Most kids can’t think of their prom without thinking about getting a limo for the big occasion. If only they put that much thought into choosing their limo! It may be uncool at school to say that you’re “researching” your prom limousine company, but just imagine how cool you’ll be on the night of the big dance when your luxurious stretch pulls up next to your buddy’s hoopty-all thanks to the little bit of homework you did to secure it.
Follow this handful of simple rules-the steps to landing the finest four wheels on prom night-and you’ll be sure to have the prom of your dreams.
Step 1. Be polite, be patient, and be prepared to call around. Prom night surely is a big night for high schoolers, but it’s also one heck of a night for Prom limousine companies. Many of them will have their whole fleet booked up. So expect to have to call around to several places to find an opening for the right limo, and be on your best behavior during each call. You want the limo company to hook you up, right? Not hang up.
Step 2. Ask around for trusted limousine referrals. One sure way to cut down on the number of places you’ll need to call is to talk to friends and family members who recently rented a limo. Maybe your cousin used one at her wedding and had a great experience, or maybe your aunt’s neighbor owns a Prom Limousine company.
Step 3. Check up on your A-list of limo companies. Once you have a list of possible rental companies, based on your referrals and your calls, get one last referral. Check with the Better Business Bureau or another local business organization. People tend to report on sketchy companies, so the more complaints you find, the farther away from that company you should stay.
Step 4. Make sure you, and the company of your choice, sign on the dotted line. No matter where you get your limo, get everything in writing in the limousine contract: the pickup time, the amount of hours you plan to use it, the make, model, and year of the limo you want. If you did steps 1, 2, and 3 correctly, many times this contract is just an unnecessary precaution. But on the other hand, there are a lot of horror stories about double bookings out there. Or how about that story about a prom group paying for a stretch Escalade limo, only to have a 1979 Hearse pull up in front of their house?
Step 5. Give yourself an out. Just in case there is any reality-TV-like drama before your prom-canceled dates, friends who won’t pay up, etc.-be certain that your limo company has a cancellation policy. Trust us, limo companies are used to last-minutes changeups, so don’t be embarrassed to ask about the policy-and receive a copy of it in print.
Lastly, have fun. We could tell you not to do anything immoral in the back of that limo, but we’ll leave that speech for your parents.