The Backup Plan December 2013

State of the Industry

The Limousine and executive car service industry has changed significantly over the last few years.  A decade or so ago it was all about nights out on the town and trips into the city, celebratory services for those that wanted to do something special.  At that time weddings were still done but the needs were different, tradition was still playing a major role in the decisions of the soon to-be-wed.  This is also true with the corporate clientele, they still need service for their clients and executives and they still need airport transfers but the vehicles they are interested in have changed.

Today for our prospective brides and grooms tradition often takes a back seat to practicality.  Not everyone is demanding the pure white antiques and the two white stretch Lincolns for the groomsmen and the bridesmaids.  Most people end up getting one larger vehicle for everyone, price wise it makes more sense and everyone can stay together and enjoy one another’s company.  Don’t get me wrong there are still plenty of people who adhere to the traditional three white car wedding but many people want to be different, to do their own thing.  Sometimes it is money that plays a role other times its just to do what makes the most sense.

As for our corporate clientele the days of taking a stretch limousine out to diner or to the airport are over.  The Executives and CEO’s of the major companies have no interest in being pretentious or looking like rock stars they simply want to be accommodated safely in a nice clean new car.  Again practicality and economics play a role, it doesn’t make sense for one person to take a stretch to a sales meeting and of course a traditional town car is much less expensive then a stretch limousine.   The other thought is that for sales events and clients you don’t need to send some big gaudy vehicle as the gesture could be interpreted negatively.  For example here is this corporation trying to show off or trying to schmooze over a client and that client may interpret the gesture as a sign of arrogance or pretentiousness.  So a nice attempt turns out to be completely counter productive.

But business is still good; despite changes in the economy people are still certainly renting town cars and limousines.  The average or occasional limousine user has disappeared but people are still and will always be getting married.  Those fortune 500 companies are still going to need car service and that will never change.  So although things are changing the industry itself is still thriving, as long as the executive car service or limousine company itself has the means and the will to change with the times.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

Big Data

Big Data is sets of data so large and gathered from so many sources that the use of which thru organizing and analyzing through traditional methods is not possible.  Just recently companies are now starting to compile what is known as big data and attempt to use it to their advantage, the challenges involved in this endeavor are numerous.  Very few companies have had any type of success increasing ROI or productivity through the use of Big Data.  The information is there and readily available why are we not able to make use of it?  For one, the storage and analysis of so much information is nearly impossible via the traditional methods and secondly even if said data can be analyzed it needs to be acted on and that in and of itself is a conundrum faced by larger corporations.

Essentially the amount of information we gather worldwide has doubled every 40 months since the 1980s.  Today we gather 2.5 extrabytes (2.5x10 to the 18^th power) of information daily.  That is an unfathomable amount of data and cannot be stored via traditional methods or deciphered using conventional analysis.   Companies are beginning to form whose sole goal is analyzing these massive quantities of data so that other companies can use the data to increase ROI or general effectiveness.

The other major problem is that the only companies that are able to use the gathered information are very large ones and often companies that big take their time making decisions.  This normally is a good thing, as important decisions should not be made lightly, but one of the major focuses of Big Data is trends and trends, by their nature, are fickle and often not long lasting.  The problem comes in when the analysts or researcher discovers a useful bit of data and then needs to present it to the decision maker who then may have to present it to a committee or shareholders or whoever, by the end of all this the window of opportunity has closed and time and money have been wasted.

In conclusion Big Data holds much promise but we are not quite at the point where we are able to glean the relevant information from the numbers and then swiftly act on it.  The amount of information we are able to accumulate on a daily basis is incredible and almost overwhelming until we develop better technology we will not be able to take full advantage of it all.   

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick 

Great Restaurants Near Newark International Airport

Newark International Airport in Newark NJ is a massive complex.   With over 30 airlines operating non-stop and a flight cap of 81 flights per hour (put in place in 2008 due to the over whelming traffic volume) Newark International is second in the world in terms of passenger traffic and first in the world in terms of total flight operations.  As you may imagine this HUB is incredibly busy.  Because of the phenomenal amount of traffic this airport sees they have several great places to eat and dine located right within the facility.   Places like Grand Central Oyster Bar and Vino Volo are located right in terminal C they are excellent places to stop in after a long flight and grab a quick bite or glass of wine.  But if your interested in a more traditional dining experience check out these three great restaurants located within five miles of Newark International Airport.

Spanish Tavern.   Spanish Tavern is located just 4 miles from Newark International in Northern Jersey.  This Zagat rated restaurant serves fine Spanish cuisine and wines and there food is as great as their service.  Offering lunch, dinner and even a to go menu Spanish Tavern also provides free round trip service Mondays thru Fridays from 5:00pm to 10:00pm to all Newark Airport Hotels.

Don Pepe’s Restaurant.  Another incredible restaurant located less then 5 miles from Newark International Don Pepe’s offers a fantastic selection of mouth watering classic American dishes.  From steaks to shellfish Don Pepe’s offers up an incredible menu of Aged Beef, Broiled Sirloin and delectable seafood.   The Ambiance in Don Pepe’s is formal fine dining in a very traditional and elegant style.  After that Filet Minion or Lobster tail be sure to check out the amazing wine list!

Sol-Mar Restaurant and Marisqueira is also less then 5 miles from Newark International and is located in the center of Newark’s Ironbound.  The Ironbound neighborhood has recently gained renown for some of the culinary gems being discovered within.  Sol-Mar is Zagat rated and serves up some of the best Portuguese cuisine this side of the Mediterranean.  Sit and relax in the Via Nova Sol-Mar gorgeous dining room, or, if the weathers right, dine outdoors in their sidewalk café.  Sol-Mar also offers free shuttle services to all area hotels as well as some of the more traffic heavy locations in the area like Penn Station and RedBull Stadium.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

The All Star iPhone Application

Smart phone applications are the wave of the future, soon business will be conducted primarily from mobile devices and All Star Limousine is proud to be able to offer its very own reservation and billing application.  All Stars’ iPhone App is not a new piece of software, we have had one for nearly a year now, and what that means is that it is 100% reliable and accurate.   Many new applications are riddled with bugs and glitches that make the program completely counter productive, often causing more hassle that offering convenience.  The All Star Application is seamless, smooth and efficient.

With the All Star Limousine smart phone app you can make a reservation up to 24 hours prior to the time of pick up with out even making a phone call.  Your reservation will be processed, priced and confirmed usually within about an hour or so from the time of booking.   Technology is incredible these days and with it comes a world at your fingertips, convenience and instant gratification are the orders of the day and now All Star Limousine is able to offer its premier executive car and limousine service with the mere push of a button.

So try out the New All Star app today.  Bug and worry free, booking your executive car service has never been easier.    Simple and fast the All Star app is free to download offers seamless executive booking services literally with the push of a button.

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick