A fleet of black Mercedes are lined up at Syon Park, Wheely's London headquarters the company's Chauffeur Academy is in session.
The intense three-day accreditation course is designed to push service levels to the maximum. Only 30 per cent of the chauffeur hopefuls will pass the course and join Wheely's 4,000-strong team of driving professionals across the globe. "What we do is deliver experiences, not just journeys," explains Laura Allen, global director of customer experience at Wheely. "My background is in luxury hotels, I worked with the Jumeirah group for nine years in Dubai and that's the level we're trying to deliver - not just five-star, but seven-star service."
Naturally, this means immaculate presentation (of car and driver), smooth rides (no sharp corners or hard breaks), and discreet, professional service. But to get those extra stars, Wheely chauffeurs must also master calligraphy, first aid and something called the "maximum resonance point" (more on this later).
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/4781929297.jpg]
The bar to entry is having the right car all of Wheely's chauffeurs are responsible for purchasing and maintaining their own vehicles. Cars must be a Mercedes E-class or EQE (electric vehicle), a maximum of three years old and a dark, classic colour. For first-class tariffs, cars must be S-class W222 and W223, and the XL tariff (for larger groups and luggage) features V-class Mercedes.
Wheels sorted, it's onto class. Day one covers "the basics", starting with a 157-slide presentation detailing everything from dress code (two- or three-piece suit; matching tie; Oxford or Derby shoes; pocket square) to how the car should be prepared (stocked with amenities and charging cables) and immaculately presented - trainers will swipe their finger inside the exhaust pipe to check vehicles are showroom standard.
City knowledge must also be up to scratch. London cabbies are famous for having "the Knowledge", where they must memorise 5 thousands of streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. The Wheely Knowledge applies the same principles but to a smaller area where clients tend to be concentrated - ie Kensington and Mayfair.
"They need to know the five-star hotels, the best restaurants, things like 'what's the quickest way from The Connaught to Heathrow', 'where are the best pick-up spots at Harrods, and 'which route should you take for this restaurant, to be on that side of the road," explains Allen.
There's a section on how to interact with clients, from uplifting vocabulary with word swaps (like "certainly" instead of "sure") to handling difficult topics. I asked my chauffeur about any famous passengers, but he was frustratingly professional and vague - all drivers sign an NDA and take privacy seriously.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/7929242972.jpg]
"We also go over their tone of voice to find their 'maximum resonance point," says Allen. "Making sure their voice isn't too low or disinterested, and not too high and manic, but that they're maintaining a luxury tone, pace themselves correctly and are aware of things like closed body language and standing up straight."
On the practical side, there are licence checks, practice journeys, situational awareness tests (ie not parking next to a high-sided vehicle), calligraphy lessons to ensure name boards look impressive and first aid courses so parents can have peace of mind on school runs.
Failure awaits drivers who turn up to class looking scruffy, or have an errant smudge on their vehicles.
And not just at the Academy Wheely has mystery shoppers to keep a vigilant eye on the standards, with 58 criteria checked on each ride.
EFFICIENCY DRIVE
Most of us don't need convincing about the perks of a chauffeur service. The stumbling block is cost- that level of service doesn't come cheap. Wheely offers a range of membership options and services, with rates starting from £60 an hour acceptable if you're a highflying CEO, but less justifiable for most commuters.
But there are situations where the business case for using professional chauffeur services makes financial sense- and your life easier. Airport pick-ups are popular with business travellers when it comes to things like flight delays, often with set prices available to help manage costs. Depending on your destination, safety concerns or lack of public infrastructure can also easily justify the cost.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/2877424924.jpg]
Blacklane, the German global chauffeur service company, offers a range of services targeted at the mainstream corporate market. According to Jason Dunderdale, head of agency and indirect sales, city-to-city transfers are a popular option for business travellers, with 70 fixed-price routes offering a cost-effective solution.
"If you're flying into London, but need to go to Birmingham or Oxford, rather than commute into central London to then get the train out, you can get a city-to-city ride, saving time and money," explains Dunderdale.
"A client of ours recently had to get business travellers from London to Philadelphia. Flying direct was expensive, so they decided to fly them to New York and then take a Blacklane service to Philadelphia, because it worked out much cheaper. Plus, the journey was in an EV, so sustainability-wise it ticks boxes as well."
Time-poor business travellers will also find value in the added convenience. Heather Matthews, CEO of Glasgow-based Little's Chauffeur Drive, says: "Many of our clients are going from important meeting to important meeting - they can't be waiting for an Uber. They need to know the car is outside, that they can leave something in the car, and that the chauffeur can pick up their lunch. It's about that personal service and reliability."
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/9977284492.jpg]
MERGING LANES
You could argue that we all have access to private drivers these days with the rise of ride-hailing apps like Uber or Bolt, and their increasing range of business-tailored products - with many professional chauffeurs hopping between apps themselves. There are also companies such as SIXT, who straddle the full range of ground transport options, from ride-hailing to self-hire and chauffeur services.
Chauffeur companies are of course quick to rebuke this notion. Blacklane's Dunderdale says: "We don't hide the fact that our chauffeurs also work for some of our competitors, but there's still that distinct difference in terms of the white glove service you get with a chauffeur rather than a kerb-side pick-up you get from ride-hailing."
The company has also recently launched a chauffeur academy to maintain service levels, with Dunderdale pointing out that "there's also a big difference with being an ...
The intense three-day accreditation course is designed to push service levels to the maximum. Only 30 per cent of the chauffeur hopefuls will pass the course and join Wheely's 4,000-strong team of driving professionals across the globe. "What we do is deliver experiences, not just journeys," explains Laura Allen, global director of customer experience at Wheely. "My background is in luxury hotels, I worked with the Jumeirah group for nine years in Dubai and that's the level we're trying to deliver - not just five-star, but seven-star service."
Naturally, this means immaculate presentation (of car and driver), smooth rides (no sharp corners or hard breaks), and discreet, professional service. But to get those extra stars, Wheely chauffeurs must also master calligraphy, first aid and something called the "maximum resonance point" (more on this later).
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/4781929297.jpg]
The bar to entry is having the right car all of Wheely's chauffeurs are responsible for purchasing and maintaining their own vehicles. Cars must be a Mercedes E-class or EQE (electric vehicle), a maximum of three years old and a dark, classic colour. For first-class tariffs, cars must be S-class W222 and W223, and the XL tariff (for larger groups and luggage) features V-class Mercedes.
Wheels sorted, it's onto class. Day one covers "the basics", starting with a 157-slide presentation detailing everything from dress code (two- or three-piece suit; matching tie; Oxford or Derby shoes; pocket square) to how the car should be prepared (stocked with amenities and charging cables) and immaculately presented - trainers will swipe their finger inside the exhaust pipe to check vehicles are showroom standard.
City knowledge must also be up to scratch. London cabbies are famous for having "the Knowledge", where they must memorise 5 thousands of streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. The Wheely Knowledge applies the same principles but to a smaller area where clients tend to be concentrated - ie Kensington and Mayfair.
"They need to know the five-star hotels, the best restaurants, things like 'what's the quickest way from The Connaught to Heathrow', 'where are the best pick-up spots at Harrods, and 'which route should you take for this restaurant, to be on that side of the road," explains Allen.
There's a section on how to interact with clients, from uplifting vocabulary with word swaps (like "certainly" instead of "sure") to handling difficult topics. I asked my chauffeur about any famous passengers, but he was frustratingly professional and vague - all drivers sign an NDA and take privacy seriously.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/7929242972.jpg]
"We also go over their tone of voice to find their 'maximum resonance point," says Allen. "Making sure their voice isn't too low or disinterested, and not too high and manic, but that they're maintaining a luxury tone, pace themselves correctly and are aware of things like closed body language and standing up straight."
On the practical side, there are licence checks, practice journeys, situational awareness tests (ie not parking next to a high-sided vehicle), calligraphy lessons to ensure name boards look impressive and first aid courses so parents can have peace of mind on school runs.
Failure awaits drivers who turn up to class looking scruffy, or have an errant smudge on their vehicles.
And not just at the Academy Wheely has mystery shoppers to keep a vigilant eye on the standards, with 58 criteria checked on each ride.
EFFICIENCY DRIVE
Most of us don't need convincing about the perks of a chauffeur service. The stumbling block is cost- that level of service doesn't come cheap. Wheely offers a range of membership options and services, with rates starting from £60 an hour acceptable if you're a highflying CEO, but less justifiable for most commuters.
But there are situations where the business case for using professional chauffeur services makes financial sense- and your life easier. Airport pick-ups are popular with business travellers when it comes to things like flight delays, often with set prices available to help manage costs. Depending on your destination, safety concerns or lack of public infrastructure can also easily justify the cost.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/2877424924.jpg]
Blacklane, the German global chauffeur service company, offers a range of services targeted at the mainstream corporate market. According to Jason Dunderdale, head of agency and indirect sales, city-to-city transfers are a popular option for business travellers, with 70 fixed-price routes offering a cost-effective solution.
"If you're flying into London, but need to go to Birmingham or Oxford, rather than commute into central London to then get the train out, you can get a city-to-city ride, saving time and money," explains Dunderdale.
"A client of ours recently had to get business travellers from London to Philadelphia. Flying direct was expensive, so they decided to fly them to New York and then take a Blacklane service to Philadelphia, because it worked out much cheaper. Plus, the journey was in an EV, so sustainability-wise it ticks boxes as well."
Time-poor business travellers will also find value in the added convenience. Heather Matthews, CEO of Glasgow-based Little's Chauffeur Drive, says: "Many of our clients are going from important meeting to important meeting - they can't be waiting for an Uber. They need to know the car is outside, that they can leave something in the car, and that the chauffeur can pick up their lunch. It's about that personal service and reliability."
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1450191940/1724773960/articles/ynwYcYnxf1724925490270/9977284492.jpg]
MERGING LANES
You could argue that we all have access to private drivers these days with the rise of ride-hailing apps like Uber or Bolt, and their increasing range of business-tailored products - with many professional chauffeurs hopping between apps themselves. There are also companies such as SIXT, who straddle the full range of ground transport options, from ride-hailing to self-hire and chauffeur services.
Chauffeur companies are of course quick to rebuke this notion. Blacklane's Dunderdale says: "We don't hide the fact that our chauffeurs also work for some of our competitors, but there's still that distinct difference in terms of the white glove service you get with a chauffeur rather than a kerb-side pick-up you get from ride-hailing."
The company has also recently launched a chauffeur academy to maintain service levels, with Dunderdale pointing out that "there's also a big difference with being an ...
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Business Traveller Uk (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2024