Every day, Blacklane connects thousands of passengers with a vast network of licensed and insured professional drivers across the globe. The company offers the most reliable and professional service, at the most competitive rates in 50 countries. We had a chance to experience the superior customer service of Blacklane in Beijing. So we would like to tell you more about our journey, the company and the brains behind it.
About Blacklane
Blacklane was founded by Jens Wohltorf and Frank Steuer in 2011. As frequent travellers, they saw a need for a single global professional driver service. Their vision was a smarter way to book and manage rides — something affordable, reliable, and efficient. Since then, Blacklane has grown from a two-man operation in Berlin to an international team of over 200 people. The company now connects travellers to professional drivers in more than 250 cities in 50 countries across the globe. It has also established partnerships with titans in the travel industry such as Amadeus, Expedia, Hertz, and Finnair. This means that their professional drivers can be reserved as easily as flights and hotels on consumer and corporate travel websites.
Five-star car service
Blacklane’s five-star service combines 24/7 customer care with real-time service control. Passengers can schedule a ride in seconds via Blacklane’s website or app. We had a first hand experience of booking a ride with Blacklane – it was simple and efficient. Firstly, we downloaded the app and registered, which was very quick. Then, we entered our pickup and dropoff locations (from Beijing International Airport to Shangri-La Hotel). Finally, we chose our desired pickup time and the vehicle class. Plus, we could also add the number of hours we wished to book a car for. In addition, there is a complimentary waiting time provided: 60 minutes for airport pickups and 15 minutes for general ones. What’s more, Blacklane tracks your flight and automatically adjusts your pickup time.
Blacklane in action
When we walked through the Arrivals at Beijing International Airport, it was easy to spot our driver. He was holding a placecard with our names on it, as well as Blacklane’s logo. Plus, we received his contact information one hour before pick-up and he let us know that he was waiting for us. All Blacklane drivers are licensed, insured and regulated, so we had peace of mind knowing that our driver would be professional. He definitely was: groomed and well-dressed, he quickly picked up our trolley and escorted us to the car. There, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class was waiting for us (since we booked Business Class airport pickup). With its black leather seats, the car was spacious and well equipped with complimentary bottles of water. Plus, there was a menu with complimentary cookies and mints, as well as Wi-Fi details.
Great customer experience
The journey to the hotel was both pleasant and relaxing, and much needed after a 10 hour flight! What we liked the most was that we could simply leave the vehicle when we arrived to our hotel. This is because Blacklane offers cash-free payments and electronic receipts (or corporate monthly invoices for businesses). We didn’t need to worry about having enough cash in local currency nor any concerns about language barriers. However, if our plans changed and we didn’t need the car anymore, Blacklane’s cancellations are free up to 1 hour before one-way rides. What we also found great was that there are no hidden surprises with Blacklane. This is because the all-inclusive rate — confirmed before we booked — included all taxes, tolls, fees and gratuities. To find out more about Blacklane, please check their website and experience the five-star car service for yourself.
