an emergency and I am always prepared to do that, but that would be the exception, as planning ahead can mostly avoid those times.

I became a qualified Advanced Driver though IAM Roadsmart in February 2013 and qualified as  Master with them in November 2017 ensuring that I maintain the same high standard after then 4 years.

To continue to be qualified as a Master, I now need to retake regularly which I am committed to do. In fact when we are able to explain and take on professional chauffeurs, they also will need to become a Master Driver - we are intent on making sure that the same high driving standards are maintained, which is now become part of our branding.

Is there more to learn?

For those interested, I plan to write a few more blogs focussed on driving safely and how to prepare - do watch out for those in the coming weeks/months ahead. Life is all about learning, no matter what sphere we are in - we can always be a better version of who we are and what we do. Onwards and upwards they say!

Help, I'm lost, do your magic!

One of the most essential pieces of information given me for every single job is the full postal address including post code, of where I am to collect my clients.

Many years ago, in the days when I used to travel with my father on long journeys (see one of my earliest blogs), we used such objects as a compass and a road map as large as the Financial Times, which seemed at first equally as complicated.

These times with my father teaching me how to use them were invaluable to me throughout my earlier years travelling in my previous jobs when I was travelling on my own or on family holidays with my wife and children.

Nowadays, technology is so useful in that all we do, is plug the post code into the car satnav and off we go. How rarely do we actually look at the map now?

As most of the weddings we do are fairly local to us, we make sure that within the week before every wedding, we do a test run of the complete route we will be doing on the actual day itself. We do this to make sure we have the correct timings, especially where we do relays in the same car back and forth to pick up more people, but also, to check out the route and to know for certain that we can locate each of the places where we are picking people up. 

One of our key focusses on the day is to make the journeys completely stress free for the bridal party.

This has proved to be so important on many occasion.

But, there is always one, whether for a wedding or an executive travel job, sometimes the post code does not exist in the sat nav, or indeed the actual road.

This means that the software needs to be updated, but to be fair even if I purchased the updated software (DVD) every year, it would not be enough. To do this would make the expense too much which would have to passed onto our clients - this is not necessary, although we do renew the DVD software after a few years.

So, when the post code is not recognised, we revert to our backup. This is google maps on the phone, as long as the phone is not touch while driving the car . This has helped us out sometimes.

But, yes there is another one! What happens when we are en route to pick up the client and we have no 4G signal?

When this has happened in the past, I make the phone call (handsfree, using the car system) to our office and I speak to my daughter Hannah, who as she was growing up, would read maps on our family journeys and the compass and follow the journey. Before long she would actually guide me on the route to take. 

Hannah is now very technically able, and uses the computer and magic, she tells me. Using google maps and something else to locate the pick up location, along with my phone signal to locate my phone!

With this information, she skilfully guides me to the pick up location, street by street, until I am close enough and then I arrive in good time once again to proceed with the client job. This is especially useful when the location is on a very new housing estate when my car satnav has been located in a field. Thankfully, Hannah sees something quite different.

I mention this because I am mostly the only face our clients see, and also our backup wedding chauffeurs of course. Like most other businesses,  I have a supporting team at my office, who are play such a key role to the success of the business and ensuring clients have the service they require.

There are many other tasks not only Hannah does but also my wife Sonie, to whom I am very grateful.

Confessions of an Executive Chauffeur

Finally, the plane has landed after a delayed turbulent flight, lasting over 7 hours. My executives all too often experience uncomfortable seating with cabin noise levels and poor quality food that make it hard to actually work, rest or sleep on long haul flights.

Once off the plane, they go through lengthy queues to get through immigration before finally collecting their luggage. Not all my executives have the budget to afford business or first class travel, so fast track is not always an option.

As they enter the arrivals area the automatic doors open and immediately they see me with my suit and cap on, their smile of relief is obvious! With their coffee in hand, I give them a warm welcome back to the UK and take their bags. 

The final leg of their journey begins… 

"Tired, just hope I can now rest and recover" 

• Will my chauffeur be there for me?

• How will I recognise him/her?

• The flight may have been delayed for an hour or more. If he is there, what will the extra charge be for the parking fee?

• How can I get that extra expense approved when I submit for payment?

• I need a coffee and can’t get one as that will only cause more delays. I’m hungry - the in flight food was ‘plastic’!

• My phone battery is flat and I need to let my loved ones know the plane is landed

• I just need to unwind and rest before the next meeting

• I hate travelling in a filthy vehicle as that can give an indication of how careful the driver is - attention to detail!

Preparation before we meet:

Two days before travelling they receive an SMS confirming that I will be there for them,  offering a choice of hot drink

Even after doing a journey before I get to the airport or other pick up location, I clean the car with a detailing spray wax

When a mobile number has been supplied, they know I have SMS’d their dependant to confirm that they have safely landed

Once the plane is landed they receive an SMS confirming I am there with that drink 

Meet & greet

Coming through Arrivals, my executive knows that I will be there, easily  recognisable as I always wear my chauffeur’s cap along with my chauffeur 3 piece suit, their coffee in hand 

It is always a relief to see me, as my executives know they are being cared for - I offer to help with their luggage and after paying for parking (no added charge), I escort them to the pristine Jaguar

Approaching the car 

Once at the car, I open the door(s) and the executive can rest inside while I load their luggage 

Waiting for him in the car, is a bottle of mineral water, snack bar, mints, tissues, quality magazines and a daily newspaper usually of their choice

They can recharge their mobile with charging cables provided using the twin USB points

I confirm that my mobile is on flight mode and the radio remains off, unless they request it

During the journey

Soon after starting the journey, I check that the air con is set correctly for them, and offer a charging cable for their mobile

My executive is able to either rest, make phone calls in private, or work in comfort while I drive them in safety to their destination, making any requested stops en route

I only engage in conversation when the executive initiates it

If they need internet access and their carrier has no reception, I offer them a hotspot off my mobile

On the journey, I drive to maximise their comfort and safety - I plan my breaking and cornering and do not accelerate rapidly

I ensure a steady journey that progresses comfortably within legal limits and at a safe distance from the cars in front

To the door

Once the journey is complete, my executives pay the  pre-agreed amount by any major debit/credit card using our reliable Worldpay card machine. 

No surcharges are added and the price is the same as when they booked initially. They are given an invoice for their records

If raining, I offer to escort them to the door under a large umbrella

How different things are when we are not there. Alternatives being public transport:

After coming off the plane often in a daze: 

Executive needs to find his way to the taxi rank

Stand in a queue not protected from the rain and sometimes next to someone who is smoking

Once his turn comes, often he will have to load his own luggage into the dirty cab, open his own door, and the meter has already started

Then, the executive explains where they are going, noticing that the car is either too hot to too cold and smells of smoke, or worse - ok if you are a smoker but if you are not?

Driving standard is poor and often illegal - the taxi driver is preoccupied with the ear piece which is connected to his mobile (where they use the mobile ‘legally’)

Driver is also known to be ranting about the standards of other drivers

… is talking to his office about the next job or even on his own personal call

… has his arm resting on the door, not in full control the vehicle, braking erratically and swerving from lane to lane carving up others

They are asked about what work the executive is involved in and tells him about his clients he has had in the car before him or discusses the current news having a very strong political opinion that he must share

Close calls

Does all or some of the above sound familiar? Probably, because that has often been my experience in my past employments when I have used a taxi. There are of course, exceptions to the rule and some taxi drivers are far superior to others.

One of the worst taxi trips I have ever experienced was in Istanbul when I was on a business trip for the corporate company I used to work for.

Our team were being taken back to the hotel late at night by two taxis. The drivers drove at an unsafe speed, braked erratically, cornered sharply with the result that we were literally being thrown about. 

Fearing for our lives, for some reason, it seemed they stopped in the middle of the road and refused to go any further. 

We had to pay and get out - I have no idea to this day why and all I can think of is that perhaps we hit a time limit for those particular drivers shift.

That led to me walking back to our hotel alone in the middle of the night through a rather risky part of Istanbul, but that is entirely a different subject!!

On another occasion, I was coming through UK Arrivals and checked through the sea of faces and sheets of paper and card with names on and mine was no where to be seen. 

I checked my emails and messages, and sure enough I had arranged for a lift but he wasn’t there! I rang the taxi company who argued with me but eventually decided to send someone out. I was later home than expected, tired and frustrated.

Other times, a driver was giving me his opinion on an election campaign in the UK, not a great subject that I wanted to engage on when tired from the previous flight and a stressful series of business meetings in a foreign country. “I just want a quiet journey - is that too much to ask for?”

All the above and many more experiences propelled me to offer an entirely different service to my clients once we started our family business.

and finally… 

The options are clear, but the standards are so very different. We provide the high level that defines our executives so that when they arrive they are relaxed, calm and ready to face the next opportunity with a rested mind and body.

ABOUT DAVE

Dave has been working in the corporate world for over 15 years before he decided to set up his own business and provide a much higher standard in chauffeur experience than he ever received himself. As well as being a quality chauffeur for executives and private people, he has also successfully set up a Jaguar wedding car business that exceeds expectations, being selected as a finalist in the Whitewed Startup Business of the Year 2017 - watch this space for the awards ceremony in February 2018!

Additionally, Dave makes sure his driving is of the highest standard and after passing the IAM Roadsmart Advanced Drivers qualification in 2013, he has just passed the IAM Roadsmart Masters qualification as well - demonstrating his commitment to excellence.

Below are just a few of the many recent reviews on our website:

“Earlier this week a colleague of mine and I were at a conference and award evening and decided to travel back home to Fleet in Hampshire and Swindon instead of paying for extremely expensive hotel rooms. We approached Dave and he happily came up with a solution which suited our circumstances along with great value for money. Dave was prompt on arrival and called us and text us to let us know he had arrived and on approaching the front of the hotel, he greeted us like clients and not just BNI members which was great. The journey was very smooth and comfortable in his high quality Jaguar and having a snack bar, water and phone charger made the experience all the more enjoyable. If you are considering any form of travel or booking wedding transport and want to take the worry out of the situation, I would strongly recommend DB executive travel. Thank you Dave" Mark

“The best chauffeur experience we have ever had: exceptionally professional and reliable, for both business and personal circumstances. Could not be any happier with Dave! We will definitely use DB Executive Travel as often as they are available.” Qing

“DB Executive Travel provided me with an airport pick up after a long haul flight and I must say the experience truly was exceptional, every detail was covered including a 'welcome home' coffee. This was no ordinary airport transfer. Thank you!” Adam

Airport Transfer Mode - part 1

One of my most frequent type of trips is to either pick up or take to an airport. Whilst to some this may be thought of just jumping in a car and going to pick up and take to the airport, I thought I would describe a typical run in the way we do this as DB Executive Travel. I hope you find this interesting and provides an insight into the detail.

Before any job whether wedding, airport or special event 2 days before I text my client to confirm that I will be with them at whatever time was agreed when the order was taken. This ensures peace of mind that they have not been forgotten.

24 hours before I do any run for a client I ensure that I am not taking in any alcohol whatsoever. I know there is a legal limit, but I believe my clients deserve something better, so before I take on a job with little notice, I ensure that I am fit to drive within not only legally but also within our self imposed limits.

Depending on when the arrival time is agreed, I will prepare the car the day before or, early in the day if I am due to meet the client later in that day. By preparing the car, I clean and detail her much as I have described in earlier blogs inside and out.

When it is time for me to leave our base, wearing a black 3 piece suit, white shirt, black tie and a chauffeurs cap, I will have already checked the flight to ensure it is scheduled to leave on time - important information that I give to my client when I greet them.

Already loaded in the car, is a selection of quality magazines, daily newspaper, mints, tissues, snack bars, cooled bottled mineral water, charging cables for the current top 3 mobile phones along with a USB charging adaptor for the back of the car.

As I arrive near to the client I stop a few streets away and check the car again, wiping down the outside to ensure it is immaculate every time we ‘client face’. I adjust my seat to be as close to the dashboard as is safe to drive and the passenger front seat is already pushed as far forward as possible.

I arrive 15 minutes before due, to ensure peace of mind again, ready to load the boot with luggage.

I greet my clients and assist them with luggage ensuring they are settled inside the back of the car first of all. If raining, I ensure they are dry by escorting them to the car under our umbrella, opening the doors for them.

As we drive off, I check that air conditioning to set to their preference and let them know of the in car provisions available for them. The sound system remains off unless they request otherwise. My mobile is set to airplane mode to ensure my clients are never disturbed by any calls coming in for me, even though the mobile is connected to the care and is therefore handsfree.

En route the sat nav is on view so they can clearly see the progress being made and the expected time of arrival.

My standard of driving is consistently advanced meaning I look ahead to ensure I avoid harsh breaking and heavy cornering. I do not accelerate rapidly but progressively, so as to ensure passenger comfort and stress free travelling.

I provide as many nature stops as they require, and on arrival I assist with doors and luggage checking that nothing is left behind.

We are committed to the above standard for every journey, as this was what I would have hoped for when I was being chauffeur driven myself when I was working in the corporate world. Sadly, I rarely experienced this, and I now have the pleasure of providing this exceptionally high standard to every single one of my clients which is what I love to do.

Washing Day Again!

I mentioned at the end of last week’s blog since our family holidays in our blue S Type, that she has been given a deep clean and now that she is only used for weddings. This leads me to answer what many have asked me since we turned professional - how often do you clean your cars as they are always pristine?

Well, to state the obvious, they do get very dirty on our country roads especially when it is raining. Having said that, the S Type is only taken out when the roads are dry unless we are doing a wedding in her when the weather is bad. Although she is very reliable she is still an old lady and needs to be respected to preserve her!

Needless to say I do enjoy bringing both our ‘working’ cars back to their normal glory when they have got messy.

Before each wedding the car that is being used, is cleaned immaculately and new fresh wax is applied. Additionally, we clean and condition the leathers in the car and give the whole inside a full clean, including inside the doors around the hinges as well, to ensure that the passengers who enter the car need not fear about any dirt getting on their clothes, especially the brides beautiful dress!

For the silver XFS, not only is she cleaned for weddings, but also before any executive travel journeys I do in her for clients, like airport transfers, events, special occasions, or taking clients to other parts of the country for a long weekend, when driving the long distance is just too much for them.

Additionally, when we have to travel a distance either before we pick up the bride or client for executive travel, the car becomes dirty to varying degrees from the road grime on the journey to the client. This means that we set off much earlier to ensure that we have the chance to clean the car again before we meet our client. 

Our intention, is that whenever we meet a client, the car is presented in a totally clean state when they enter the car. Not only is the car cleaned from any dirt when we arrive close to the pick up point for our client, but more detailing wax is applied - subject to when it is not actually raining at that time. Should it be raining, we ensure the car is clean in any case as much as is possible.

So you see, cleaning our cars is done frequently.

So very briefly, to pull this week’s edition to a close, when a car is extremely dirty, we follow the below steps, with the twice yearly additional deeper cleansing as indicated:

1. Apply snow foam with a snow lance attached to a jet wash

2. Leave to soak for 10 minutes

3. Jet wash the car

4. Wash the shampoo and a woollen mitt

5. Use a clay cloth with juice to remove the deeper road grime (twice yearly)

6. Jet wash the car

7. Dry with microfibre drying towels

8. Apply deep polish to remove swirls etc and polish off with clean microfibre cloth (twice yearly)

9. Apply deep carnauba wax to lock in the shine and give further protection and buff up with clean microfibre cloth (twice yearly)

10. Apply detailing carnauba wax to all surfaces except windows to add more shine and protection, including the stainless steel exhaust pipes

11. Apply special window cleaner and buff with clean microfibre cloth

12. Wheels are also cleaned with using specialised fluids and dried before applying tyre gloss and then finally adding the rim coating to protect from further dirt build up

I will leave to another blog describing the types of materials I use inside the car and outside, why and also where I resource them from to a later blog. I hope you find the above helpful and interesting.