| Limousine Digest Online Article |
Tom Mazza is on the Move!
— By: Linda M. Moore
"I am not the smartest person in the room but I have been exposed to the smartest people in this industry and I am going to share what I have learned with you," says industry icon Tom Mazza, as he walks back and forth addressing the overflowing room at the 2004 Limo Digest Show. "I am the luckiest person on earth. I get to work with my friends and I get to work in the limousine industry." Mazza is sincere in his sentiments. He loves the limousine industry and the limousine industry seems to love him right back.
Mazza's book, Stretching It: The Story of the Limousine, which he co-authored with Michael Bromley, has far exceeded publisher SAE's expectations. The book was used as the foundation for an episode of The History Channel's program Modern Marvels that aired in 2003. Program producer La Monte Westmoreland of Actuality Productions put Mazza on camera for more than 13 minutes of the program. "He was absolutely one of the most charismatic, interesting people I ever interviewed," says Westmoreland.
Mazza's consulting business, Tom Mazza Consulting, has succeeded "beyond his most optimistic predictions" and The Ultimate Chauffeur Video Training Video Program, which he produced with MTG, Inc., has already received rave reviews from industry insiders. Mazza has done just about everything in his 16 years in the limousine industry. He has been an operator, magazine editor, writer, author, TV star, featured trade show speaker, executive director of the National Limousine Association, chauffeur trainer, and now full-time consultant.
Mazza's popularly continues to grow in the limousine industry. At the recent Limo Digest Show in November, it was hard to get a word with Mazza amidst the groups of operators who were all vying for a little of his sage advice, wisdom, and witty banter. His presentation drew a packed crowd and rave reviews. His message that chauffeurs "are the number one customer" of a limousine company drew a standing ovation.
"Personally, listening to Tom, I feel like his talks have evolved over the years," says Josie Salinger of Unique Limousine in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who stayed especially to hear Mazza speak. "He is very informative and very interesting. His down-to-earth manner, combined with the great information that I can take back and apply directly to my business, makes him a powerful speaker. One thing that stands out from his talk was when he answers questions, he always comes back with a compliment or encouragement for the person asking the question. He was speaking to an operator from Alaska and his words were very encouraging. He reinforced that she was doing good things and if she keep doing them she is going to be very successful. He is very encouraging about the industry for both the seasoned operator as well as new operators."
Quiet Mazza is not when it comes to the limousine industry. He's not afraid to bluntly tell an operator when they just aren't getting it. "If you are going to advertise your business locally and then network at a show, you better darn well have your house in order. I have been hired by companies, and they pick me up at the airport in a dirty vehicle. Or I have had rude chauffeurs. I sit down with the owner and tell them: Ôsoap and water on everything and let's do some chauffeur training NOW.'"
When asked about his leaving his position with the National Limousine Association, Mazza replies, "The NLA is a great organization with some great people. It was a bad fit for me personally. I'm an entrepreneur, not a bureaucrat. You need to be a great politician to be effective, and I'm really disappointed that I did not accomplish more."
Mazza's consulting business is probably best known for the Limousine Success Group, which was started in 2001. It currently has 16 members, reporting combined annual revenues of more than $90 million. Industry leaders such as Flyte Tyme, Commonwealth, RMA Worldwide, and Concorde are all members. Meetings are held three times a year and involve about 18 hours of classroom discussion and a visit to the host member's facility. Mazza runs the meeting with a velvet glove. "It is an unbelievably charged atmosphere," says Mazza. "We have extremely passionate discussions on just about everything. My job is not as easy as it looks. I have to tell a room full of bosses when they need to be quiet." Mazza says the camaraderie within the group is extraordinary. "We literally feel like brothers and sisters getting together three times a year. You cannot imagine how loud and funny every meal is and how strong the bonds are within the group. You have not lived until you are there in the back of a restaurant and Tim Rose [of Flyte Tyme] starts telling hilarious driver stories or Rich McKelvey [of Executive Limousines of Long Island] tells us about his colorful military career."
In addition to the Limousine Success Group, Mazza started The Limousine Achievers Group (LAG) in December 2003 with 12 companies. Mazza's LAG is one of his favorite topics. "The LAG was completely selected by me and put together literally in a week. Marc and Linda Shpilner of Limousine 18 in Boston, Dinesh and Mary Ganganna of Deluxe Transportation in Maryland, Sean and Donna Duval of Golden Limousine in Michigan, Mike Dozier and Matt Yorke of Signature Limousine in Nashville, Biff Bonnar and Brian Whitlock of Torrey Pines in San Diego, to name a few, are all good friends of mine." Mazza couldn't help but laugh about his attachment to the LAG: "We have such a diverse group of people in the group including women, people of color, and members that range in age from 26 to 70. I can even talk politics with them and not get decked."
Mazza will embark on a third group adventure in late February with the Limousine Entrepreneurs Group, which will consist of operators doing more than $3 million in sales. "Again, many of these people came to me based on great reports from my friends in the other groups."
In 2004, Mazza spent 120 days on the road between consulting and his limousine success groups. With a client list that is a who's who of powerful industry players and his three active success groups, Mazza, who lives and works in Philadelphia, is one of the most influential figures in the business.
"Last month was a typical month for me," says Mazza about his whirlwind schedule. "On the first, I was at Concorde Limousine in Freehold, New Jersey, acting as the point person for their monthly management meeting. From the third to the fifth, I was at my Limousine Achievers Group Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, with 12 companies and 20 attendees. The eighth through the tenth, I was in Boston working with Commonwealth Worldwide for chauffeur and reservations training. On the 14th and 15th, I was in Raleigh, North Carolina, with Elite Coach for chauffeur and management training. I drove to Delaware on the 16th where I worked at Eagle Limousine doing management training. On the 17th and 18th, I was at Town and Country Limousine in Chicago for chauffeur and management training programs. I followed that with Chauffeur Training in Washington, D.C, working with Robert Alexander at RMA Worldwide on the 20th and 21st. I ended my travel for the month by visiting Eagle Limousine in Wilmington on the 23rd. I must be the busiest guy in this industry."
Mazza believes that the hectic schedule serves an important purpose. "I spend so much time in different limousine companies and I meet so many employees, managers, and owners that I bring a level of experience and perspective to my clients that few people can offer," says Mazza. "I've trained more than a thousand chauffeurs this year. I understand them. I know the right and wrong way to motivate them."
Robert Alexander, president of RMA Worldwide, is one of Mazza's closest friends as well as a client. "Tom is kind of the anti-yes man. He analyzes complex situations very quickly and he has very good instincts. And he gives you very specific recommendations. He trained over 70 chauffeurs in our office and our people raved about him. He not only trains; he is very motivating and inspiring."
Mazza introduced The Ultimate Chauffeur Training Video Program at the 2004 Limo Digest Show. "It is the single best thing I ever did in this business. Eric Alpert [president of MTG] believed in me and let me put my imprint on how chauffeurs should be trained. I get goose bumps every time I hear the opening music. I know how much we are helping people." Mazza is distributing the video through the MTG catalog and early indications are that the video will be a smashing success.
Mazza says the biggest mistake he sees operators of all sizes make in dealing with chauffeurs involves communication. "Talk to your chauffeurs. Give them information and tell them why you do what you do and ask for their input. A chauffeur should not be forced to work in a vacuum. Tell them why you are discounting a certain fare or why you decided to buy 2-year-old L-series cars. If you empower them and give them the answers to their questions, you will be rewarded. If you look at that chauffeur as a person who has the ability to bring $100,000 dollars to your company every year, you will certainly treat them as your most important client."
Mazza says communication goes beyond just retaining chauffeurs. "One of my clients asked for my input on hiring a general manager. We found a guy we knew and really liked. Before we offered him the job, we had him bring his wife up to sit with the owner. We gave her all the information on the job and we told her how many nights and weekends her husband would work. We asked her, ÔWill this job work for you and your family?' Eight months later, the guy is doing fantastic and his wife loves the owner."
One of Tom Mazza Consulting's largest clients is Commonwealth Worldwide in Boston and New York City. Mazza has spent 24 full days with the team at Commonwealth in 2004. Dawson Rutter, president of Commonwealth, said Mazza was one of the "key factors in his company's amazing growth." Mazza helped facilitate Commonwealth's first-ever National Affiliates Meeting, as well as their first Managers' Retreat and Planning Day. Says Rutter, "Tommy has a way of coming in our office and asking questions and motivating my staff. His instincts, his recommendations on personnel and his role as my sounding board were just so important for us as a company."
What's next for Mazza? "In the short run I'm going to rewrite my two books on operating a limousine service. Eric Alpert and I are already planning another set of instructional videos, and I'm going to have a Tom Mazza Success Summit in October in Florida.
"I believe my future will extend beyond the limousine business," says Mazza. "I have an agent who believes that I have a message to deliver to entrepreneurs. I hope to get a general interest book published in the next year, and I hope that my future includes speaking in front of thousands and thousands of business owners throughout the world," explains Mazza. "I have to pinch myself every day. I get to work with some of the most interesting people in the world. They embrace me and welcome me in a hundred different ways and they allow me to live a life that I only dreamed possible." LD
