A family friendly executive taxi firm based on the Shotley peninsula has scooped the prestigious UK Enterprise Award for Best Executive Travel Services Provider - East Anglia, in the SME 2020 awards.

Elite Travel Ltd won the accolade after judges were impressed by the small firm which specialises in providing luxury car driven services at affordable prices specialising in long distance transfers, particularly to airports, seaports and events around the UK.

Created two years ago and run by partners Chris Shadbolt and Samantha Betts, Elite Travel has quickly carved out a reputation for its professional service and luxury cars with friendly, personable drivers in equal measure.

Their core values centre around the commitment to customers, providing the highest level of customer service from the initial meeting to the final drop off.

Thanks to the retail experience brought by the management team to Elite Travel, the team understand the importance of excellent service.

Developing relationships with customers and performing above and beyond the call of duty are the primary ways in which Elite Travel achieve the delivery of personalised services to each client. For example, for special occasions and events, drivers always provide a bottle of Prosecco, so the client is able to begin their night in style! In the competitive market of private hire operators, it is the exceptional service that sets Elite Travel apart.

Many of the team that are recruited by Chris and Samantha are former police or army recruits; professional backgrounds are sought, but personality and affability are also essential. To ensure drivers give the best possible service, all chauffeurs go through the 'onboarding' process, which begins with a discussion of the firm's values and includes trips out with other drivers to see exactly how the Elite Travel chauffeurs operate.

New drivers are able to do these trips as frequently as they need to ensure they are confident about every detail of the Elite Travel experience.

The high level of quality extends beyond the drivers to the car themselves, as Elite Travel offers a large fleet of luxury cars and minibuses that are extremely comfortable and are equipped with added amenities including WIFI, air-conditioning and three pin plugs.

All cars are prepared to the highest standard before any journey and all clients are offered a complimentary bottle of water to ensure they arrive at their destination refreshed and in style.

Elite Travel are proud to serve their community and the surrounding area. Although Chris and Samantha operate from home, they are able to oversee every element of the enterprise, responding to client emails and ensuring every car is in spectacular condition before beginning a journey. It is this conscientious effort that results in the market-leading customer service that Elite Travel pride themselves on.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Elite Travel were seeing a massive growth in airport transfers, as increased fuel costs and airport parking charges meant the gap between driving oneself and being driven to the airport has decreased notably. The affordable prices the business offers has also resulted in a shift from customers who would ordinarily book a hackney carriage to the airport begin to use Elite Travel services instead, for the same price but with more comfort and less stress.

Although the family friendly approach invites passengers of all demographics, Elite also noticed a growth in customers of the older generation, who were retired and did not want the hassle of driving late at night.

Similar to many of its competitors, Elite Travel has felt the impact of the pandemic, which has

obliterated much of the industry. Whilst Elite Travel would usually be doing at least ten transfers a day at this point in the year, they are currently seeing around ten a month. However, the team at Elite Travel remain optimistic, certain their clients will return for the exceptional level of customer service. In the meantime, Chris and Samantha are considering how they can continue developing their organisation.

Their plans for the future include further expansion of the current private hire business, as well as expanding into the coach business so as to serve more of their customers' needs. The exciting opportunities that they were seeing prior to the lockdown may be on hold for now, but the future is bright for Elite Travel, and we are excited to see where it takes this company.

Jessie Wilson, SME Awards coordinator said: "As always, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to contact those that have been awarded in the SME UK Enterprise programme. I hope you all have a wonderful – and productive- rest of the year ahead.

"SME News prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.:

Contact: Chris Shadbolt and Samantha Betts at [L]https://shotleypeninsula.nub.news/d/elite-travel-ltd[L+]Elite Travel here...[L] Web Address: www.elitetravel.co.uk