The Silly Season Duck Special

December is a time that brings its own special challenges. For all of us at DrivenByQ we know to approach this time of year slightly differently when asked if we can provide transport for the all-important office party. It has been off the agenda for a while but this year, it is making a come-back.

From experience, we know around 35% of people invited will change their plans at least three times. 10% of people will drop-out (usually at short notice). 5% of people will decide to attend even though they originally declined and nearly everyone needs to consult a partner to arrange child-care, pet care or even parent-care.

At the end of the evening, things often take a twist. Passengers ask drivers to wait while they find their belongings (including partners), they request additional passengers to be transported, enquire if they can go to different addresses or question if they can be picked up at a later time.

At DrivenByQ we leave extra time between bookings. Rearranging things at short notice is extra work but just like a swan gliding through water, on the surface everything appears calm and collected while underneath there is some frantic paddling going on. Luckily we have the experience to deal with the situation and importantly the patience too.

The Pessimistic Achiever

A few weeks ago, someone mentioned to me that a lot of what I write in a blog sounds negative or even pessimistic. In some ways, I was happy to receive feedback but in other ways, it left me wondering if my writing style needed to change?

I suppose this ‘chauffeur blog’ is reflective of my strategic decisions that influence the future of DrivenByQ as a business. That means I am deep, analytical and constantly searching for anything that could cause a potential problem.

I like to think about things and mull it over. It is so that way before a small issue can develop, a plan is already in place to deal with it. In a way, it is like a chess game with many variables, countless possible outcomes and an ever present threat of defeat.

You have to stay one step ahead and think about your next moves! I believe considering the negative is essential if you want to achieve the positive. Maybe the negative does get mentioned in my blog but I think it is important to be honest too.

As a business owner, when I write about negativity, it is a risk because potential customers may perceive it as uncertainty. In the depths of hypothetical problems and catastrophe however exists genius answers and solutions and these without doubt are what provide the passion and real credibility of what is DrivenByQ.

Lemon Squeezy

With the demand we have had lately for more journeys, so too has there been increased demand for more drivers. Therefore, projects I have been working on as the MD have been put on hold. The immediate priority has been coping with the growth we have rather than chasing more of it.

It has been good for me personally to be distracted this way because I have seen that the new projects I was starting were all on my own as a single entity within DrivenByQ. On reflection I recognise that expecting people to follow the plans I was developing was a little misguided.

Objectivity can be such a bonus. It puts things in perspective and provides clarity. As soon as the Christmas rush is out of the way, what we need is to draw up a business plan as a team. This is so everyone has buy-in to the next stage of development and so everyone can make a contribution.

This way, when the plan is in effect, the energy and enthusiasm comes from every member of the team and it can be felt by our customers much more passionately. Just like an army of believers disseminating their message! With that commitment throughout DrivenByQ why would any customer want to be with anyone else?