One of the best things about our job here at Territory Limousine Service is meeting so many different people from so many different walks of life. Some are relaxed when they arrive into Darwin to start their holidays, some are excited to be attending a special event or corporate function and others have to brave this stunning location when attending important business meetings or attending parliamentary duties.
And in our line of work, we come across so many different types of personalities, which could be a challenge for some folks, but not for our friendly, patient and professional drivers. And it was definitely not the case recently when we had the pleasure of driving a guest who is considered to be one of New Zealand’s nicest ex- Prime Ministers, the Rt Hon Sir John Key.
Mr Key was recently in Darwin to attend The Property Congress conference which is Australia’s number one property conference and has featured on the Property Council’s event calendar for the past 41 years. Mr Key, who drove reform in New Zealand during challenging times, was the keynote speaker at the 2018 conference.
Even though he was one of the world’s most acclaimed prime ministers, he left politics of his own accord, resigned from both his post as the leader of New Zealand’s National Party and New Zealand’s 38th prime minister at the height of he’s and his party’s success (there’s not too many politicians in history could ever say they’ve been able to do that). He also had a cheeky dig at Canberra’s recent revolving door antics, which have not gone unnoticed by leaders and business groups around the world.
Image Credit: Property Council of Australia
But one of the things that impressed us most about Mr Keys was how humble and polite he was. Even with all his political success and social standing he was so engaging with our staff and left such a lovely impression on us (not unlike our own Nigel Scullion who would be Australia’s equivalent in character and personality).
We know that as a private hire car service, our passengers expect to receive the highest level of service no matter who they are or their background, because as professionals we will always remain friendly and courteous at all times. And it makes our job even that much more special when passengers reciprocate and show appreciation for the service we are providing.
But it must be said that in this profession, you just can’t ever predict how a day may turn out because not a few hours later, our service and patience was tested when trying to help a local senator who was let down by their own arranged transport and who decided to completely lose it and take their frustration out on one of our drivers.
Our staff, like many others in the service industry in Darwin, will always go out of their way to help solve any unfortunate predicament that a customer may find themselves in, even if they are not a direct customer of ours. If only this customer had kept their poise and let us save them from the embarrassment they were causing themselves (and the lengthy wait in the taxi queue that ensued). Our driver was more than happy to wait a little longer at the airport to ensure they were able to sort their situation.
But as they say, all’s well that ends well, especially in the private hire car industry. Our driver’s next passenger was more than happy with the assistance and service we offered to them and our driver went on to have a most enjoyable afternoon with some wonderful guests.
It does just go to show though, that in the service industry, as in life, Forrest Gump’s momma was right….life really is like a box of chocolates…you never really know what you’re going to get!
