So you’ve decided to hire a limousine. What’s the first step? Make reservations. Contact the limo company you have chosen. A customer service personnel should be able to answer all your inquiries and handle all significant information.

The operator will be asking you all sorts of questions such as when you will take the limo, how long do you plan to use it, how many people are riding in it, and of course, locations where you’ll be taking the limo. Aside from that, the representative will also explain the charges for the vehicle, whether they’ll be charging by the hour, or by the distance, or both. He will also explain any promotional packages they have, discounts, or freebies. Other than these, he will also tell you of any extra features and services you may avail of, and how much each would cost. Likewise, tips for your chauffeur will be discussed, whether they include it in the cost of rental or you take care of the tip for your driver.

Once all of the details of the reservation have been worked out, the customer service representative will request a credit card number to hold the reservation. In some cases, this credit card will be charged 20% of the estimated price of the rental as a non-refundable fee for holding the reservation. This amount is deducted from the total cost of the limo rental at the end of the rental period.

If the reservation is cancelled within a certain period of time, typically within 24 hours of the pickup time, the fee is held by the limousine company as a penalty fee.

When the limo reservation information have all been discussed and decided on, the limo service will require a credit card number. This is to close your reservation. The usual reservation fee is 20% of the approximation of the full rental charges. Take note that if you renege on your reservation for any reason, this fee will not be given back to you. Even if you try and inform the limo company in advance, like maybe a day before your schedule, it will still be kept by the limo company as penalty.

The day of the pick up is the only thing left to wait for after the reservation is set. On the day of the pick up, the chauffeur will arrive with the limousine then will go through the particulars of the reservation. If everything is clear, the chauffeur will have to make an imprint of the credit card used for the 20% reservation then you are all set to go. All details in the reservation will be followed and you may actually request for other special favors from your chauffeur. When the service is complete, usually for the night, the person who rented will have to sign the credit charge authorization to cover the expenses incurred over the 20% reservation fee. All other charges obtained in the duration of the limo service will also be added.

Regarding tips for your chauffeur, this will entirely be your discretion. Limo services usually add an extra charge for tips . If you have proven the exceptional service of your chauffeur, then you may want to grant him a bonus.