What to Ask When Reserving a Detroit Homecoming Limo or Party Bus
Photo by Wally Spice Photography
Reserving a Homecoming Limo
Homecoming season is in full swing and shopping for limo and party bus transportation can be challenging. To save yourself and your teens from the headache of phone calls, paperwork, and uncertainty, there are a few measures that can be taken to make the whole process easier on yourself. Here are a few tips for prom shopping:
Let Your Parents Be Involved
Even though the students may be making the choices, even paying for the ride, parents should be closely involved with the reservation process. It is a good idea for the child to provide the booking information and the parent make the phone call. No matter how eager your child may be to call all the shots, their eagerness may result in error. More experienced adults have the ability to bargain, ask the right questions, and gather information generally faster than young adults.
Do Your Research:
Before making any calls, do as much research online as possible. Find reviews, sign up for discounts if available, compare vehicles and any other information you can to weed out undesirable companies. Get to know the vehicles you want and even request said vehicles in your quote. This is the biggest and most important step in shopping.
Before making any calls, do as much research online as possible. Find reviews, sign up for discounts if available, compare vehicles and any other information you can to weed out undesirable companies. Get to know the vehicles you want and even request said vehicles in your quote. This is the biggest and most important step in shopping.
Information to Have Ready
The more you know about your reservation, the faster the quote will be. If you’re shopping around, simply write your reservation information on an index card and read it off slowly to the reservationist:
– Date of the homecoming dance
– A range of passengers and a budget
– City of your homecoming dance
– Number of hours required
– Any extra stops for photos, dinner, etc.
– Be prepared to consider a party bus
Passenger Range
A passenger range is important because homecomings have the tendency to shuffle around passengers from group to group. Get a solid idea of about how many people will be in the party and provide a range of best and worst case scenarios for your child’s group. Write down several rates for several cars, in the event passengers are added and taken away. A budget is important because it will help you weed out unnecessary information and cars you either don’t want or don’t want to pay for.
Math
Get a general range of how much a vehicle would be when split among its passengers. Have a calculator handy to do so. It will help you come up with a budget. For example, if a limousine is $570 for 18 passengers, each passenger will be contributing about $32 apiece with their own gratuity. With this information handy, you will also be able to find out if you need additional passengers or a smaller vehicle.
Asking for a Quote:
With the information written on your index card and somewhat finalized (at least a range), when speaking to a reservationist, try to include or even read off the information on the card:
“Hello, I would like a quote for May 15th, for 12 to 18 people under $1500.”
The above statement is plenty of information for the staff to provide you with a thorough quote.
To keep things simple and time-efficient, ask only for a quote when shopping around. Leave the more specific questions for later. After you narrow your choices down to a few companies based on price and quality, call your favorite companies back for more information.
Calling Chauffeured Transportation Companies:
Either take initiative to inquire, or advise your teens to ask the right questions. Hasty decision-making may cost your family money, time, and safety:
– Ask about insurance
– Are all the vehicles licensed?
– What is the cancellation policy?
– What happens if the vehicle is kept for additional hours?
– Ask about excessive cleanup charges
– How should gratuity be paid?
These questions, if overlooked, may cost your loved ones time, money, and satisfaction. Be sure to sit down with your teens and read through the rental agreement thoroughly before signing anything. Excited teens will easily overlook the fine print- remind your family about cancellations, cleanups, and gratuity, even after they have read the rental agreement with you. Be sure your family is aware of their responsibilities and behavior in their vehicle. A chauffeur is not a babysitter.
Homecoming Transportation Checklist:
- Several phone numbers of local companies
- Range of passengers and their contact numbers (to alert them of quotes)
- Index card with all the appropriate information
- What kind of car or bus are you having?
- How many passengers will be present?
- About how much will each passenger be expected to pay?
- How is gratuity being handled?
- What is the cancellation policy?
- What all stops are being made on the day of the prom?
- Is the vehicle and company licensed and insured?
Let your teens know that you trust their judgments and want them to make their own choices for their special day, but also let them know that you are concerned for their safety and want to make sure they have chosen a reliable and trustworthy company for their friends.
Contact Aristocat Transportation today about reserving your prom or homecoming transportation! We offer a variety of vehicles for every group size!
Posted on September 27th, 2013 in Special Events, Useful Tips.