Information
■What you need to know if you want to be an exclusive driver!
Even if you have doubts about exclusive chauffeurs, many people may find it difficult to ask detailed questions about the internal circumstances at interviews. By deepening your understanding of the actual situation, you will be able to see what you want to be careful about and what you want to be aware of when working as an exclusive driver. In this article, I will raise two questions in particular about the working hours of a private chauffeur and explain them in detail.
■Is the exclusive driver's working hours long?
The working hours of a dedicated driver have a characteristic point compared to other drivers. It is the point that it conforms to the client's working hours. Basically, exclusive drivers often work the same working hours as those who work for a general company, such as from around 9:00 to around 18:00 on weekdays. On top of that, it is conceivable that the officer may be detained overtime due to sudden business such as golf, entertainment meals, ceremonial occasions.
Compared to other drivers, I may drive outside working hours depending on the day, so it is not possible to say whether the working hours are long or short. However, compared to taxi drivers and truck drivers who sometimes drive all day, the actual time spent driving is likely to be short in most cases. This is because in the case of an exclusive driver, there is a possibility that the executive will only drive to work or return home. It can be said that the basic job content of an exclusive driver is to specialize in picking up and dropping off when officers move.
■What are you doing during the waiting time?
Of course, once the executives have finished picking up and dropping off, the driving work will end once, so the working hours of the exclusive driver include the time when the car is not driven. However, the waiting time is not necessarily a break time, it is often the time to wait for the next transfer. Private chauffeurs often spend much more time waiting than they actually drive. For example, it is possible to wait 5-7 hours for a 1-2 hour flight. During the waiting time, it is important to check the schedule of the officers and the road conditions, etc., and think about a route that can be picked up without delay. We rarely have the same schedules and road conditions all the time. Sometimes accidents can block highways.
In such a case, it is necessary to find a route to the destination on time by another road. Waiting time can also be used for such careful homework, as well as for cleaning the interior of the car and performing maintenance on the car. The most important way of thinking is that the waiting time is a time to give consideration to the officers so that they can get on board comfortably. You can also use the time to increase your knowledge, such as reading books of various genres in preparation for conversations with executives.
■ What is the daily flow of an executive driver?
If you know the daily flow of an executive driver, it may be easier to imagine the actual work situation. Here's a chronological timeline of a typical day for an executive driver.
First, I go to the company at 7:00 a.m. to clean and inspect the officers' cars, and then head to the officers' homes. Arrive at the executive's home at 8:00 am, pick up the executive at 8:10 am, and leave for the company again. I arrived at the company at 9:00 a.m., and after seeing off the executives, it was time to wait. After cleaning the inside of the car, we will wait in the officer driver's waiting room. At 11:00 am, we will pick up the officers again and deliver them to the client company. We arrive at 11:30 am, see off the executives, have lunch, and pick up the executives who have finished business negotiations at 2:00 pm. After arriving at the company at 2:30 pm, it will be waiting time again, and at 5:00 pm, the executives who have finished their work will be sent home. After arriving at the officer's house at 5:50 pm, I returned the officer's car to the garage, cleaned it up, created a daily driving report, etc., and finished my work.
■What is the actual salary of executive drivers?
Executive drivers have an image of being highly paid, but the average salary of executive drivers is around 250,000 yen, which is not that much compared to other driver jobs. If you live in Tokyo, the annual income will be the same as that of a taxi driver. Of course, the figures introduced here are just averages, so the amount of salary will change depending on the company you belong to, individual performance, overtime hours, etc.
If you work a lot of overtime or have a good track record, your salary tends to be higher. If you win the trust of customers and become a high-class driver who is nominated by various companies, high income is not a dream. If the monthly salary exceeds 300,000 yen, it is a lot for an executive driver, but some of them earn 600,000 to 800,000 yen stably.
■ What is the problem that executive drivers tend to have?
When aiming for an executive driver, it is a good idea to know in advance about the troubles that you tend to have. First of all, executive drivers tend to worry about the length of waiting time. Due to the nature of working as an exclusive driver for one executive, executive drivers will inevitably have a long waiting time. In some cases, you may have to wait for everything except transportation between home and company. Many people worry about how to spend this waiting time.
In addition, there are various problems for executive drivers, such as low wages without overtime work, overtime work but the length of work hours is difficult, and confidentiality obligations make it impossible to consult with people. If you have any problems after becoming an executive driver, you will need to seek a solution by consulting with your boss or changing jobs.
■ What are the benefits of becoming an executive driver?
One of the benefits of becoming an executive driver is that you can drive a luxury car that you can rarely drive. Many companies have luxury cars such as Audis, Bentleys, Benzes, etc. to make their executives work comfortably or as a tax saving measure. If you become an executive driver, you can drive a luxury car on a daily basis, so it can be said that it is a fun job for car lovers. Another advantage of becoming an executive driver is that you can refine your business etiquette and communication skills while interacting with executives.
■ What are the disadvantages of becoming an executive driver?
Executive drivers have not only advantages, but also disadvantages that require attention. First of all, executive drivers are required to have skills other than driving, such as attentiveness and route search. So be aware that it is not an easy job. When starting an executive driver, you must acquire the necessary skills through thorough training. Another disadvantage is the heavy responsibility that accompanies important people in the company. If an executive driver causes an accident, the company will also suffer a large loss.
■ What skills are required for executive drivers?
One of the skills required for executive drivers is driving skills. For executive drivers, driving skills are an essential quality for safely transporting and picking up executives. In order not to threaten the life and property of customers, it is necessary to thoroughly confirm safety while driving. If you are not confident that you can drive safely by yourself, you need to have a company instructor ride with you to check how to drive.
Strict confidentiality is also an important point. Since there is a high possibility that executive drivers will know the company's confidential information during work, whether or not they can keep confidentiality is an important criterion for executives. A man who slips his lips inadvertently cannot work as an executive chauffeur. On the other hand, an executive driver who can have a smooth conversation while maintaining confidentiality is more likely to be evaluated, which leads to an increase in income.
Other skills such as route search and attentiveness are also required for executive drivers. In order for executives to use it comfortably, executive drivers must work with the utmost care.
■ Jobs that require skillful use of time
It is no exaggeration to say that the ability to use time wisely is the most sought after driver. The time spent on duty is short, but it is necessary to be aware that the time you are not in the car is also work time. Punctuality is a prerequisite for boarding time. It is necessary to keep an eye out for the latest information, collect accurate information, and strive to understand road conditions. It's also important to double-check the officer's schedule and re-evaluate the optimal route. Being too tense all the time may have the opposite effect, but let's use the waiting time effectively with a moderate sense of tension.
In addition to waiting time, you can develop the ability to respond to unforeseen situations by allocating it to car maintenance or using it for study time. If your car breaks down, you won't be able to work. Routine vehicle inspections and cleaning the interior of the vehicle are also important tasks. The break time is limited so that the officers can ride comfortably next time. Being able to use the time you think is free is the shortcut to becoming an exclusive driver.
【 TransACT Group 】
