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>Hi Mark, > >I forget sometimes to thank people for participating, >so I’ll do it now. Thank you for using this forum. > >I’m glad you’re planning to appeal to a specific >market segment. Sometimes though, it’s better to focus >on situations when people want a product/service. >Marketing according to circumstances is more of a >challenge. It’s written about by Clayton Christensen >in “Guide to Growth foreward by Christensen” when he >wrote about “jobs to be done” in the section: Flawed >Paradigm 2: Market Segmentation >http://www.innovatorsguidetogrowth.com/documents/Guide_ >to_Growth_foreward_by_Christensen.pdf > >I think the primary consideration is who hires the >valet service & why. Those people, organizations or >firms (For brevity, I’ll refer to them as clients.) >would probably know the demographic information you >want. For brevity, I’ll refer to the vehicle owners as >customers. > >Income alone isn’t enough, it depends how much of >people’s income is left after expenses are paid. After >that, it depends on people’s priorities. Some people >may trade down on some things (buy the least expensive >versions of products) just so they can (trade up on >other things) afford some luxuries like attending >events offering valet parking. > >The cost of living varies from city to city even in >the same state. Somebody, who may seem affluent, may >be lower middle in another area. > >The kind of information you need, in addition to cost >of living, for your area is the kind of information in >a report like this: RETAIL MARKET ANALYSIS >http://pdf.plano.gov/planning/GibbsPlanoMarketAnalysis. >pdf > >Possible valet parking customers include people who >are elderly, handicapped & disabled, plus their >families & care givers. They can also be people who >aren’t familiar with the area where an event is held. >Some events are in places without big lots. Valets or >vehicle owners (without parking services) may have to >walk a few blocks to get from a parking space to the >event. > >It’s Not All Glamour >A (seeming) high-class customer could leave a party & >be like the worst of red necks. So, knowing whom you’d >serve at the beginning of an assignment is good. You >may never know for sure, ahead of time, who you’ll be >facing near the end of an event. > >Alcohol & drugs don’t always take full effect until >later. A (seeming) sober customer could be in an >accident afterward & be charged with Driving Under the >Influence of alcohol or drugs. S/he could also be >charged with Vehicular Manslaughter & sued for >wrongful death. > >People & authorities may wonder why a valet would let >somebody like that drive away. A valet employee & a >valet service may have some legal obligations & civil >liability in a case like this. > >You’d need to know what you’re legally required to do >& not do, what you’d be legally liable for, plus what >the client expects. > >My example below is long-winded, but I wrote it to >provide some background in what may be a worst case >scenario for most valets—not including legal problems. > >Example- When I've taken my children to Children's >Hospital in Milwaukee (actually in Wauwatosa), I’ve >seen valets at its emergency room & front entrances. I >don’t know if those valets are hospital employees or >if the hospital hired a parking service. > >Somehow, most times I get there, the valets see my car >& they’re suddenly busy. (Note- To ease people’s >concerns, there’s a sign about the no tipping policy.) >With my car they’re glad to make an exception in the >no tipping policy. (I’m just kidding. I don’t consider >an extra $50 for parking my car to be a tip.) (8^) > >The emergency room valets would probably need some >extra patience (no pun) because valet customers may be >very stressed & at 11:00 PM, they may be cranky. The >major bloody cases would probably arrive via >ambulances, but people arriving in their Privately >Owned Vehicles could be sick. Without being too gross >here, you may be able to imagine the mess inside some >of those POVs. > >When a parent is helping a sick child, s/he may >neglect to hold onto a valet parking ticket. Or a >ticket could become part of a sick person’s mess >(bio-hazardous waste) which would be disposed of by >hospital staff. > >A hospital valet would need to be understanding about >their customer’s situations. > >If a valet refused to get into a vehicle because s/he >worries about catching a disease, s/he would create a >problem for the client. > >Customers of hospital valets could be in any >socio-economic group. At a hospital, the situation may >be the only thing you could focus on since you >wouldn’t be sure who a customer may be. > >You’d need to focus your marketing on the situation in >any case. > >To appeal to a hospital board, or whoever would make >any decisions before final approval, you’d probably >need to have your staff trained to handle what >hospital staff would consider somewhat minor problems. >But a hospital board wouldn’t want a valet to do >anything medical in nature unless somebody’s condition >was too bad to wait. > >A selling point could be “Our valets are trained to >deal with bio-hazardous waste & limiting exposure to a >possibly infectious disease. They know how to >stabilize injured & sick patients—when >necessary--until medical personnel can be summoned. >Also very important, they know when not take any first >aid action.” > >Any valet could encounter sick people, especially at >parties. > >You could work these following points into your sales >presentation & marketing messages. > >People, who attend parties, might wear expensive shoes >that may be comfortable for a little walking & >standing. If they end up walking from a parking lot, >then back to the lot (after the party), that could be >painful. Plus, their party clothes could get messed up >while walking. There’s also a security concern. >Somebody wearing expensive clothes & arriving in an >expensive car may be prey for thugs. When a person >gets in & out of a vehicle in well-lit driveways with >many people around, crime is less likely. > >When parties are at private residences, parking may be >on lawns. High heeled shoes & soft sod are a bad >combination. It’s better to let valets park vehicles & >walk across the lawn parking lots. > >People, who are frustrated by walking through an >unfamiliar area with minimal lighting, are apt to be >in a bad mood during an event. This detracts from the >enjoyment of those around them. Valets can set or >accentuate their good moods. Valets, as the first & >last staff members guests are in contact with, can >have a positive effect on guests’ first & last >impressions. > >Valet parking adds a touch of luxury. Some clients may >provide extra touches such as bringing the car up >front & having the doors opened for the guest. If the >event is 2 or more hours long, cleaning & detailing of >vehicles may be included. > >Guests should be informed about cleaning & detailing >in advance because some may refuse these services. >They may want valets to have minimal contact with >their vehicles. >If you need me to clarify anything I’ve written or >provide more detail, please let me know. I don’t give >much legal guidance because I’m not a lawyer. > >Dennis S. Vogel thrivingbusiness@email.com >It’s vital to know what drives people to do things & >how to channel their drives to their satisfaction. >Here's free information to help you & your customers >get great results. >http://www.lakefield.net/~thrivingbusiness/ >http://www.voy.com/31049/

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