One vital tool in Global Alliance’s monitoring of the dozens (sometimes hundreds) of limousine transfers that we provide to our clients every day is our complex system of status updates. These statuses track the progress of a reservation from the time it is made through to its assignment to a specific chauffeur and that chauffeur’s progress through the transfer itself to its completion.
When a reservation is initially made with one of our professional agents, it begins as Unassigned. Once the order is assigned to a chauffeur (or to an out-of-town affiliate), it changes to Assigned. The order is then sent electronically to the chauffeur (or the affiliate), who will reply indicating that they have received and understood the order and its details. At this point, the order will be Dispatched. Should any adjustments be made to the order after this status change has been marked, our experienced dispatch staff will be sure to make certain that the chauffeur (or affiliate) is aware of the updated information. For more information on the procedures for confirming details with affiliates, see this post on the subject.
Moving forward to the period closely preceding the pickup time itself, chauffeurs will provide electronic status updates allowing the dispatch office to track the progress of the transfer. Chauffeurs reply to the message containing their assigned order with a status code, which then automatically changes the status of the order in the Livery Coach program at the central office. This is done to reflect when the chauffeur is On The Way (which can indicate a pick up around the corner or in another city or town hours away), when the vehicle has Arrived onsite for the initial pick up, when Customer in Car can be confirmed, and finally when the trip is completed and Done. Should chauffeurs not send in their status codes for any reason, our Dispatch staff monitors statuses closely and will contact the chauffeurs to confirm their current status (this is also done for out-of-town transfers performed by our trusted affiliates).
The importance of maintaining accurate and timely status updates is manifold. These status changes can be automatically emailed to clients or passengers in real time as they are updated via the Chauffeur Direct function within Livery Coach, allowing those being picked up as well as those concerned about the transfer back at the office to know when the chauffeur is On The Way and Arrived, as well as when the passenger is on board and has been dropped off. Ensuring that chauffeurs have Arrived in good time prior to the settled-upon pick up time is an essential feature of Global Alliance’s renowned and reliable service. Additionally, accurate Customer in Car and Done times greatly streamline the billing process, allowing our accounting department to confirm and precisely charge for wait time and determine total trip duration.
The status update system is a fundamental feature of Global Alliance’s superior service package. Tech-savvy clients should keep an eye out for the revamped Global app, which will allow users to track not only statuses but also the GPS location of their limousine in real time. We’ll have more information to share about these exciting developments in weeks to come.