Detailed promises
Behind each promise in our Driver Quality Charter are some precise operational
requirements.
Indeed our philosophy is that the promises made by our members cannot be kept
with vague commitments that are open to wide interpretation.
These
promises will be met by following detailed instructions, which also lends them
credibility.
These instructions are set out in a contract which formally commits every member
of the
charter.
INFORMATION AND ADVICE:
“The affiliate member is committed to respecting the profession’s image at all levels.
The affiliate member must put all his abilities at his customers’ disposal. He must advise and inform customers in support of their best interests.
Every quote provided by the affiliate member must be clear, complete and unambiguous.
The affiliate member must detail, in writing, all the factors necessary for him to carry out his assignments properly.
The affiliate member’s terms of payment and cancellation must be clearly indicated in his price offers.”
What this means in detail:
- In all dealings with the customer, relationships must be defined and any information supplied must be reliable and indicative of competence, ensuring the best possible image in front of the customer in the interest of all parties.
- The affiliate member must confirm that he is responsible for the assignment based on a preliminary estimate and the customer’s written order.
- The affiliate member must complete the appropriate documents on confirmation of the order, including documents relating to payment of the assignment.
- The affiliate member must ensure that the required vehicles and drivers are available.
- The affiliate member must make sure he has all the necessary information about the assignment from the customer and react accordingly.
- The affiliate member must ensure that the job is carried out properly and in accordance with the contractual standards in force and the information provided.
- The affiliate member must gather all information relating to possible problems or incidents occurring during an assignment.
- The affiliate member’s Generals Conditions must comprise a complete range of precautionary measures which define the affiliate member’s standpoint in predefined cases likely to lead to disputes.
- Within these General Conditions, the affiliate member must define his responsibilities as well as those of his customers, his terms and conditions of payment and terms of cancellation or termination in a clear and unequivocal way.
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II.AVAILABILITY :
In the words of the charter:
”The affiliate member’s switchboard must be available every day from 8:00 to 18:00 hours, local time.
Someone must be on telephone duty up to 22:00 hours.
The affiliate member must respond to quote requests within 2 working days.
The affiliate member must confirm all customer bookings in writing as soon as possible, and at the very latest within 24 working hours.
Any changes to an order must be re-confirmed within the same timeframes, including changes in price.”
What this means in detail:
- The telephone switchboard must be open every 7 days a week from 8:00 to 18:00. If the offices are closed, automatic re-routing must be set up so that requests can be dealt with quickly, and the affiliate member must be contactable until 22:00.
- The affiliate member must respond in a polite, friendly and competent way by introducing themselves with their company name and the name of the person taking the call.
- The administrator of the client’s file must be able to be identified at any time.
- In all cases, whatever the enquiry, it is always preferable to ask for a written request. In order of preference, such request should be sent by email, web-based form, fax or post.
- However, where the request is for general information rather than costs, all the information the customer would like may be given verbally, either face-to-face or over the phone.
- This provision prevents any possible misunderstanding which could result in a dispute in the case of a problem in carrying out an assignment.
- The affiliate member must provide an acknowledgement of receipt in response to any written request within 8 working hours.
- Estimates must take into account all the items which make up the request and anticipate any supplements/extra costs likely to occur in the course of the assignment. The price proposal is an estimate with all the legal obligations that entails.
- Customers must always be informed of possible associated costs such as: additional hours, additional kilometres, Driver Allowances, Driver Meals…
- The affiliate member must indicate clearly all possible road tolls and parking fees… these being the responsibility of the customer and invoiced at the end of the assignment.
- The price proposal must be a written estimate which includes all legal comments required with regard to the legislation in force in the country.
- The price proposal must be made to the customer in writing at the latest 2 working days after his first written contact.
- The affiliate member must enclose his General Conditions and the customer Charter with each price proposal and confirmation. The affiliate member’s General Conditions must comply with the legislation in force in the country and include, among others, clauses relating to the rights and obligations of all parties, payment methods, cancellation terms, and reciprocal responsibilities …
- On receipt of a firm and accepted order, the affiliate member must send confirmation of the assignment.
- If the customer’s firm order arrives when the affiliate member is not in a position to send out all the documentation, he must send a confirmation message as soon as possible stating that formal confirmation will follow.
- This formal confirmation must reach the customer within 24 working hours following receipt of his formal written agreement.
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III.KEEPING PROMISES:
In the words of the charter:
“The affiliate member is committed to undertaking the assignments allocated to him with the utmost care in respect of the legal clauses, solely by the member staff responding to these.
The affiliate member is committed to respecting, except in the case of force majeure, the hours of services and all of the conditions outlined in the order confirmation.
In cases of force majeure or of the unexpected occurring, the affiliate member will take all necessary measures to minimise changes or delay(s) resulting from them. In this case, the affiliate member is committed to warning his customer as soon as possible.
The affiliatemember undertakes to ensure that all persons involved in each assignment, in whatever capacity, respect the commitments associated with this Charter.”
What this means in detail:
- The affiliate member must respect, and this is not exhaustive, the legal requirements of the various regulations in force in the country, whether in terms of social legislation, employment legislation, the highway code in whatever region, safety standards, the prohibition or limitation of consumption of alcohol, medication affecting vigilance, banned products, regulations relating to the transportation of prohibited products, ...
- Staff employed by the affiliate member must be declared to the relevant authorities and must respect the applicable social legislation.
- The affiliate member undertakes to always use vehicles which comply with the pollution standards defined by the legislation in force in the country or region.
- Cases of force majeure, and this list is not exhaustive, include traffic jams in which the driver finds himself caught, vehicle breakdowns, accidents, controls by police authorities, flat tyres, a problem relating to the driver’s health, etc.
- In all cases, the driver must advise, or have the affiliate member’s company advised, immediately, and the affiliate member must use all means possible to minimise the effect of the problem, either by replacing the driver, if possible, or be letting those concerned know of possible delays or necessary changes.
- The affiliate membermust afford all the attention necessary to ensuring the assignment is carried out properly. The affiliate memberwill never be held financially responsible towards the end-user for any delays or changes made to an assignment in the case of force majeure.
- All parties in each assignment are subject to the same quality standards as the affiliate member.
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IV.VEHICLES :
In the words of the charter:
”The affiliate member guarantees that vehicles are legitimately insured according to the legal measures in force in the country, ensuring the user will have the highest level of safety and comfort as required by the assignment.
The affiliate member must take out public liability insurance specific to the paid transportation of people, to cover any physical damage to customers.
The affiliate member must guarantee that vehicles are regularly maintained and in correct order in all respects.
The affiliate member undertakes to provide clean vehicles, in perfect condition, both on the exterior and the interior.”
What this means in detail:
- The affiliate member undertakes to insure every vehicle made available to every customer against all risks inherent in the transporting of people, including legal public liability insurance specifically for the paid transportation of people.
- The affiliate member must take out insurance to cover his civil liability specifically for the paid transportation of people.
- All legal documents must be kept on board each vehicle and be available for review by the customer and/or by a representative of the DQC.
- These documents include:
Registration papers
Service history
Record of any technical checks
Passenger transport licence
Official certification authorising the transportation of passengers
Certificate of compliance
This list will be defined by the regulations and legislation in force in each region and in accordance with the specific vehicle.
- All the affiliate member’s vehicles are subject to regular inspection. This will be carried out either by a representative of the vehicle manufacturer or by an authorised professional appointed by means of a maintenance agreement for the entire life of the vehicle (maintenance at certain mileage, possible repairs).
- Vehicles must be relatively new and guarantee full comfort and safety given the type of assignment. They must be replaced in accordance with their age and level of use.
- Vehicles’ bodywork must always be in immaculate condition.
- Vehicles must be checked regularly by the company for the following:
Fuel levels, water, windscreen washer fluid and oil,
tyre pressure,
cleanliness both inside and out,
the state of the bodywork,
the reliability of fittings such as GPS and courtesy lights.
- Any change to the vehicle originally expected must be communicated to the customer as soon as possible and the customer’s agreement is required.
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V.DRIVERS :
In the words of the charter:
”Drivers must hold the qualifications required by the authorities.
Drivers must have a professional knowledge of their region’s road network.
Drivers know their itineraries in advance.
Drivers must be confident, punctual and willing to help.
Drivers must show courtesy and the greatest discretion.
Drivers must have a sufficient understanding of conversational English and of the official language used in their region.
Drivers must be dressed in a suit, or as required by the Customer.
Drivers must undergo regular medical checks in accordance with the legislation in force.”
What this means in detail:
- All drivers provided must be punctual beyond reproach and arrive ahead of schedule for each appointment.
- All drivers provided must be courteous, friendly and competent.
- All drivers provided must show flexibility and good customer service.
- All drivers provided must be familiar with the best itineraries and ready to adapt to possible changes in itinerary at the customer’s request.
- All drivers provided must have studied the itinerary in advance and know the addresses supplied by the customer.
- All drivers provided must have an extensive knowledge of the road network in their region.
- All drivers provided must have a command of conversational English and the official language of their region.
- All drivers provided must have any certificates required by the official local authorities, in particular medical checks required of the profession in their region.
- All drivers provided must show complete discretion to customers, particularly concerning conversations they hold in the vehicle and taking into account the interests of whoever provided their mandate and their passengers.
- Drivers’ dress should be clean and simple and must comply with the standards defined as formal by the profession in their region and be in accordance the region’s climate.
- Staff, in general, must welcome each customer in way that is without reproach.
- All drivers provided must behave in a professional and serious way towards customers, and in particular restrict telephone usage to a strict minimum and use an earpiece, and refrain from eating and drinking as far as possible...
- Drivers are not permitted to lend assistance to any company or activity contrary to ethics or good practice
- The customer must be advised immediately of any change of driver, and they should have the driver’s mobile phone number and be able to reach him reach him at any time.
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VI.THE QUALITY CHAIN:
In the words of the charter:
“Each member of staff or sub-contractor of the affiliate member is a link in the quality chain and must behave as such towards all customers.
As an affiliate member, he undertakes to abide by the Driver Quality Charter checks which will act as arbiter with respect to the charter’s promises.
The affiliate member will personally assume full responsibility in the case of litigation arising from non respect of the Charter and defend and protect Driver Quality Charter in the case of proceedings of any kind which may be brought against it as a result of such non respect.”
What this means in detail:
- The quality charter applies to all affiliate members and all their members of staff as well as possible partners to the members in question.
- Affiliate members must abide by all checks carried out by managers of the Charter and agree to adhere to them and to all the consequences of these checks as well as any sanctions put forward in relation to possible breaches.
- Affiliate members are themselves responsible for all litigation with regard to their customers, and they absolve the Driver Quality Charter of all responsibility in this regard.
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