Ouch – The Redskins need our service
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/crime-scene/post/redskins-safety-arrested-for-dui/2012/04/26/gIQAP8VzjT_blog.html
Hopefully, he will call us next time!
New Years Eve!
Hello and - almost - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We at Drivers Incorporated want to thank everyone for all their support in the past year, as we've grown into a company with a reliable base of drivers and clients. It's been a great year as we've conclusively shown that you can run a profitable designated driver service, here in DC and beyond. It does require enormous dedication, and we've been busily investing in a back end automation that will allow us to
One thing is changing this year. On NYE, we have a enormously high demand - 200%-400% higher then in the rest of the year. In past years, we've struggled to say yes to all the people that want to pay us regular to drive them home - and said no to anyone that calls after december 30th. But we want to serve you. So, we are hiring a ton of extra drivers for NYE!
Even worse, our level of service sometimes slips as we try to provide the same high-level of service that you expect every other day of the year. Our NYE staff always half consists - or more - of entirely new drivers hired for that day. We want to spend the time and effort to get enough well trained drivers for NYE and in order to do that, we have to charge more.
We understand that some of our customers will not be able to pay the $50 extra that we need to charge on NYE. Please consider using us the other nights of the year - you can take advantage of the training and work we put into NYE to get a driver then. Unchanged since 2007, the price is $20 base and $3/mile.
As a thankyou to our loyal customers, and recognizing that we have the work in the rest of the year to support well trained drivers - just not enough for NYE - the first few customers that call up will not have to pay the additional fee. At this point, all the normal rides have been taken, and we are busy - really busy - hiring and training new drivers for anyone that calls up and pays the $50 reservation fee for NYE.
Thanks for all your support!
If it’s not better than a phone call…
I get really excited about using technology to make a better world. Part of that excitement is directed toward mobile applications. As drivers without a central base, using technology to upgrade our ability to get the job done in the constantly changing conditions of the real world is fantastic. We play with new ways of coordinating work.
That brings us to the central point - If it's not better than a phone call, we won't implement a mobile app. Case closed. If we can get a mobile app that provides a better experience than calling, we will do it. If we do it, you can be certain that you, our clients and our drivers, will love it.
All this does have a positive side. After 9 months of coding a revisions we are rolling out a program that is completely invisible to our clients. Our new reporting tool takes the reports that our drivers file and turns them into payment spreadsheets with an ease that was never before possible. It's mobile accessible on a smartphone - so we always have access to it. We are excited and hope it has the carry-on effect of making payments easier to track and therefore allow us to provide better receipts. It also ensures that we can complete the payment for your ride more quickly - no calling a week after the run to get a credit card.
Drivers’ lifeblood: Our phones
Our company runs on Google. From Google apps to android, we have a wonderful integration and seemless tie between our different platforms. All using Google's mostly free software. Beyond the os though, is the phones.
Getting a great driving company built requires making great communication happen. And the only way to do that since we are driving your car is using smartphones. The pricing can be prohibitive for many of our drivers.
That's where a one day only deal is coming into play. The Motorola Triumph, a fantastic high-end android smartphone is coming out on July 19th. A day later the plans from Virgin Mobile all increase. You have a one-day window to take advantage of 25/month unlimited data, texting, and 300 minutes plan. By far the best plan out there. Get it that day and save 10/month on a no-contract plan for 2 years. Savings? $240 over the course of 2 years. All while running with one of the best phones out there.
http://www.phonenews.com/sprint-confirms-virgin-mobile-plan-changes-17000/
How we interview
We pay alot of attention to our interview process - and we mean alot. We use multiple people's input whenever possible and require drivers to intercept before they start driving clients. During the process itself, we focus on situations, and do quick mini-tests of what people would do. Some of those are tests of applying knowledge, and some have an ethical/social adeptness component.
It's a research-based process, where we keep in mind interviewer bias.
This quote about the new MMI application test is an ideal example of the kinds of systems that great interviewing puts in place:
"The system grew out of research that found that interviewers rarely change their scores after the first five minutes, that using multiple interviewers removes random bias and that situational interviews rather than personal ones are more likely to reveal character flaws, said Dr. Harold Reiter, a professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, who developed the system."
We don't have the same kind of rigor as a medical school exam, but we apply the same sort of care, attention and science in our process. And that is how we get great drivers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/health/policy/11docs.html?_r=1&hp
Zogsports partnership – charity drivers!
Drivers Incorporated is pleased to announce a partnership with ZogSportsDC to help get people hom safely. ZogSports runs social sports leagues with a charity focus, and will advocate using Drivers' designated driver service to get their Zoggers (members) home safely after celebrating.
- When people use Drivers Incorporated from a Zogsports event, we will donate 5% to charity through Zogsports.
- Zogsports DC is working to let people who are out there playing, play safe with a designated driver. Let us know if they refer you.
- This is all wins - clients play, call a DD, we donate, and wake up the next day with their car in their driveway.
Robert Nowell ZogsportsDC GM says, "I personally used the Drivers Incorporated service a few weeks ago and think it would be a great service to offer the members of our leagues."
This year they are running a touch football, dodgeball, volleyball, and softball league. They also run social events for league sport participants.
For your drivers, this is a wonderful way to give a little back while getting great exposure. Thanks to everybody for supporting our efforts to provide options to people that are out drinking. Cheers!
Website rebuild – but our drivers never stop
Sadly, our previous webhost up and disappeared on us. Over the past 2 weeks we've recreated the website, and today the blog is restored - whoo-hoo!
Since our last post we've had some great news and awesome reviews sent in by our customers for our drivers. We are working to put up an all-star cast of some of our drivers for you to be able to take a look and read what people are saying about them. Between the voice mails and the kind notes, we have lots to share. Your support and feedback is, as always, appreciated.
Drivers Inc Designated Driver Service is Featured in the Washington Post
Read the article here.
Great quote about culture - reminding people about options really does work!
Check it out - and thanks to Brendan Kelly and the thousands of happy clients for raving about our drivers!
How long until Drivers are robots?
Can a robot ponder a towel?
Makes us wonder about when the technology for robotically driven cars, estimated to happen in 10 years, is broadly disseminated. There won't be any taxi drivers, no designated driver services. What will happen to all the people who work as Drivers now?
Happy 4th!
Drivers Incorporated wants to wish everyone a 
happy 4th! Go see some fireworks and have fun! Bars will be open later because of the holiday Monday, and there are innumerable Independence day parties all around the city. The best combination of open bar and fireworks (sounds flammable) will probably be from the W Hotel's P.O.V. Roof Terrace, with one of the best views of the fireworks in town. They're hosting a ticketed party that won't be open to the public until the fireworks are over, so it may be at least a little less crazy than going to the Mall.
And don't forget, this is a big weekend for the World Cup, too. It would be wonderful to watch the US, but we'll make do with our other favorites. Once you're done watching the Germany - Argentina match at Biergarten Haus tomorrow, head on over to the Soccer Mansion, a temporary soccer club overlooking Meridian Hill Park. There you can sip cocktails and smoke cigars while you watch Spain and Paraguay face off. If the game gives you a craving for some paella, head to Taberna del Alabardero, one of DC's top Spanish restaurants. The restaurant also offers a comprehensive cocktail menu and wine list, with a huge selection of Spanish wines, organized by region (out of nostalgia for my Spanish days, I'm partial to red wines from around Alicante).
On a completely unrelated note, I was recently introduced to Virgina's Starr Hill brewery and their absolutely amazing summer ale, the Lucy. Now that it's officially summer, it's good to seek out the summer brews. A lot of bars in Virginia stock this one, and I think quite a few in DC do as well. If you see it on a beer list, check it out!
As always, we will have drivers all weekend, and we hope everyone stays happy and safe!