Town Car International:
A Clear Vision and a Bright Future
Russ Cooke almost seemed to disappear from the radar after his departure from BostonCoach, leaving many to wonder where this industry veteran would eventually land. Over time, rumors started flying that many of the large networks were courting him, but Cooke inscrutably refused to show his hand. So when news finally broke that he had landed at Town Car International, it left many people scratching their heads. Why would the former president of one the country’s largest networks go to a “black car company”?
Cooke laughs when asked that very question. “Town Car International is anything but a ‘black car’ company,” explains Cooke, who manages to squeeze this interview in, while jockeying his time between his offices in Boston and New York. “We are an executive sedan transportation company servicing our clients worldwide. Town Car International is a company everyone should keep an eye on moving forward. We have a vision and a plan to achieve that vision.” Cooke believes that Town Car is in a unique position; he knows that as other already large companies grow, it will become more difficult for them to provide a high level of service at an affordable rate. “Corporate America is being challenged constantly to cut travel costs, and one of the first things to go, as budgets get cut, is chauffeured transportation. I believe that if we can give the same quality as the larger providers, but at an affordable rate, we will be able to capture a part of the market that many of our competitors would never even see.”
Town Car International’s vision is clear: To be the global leader within the United States’ ground transportation market in on-time performance, ease of use, and affordability; and it would appear that Cooke is the man to drive this vision. He has assembled a talented team to execute the plan. The internal Town Car team is an effective management group who are no strangers to delivering quality service. Mark Susmin, director of sales for Town Car International, has been with the company for 12 years, and he is excited about the direction the company is taking. “With the infrastructure we are building, along with our technology platform, we are in a position to grow the company exponentially,” explains Susmin. “Our New York clients are very excited about our ability to process reservations anywhere around the globe. That alone has given us a vast opportunity that will open many doors for Town Car.”
The merger between Town Car International and A Elegant/ELS Transportation Network took place in the spring of this year, leaving Joseph Cirruzzo Sr. to lead the networking operations at Town Car International. His existing network complemented the distribution channel that Town Car already had in place previously. “We now have the tools to take our network business to the next level,” explains Cirruzzo. To hear Cirruzzo explain the virtues of the GT3 reservation system and the technology platform, you would think he runs the IT department. In truth, Cirruzzo leaves the technology to his son Joseph Jr. who, along with his sister Julia, will remain on board with Town Car International through the merger to run network operations.
“We have been doing network business for the past 20 years. We just never had the resources that a company such as Town Car International has to grow the business to the next level. We finally can do all of the things we dreamed of. It’s very exciting working with the Town Car International team,” explains Cirruzzo Jr.
In addition to the merger with A Elegant/ELS, Town Car is establishing company-owned locations in key cities. It has recently acquired two companies in Boston and is working to establish a presence in Washington, D.C. The next step will be Chicago. “We looked at the key cities that our clients travel to and realized that in order to assure the level of service that they expect, we needed to have a presence there,” explains Cooke, who has been concentrating on this aspect of the business for the past few months. “It is time consuming, finding the right locations and companies that will fit in with our culture. Once on board, we need to integrate the Town Car International brand into the new companies.”
Wayne Merril’s Boston-based company, Corporate Coach, was one of the two companies recently acquired by Town Car International. “Working with Town Car International will allow us to continue to provide outstanding service to our existing customers while servicing our client base here in Boston,” explains Merrill. “It’s an exciting time to be involved with a great company like Town Car International.”
Eddie Forristall is the operations manager for the Boston operation, and has been in the limousine industry for the past 7 years. “I am looking forward to growing our business in the Boston market. Town Car International is a dynamic company with a great environment to work in. It’s exciting to be on board at the genesis of what I am sure will be a major player in the industry in a very short period of time.”
In Washington, D.C., Ralph Embry leads the charge for the Mid-Atlantic Region, where he is establishing the Town Car International brand while focusing on establishing a company-owned location. “Washington, D.C. is a highly service-sensitive city, so it is critical that we concentrate on our level of performance, always maintaining the highest standards.”
“We are surrounding ourselves with the best and brightest people in the industry, and we are fostering a positive work environment,” explains Cooke. “In doing this, our team leads the charge of promoting our brand.” Cooke is not your typical limo guy. The former college and professional football player is as intimidating across a board room table as he was across the gridiron. He is one of the pioneers who is raising the bar for the luxury transportation industry, quoting business texts and instituting management philosophies that differ greatly from what industry veterans are familiar with. “Often companies trip over themselves or the personalities of its management. I don’t want that to ever happen at Town Car,” says Cooke. “Town Car International is a living brand. That brand is reflected in every person who works for Town Car International. We foster an exceptional environment and a positive employee culture that attracts the best people and talent. We believe that surrounding ourselves with successful people allows us to give our clients superior service. Chauffeurs, customer care representatives, and a superior management team ensure that we can provide our clients with extraordinary service which always exceeds their expectations.”
Cooke and his team have spent the past year re-inventing the Town Car brand. From the logo to training manuals to how the phones are answered, every aspect of the business has been scrutinized. “We want to continuously build on what we are doing well and to learn from our mistakes so that we don’t continue making them,” explains Town Car chief operations officer, Mike Salerno. “Everyone one of our employees is contributing to the improvement process. We have smart people on our team who bring great ideas to the table.” Salerno leads the company in its technology initiatives, which he feels vastly separates Town Car International from every other company. “We are taking the technology platforms that large call centers use and looking at every aspect of customer contact. We want to simplify the process for the client while making the total experience more efficient. Recently we added GPS systems in our vehicles.
“Additionally, our technology platform is state of the art and allows our clients to mange their accounts at their leisure. We believe that if we always think about our clients’ needs when we implement any initiative, we will come out on top. At the end of the day, what we do is provide service and our service will always exceed our customers’ expectations.”
Town Car International is mixing talent with superior service and throwing technology into the equation to capture a loyal client base. According to Cooke, “We believe that we have the formula for success and we are putting the steps in place to make Town Car International a preferred brand.” LD
