Legendary Service in Secure Travel
HRC is the world’s leading secure ground transportation company offering a full spectrum of services, including 5-star secure chauffeured service, security services, and air charters for the world’s most discerning travelers. Offering service in more than 1,000 cities in US, HRC has ranked among LLC 5000s Fastest Growing Companies in the United States for nearly a decade. Headquartered in Astoria, New York, HRC provides innovative solutions for all aspects of ground and air transportation travel
BEHIND THE SCENES
MITIGATING RISKS IN A RISKY ENVIRONMENT
When Russia hosted the World Cup in 2018, HRC coordinated the travel and security of
an ultra-high-net-worth Principal attending the semifinal and final matches. Recognizing
that trusting Russian chauffeurs and security personnel was not feasible and background
checks were unreliable, we conducted an advance one year in advance. We met with
security details that we could use, coached them on HRC standards, and then delivered
on the end-to-end elite, professional service promise.
We identified the following as the highest risks
Vehicle
Traffic is always bad in Moscow, but
it was going to be worse for the games.
Risk here was mainly traffic delays and
the cost of time.
Fraud
Fraud is a cottage industry in Russia.Many elaborate schemes are used to frame executives in acompromising position and blackmail them. One popular tactic is having a call girl cozy up to an executive at a bar, snap a photo of them together and then blackmail based on the photo’s appearance of impropriety.
Information
Traffic is always bad in Moscow, but it was going to be worse for the games. Risk here was mainly traffic delays and the cost of time.Traffic is always bad in Moscow, but it was going to be worse for the games. Risk here was mainly traffic delays and the cost of time.
Communication
Communications were likely to be jammed at the games because of the number of people with cell phones in a small defined area. The risk of the principal losing touch with his party was high at the game itself.
Physical violence
This risk was rather low, due to a heavy police presence to quell soccer hooligans and any targeting of tourists. Still, the risk of a terrorist attack was real. ISIS had specifically mentioned targeting these games. What’s more, the Paris attacks of 2015 began at a soccer match.
Medical
The Principal was 70+ years old, and known to party. Russian medical care is about the same quality as Russian fine dining: not good. But FIFA, the organization putting on the Cup, did a good job of providing medical tents with first responders near to the game sites. In the event of a medical emergency, help would likely be nearby.
Our risk review process led to the
following service recommendations
- Have a Global Support Agent
Protect the Principal while in Russia and facilitate helping with any fraud, physical attacks, and medical events. In addition, a Russian-speaking Regional Support Agent was hired to provide help with culture and language translation.
- Employ Beartooth devices at the games
These devices work to turn your cellphone into a walkie talkie when you have no signal. These were to be used at the games to prevent a lapse in communication due to a jammed signal.
- Engage a support vehicle
A support vehicle would be used to mirror the lead vehicle and to run errands, fetch forgotten items, and provide an extra vehicle to evacuate in case of emergency. This would mitigate traffic delays.
- Use burner devices in country
HRC provided the Principal a temporary-use laptop and mobile phone in-country so his data was not stored and could not be accessed by Russian authorities. These services mitigated the risks to the Principal in ways that fit his overall goals and service mindset. He was able to meet with whom he needed in ways that suited his needs and preferences.
Ring Around
The Tarmac
Leaving your valuables in someone
else’s car doesn’t typically end well.
Unless you’re riding with a HRC 5-Star Chauffeur.
One of our principals had spent many days with Jose, his favorite chauffeur in New York City. The ride was flawless, conversation easy, with many thanks and gratitude at the end. Afterwards, as Jose was sweeping his Escalade, he found an extremely valuable diamond ring. Anxious to return it, Jose ran into the FBO, flashed the ring, raced to the tarmac, and flagged down the plane. Immensely grateful, the Principal called HRC to praise Jose and leave his own 5-star tip. All because Jose went the extra mile. Maybe literally.
The French
Shoe
French commune Saint-Laurent-Nouan is, by all accounts, “right in the middle of a huge nowhere.” In that huge nowhere lies a beautiful golf course, a course one of our Principals was eager to play. Unfortunately, while in the air, he discovered he had forgotten his golf shoes and nice golf shoes are not in ready supply in the middle of nowhere. But our 5-Star chauffeur Fabrice was able to find a pairs two hours away. And the game was on. Our Principal, unfamiliar with the lacing system of the shoes, cuts the laces, rendering them useless. But Fabrice, being the extraordinary chauffeur he is, had accounted for a possible challenge and purchased two pairs instead of one. Crisis averted. Our client was delighted, and to this day a pair of scissor-cut golf shoes remain as a memorial to how far a great chauffeur will go to ensure the joy of their client.
“We don't usually set up ground transportation
for our clients so I had to ask around for who was
the best for our special guest coming into Houston.
When I asked, the response was, 'if you want it
done right, call HRC.'
— Solairus FC
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