Limousine Hiring Guide

When it comes to planning your special event, finding a professional limousine hire company is important but often overlooked.
We’ve compiled these 6 helpful tips to make hiring your next limo a success.

1. Plan the Details of your Event

Before you know which limousine to hire, you should ask yourself some questions about the event:

What kind of event are you attending?
How many people and who will you be travelling with?
Will you need stops along the way or a return trip?
Will you need music or entertainment during your journey?
If you’re attending a wedding and the bride has a large dress, will your limousine need a large bridal door to make entering and exiting easier?
If you’re getting married, tell the chauffeur about your wedding attire colours so he dresses appropriately.
Will you be bringing luggage or other accessories with you?

If you’re able to plan these details out prior to booking your limousine, you’ll get it right for your special occasion.

2. Book Early

No matter what event you’re planning, book as early as possible.
For weddings, many people book months – possibly a year or more – in advance to secure their spot. For other important events like proms, birthdays, graduation ceremonies, or corporate events; it’s a good idea to book a month or more in advance. By booking your limo early, you’ll avoid disappointment later on.

Make sure you tell the limo company all the information. Omitting details to get a cheaper price doesn’t work and can cause huge problems on the day. Provide accurate information so everything goes smoothly for you.

Pay your deposit and make sure you receive a receipt with the company’s name on it with the deposit amount as well as the total amount payable written on the receipt.

3. Inspect the vehicle before the event

Any reputable limo hire company will be happy to show you their fleet in-person to any prospective clients and they won’t make a fuss about it. This is especially important for weddings and should never be overlooked.

Dishonest companies often don’t actually own the cars that they claim to provide. They will tell you that the fake car is already booked, or that it has broken down on the day, or they will try to obtain the car from another business. These kinds of dodgy practices lead to disaster and disappointment.

Any limousine you hire should have the look of a luxury vehicle. The paint job should be very clean, and the interior and upholstery should be spotless. Your vehicle should also have plenty of space to suit the number of your passengers. Check that the car looks really good. A professional company will be slightly obsessive about their cars always looking lovely. If you’re not into cars, bring a friend or partner who will be able to spot if the car is well maintained or not.

If you’re looking for entertainment options like a fully-equipped bar, sound systems, TVs and Blu-ray players – be sure to inquire about these features.

4. Meet the Chauffeur

If you’re getting married, it’s especially a good idea to take the time to meet briefly with your driver. A professional driver will be friendly, sociable and courteous towards you. They should be well-presented and take the time to understand our particular needs for the event. Very importantly, your chauffeurs must be licensed by Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV).

5. Read their Reviews and Testimonials

One thing you cannot judge based on the car or chauffeurs alone is the overall experience. Read the company’s comments, star ratings, and reviews left by previous customers.

If the company has a Facebook page, check out the reviews written there. You can also check Google, local hire websites, and the company’s own testimonial page.
When reading reviews, you should keep in mind their use of words and language. Does the review read like it was written by a real person? Be wary of any review that uses too much “sales talk” or industry jargon, as they were probably just written by the company. Besides reading reviews and testimonials, you can also check the star ratings on Google and social media pages.

6. Insurance

Make sure the limousine company has full motor vehicle insurance, and they also have must have all passenger and property covered by public liability insurance.

Summary

Hiring a limousine company is often a very important part of a special event.
Take the extra time to look closely at your limousine company, so that you choose a really good one for your special event.