You’re an established member of the Signature team now, what’s been your favourite car in that time?
I have seen lot of different makes and marques come and go and there are a few that have stuck in my mind as impressive. The arrival of the Lamborghini Aventador was pretty exciting for everyone and perhaps the most memorable for me. It had been hotly anticipated for a long time and did not disappoint when it arrived. The design lines are amazing and you can’t help but take a sharp intake of breath when you see it for the first time, this is only surpassed when you accelerate from standing. The first time I was taken for a spin I literally felt like I had left my stomach behind! I have a design background, so this car really made an impression on me, every curve and line is beautifully crafted and looks impressive from whatever angle you look at it from. We have this model in black, orange and white; but for me the white Aventador with black detailing is the most striking and looks perfectly in place in our Experience Centre.
What’s the best design feature you’ve ever seen on a car?
On looks, I love the side profile of the Aventador, the air intakes look stunning but have an important function to inject cool air to the powerful V12 engine so a great example of a necessary part of the vehicle being made to work on an aesthetic level. I also love the doors. Whoever thought that upward opening doors was a good idea must have been crazy, but on a Lamborghini crazy works and they put this supercar on another level altogether!
With a keen eye for design you must be fascinated by the new cars that come in – what design trends have you noticed?
Colour choice has definitely changed over the years and we have seen trends for classic silver and black change to white, especially on cars like Range Rover and Bentley. However, things are warming up a little for summer and our New Luxor Beige Range Rover is a nice change, a little warmer in tone. We have a New Range Rover Sport 5.0 Chille red arriving soon and it will be interesting to see what impact this has. Other trends seem to have seen car manufacturers integrate technology into sport cars more and more, enabling every car to offer comfort and usability as well as performance.
How has marketing Signature changed? Is there more of an accepted market for luxury car hire now?
We have always promoted Signature with the same core message, that we have the latest and most sought after hire cars available and that our high levels of service are as important as our cars. We apply attention to detail to every aspect of our service, and this reflects the high marques we supply. So our core message has not changed, but we market our audience in different ways and communicate with customers in different ways too. We introduced newsletters a few years ago, and are now very active on social media and have recently introduced live chat, enabling us to communicate with our customers in many different ways; and vice versa. We have opened up to a wider market by investing into luxury all-purpose vehicles like Range Rover, which are versatile and hired for many uses like long term hire, wedding hire and c
orporate hire. In fact we have noticed an increase in use for Range Rovers in our chauffeur division. We are always aiming to supply what our customers need, so although our core message remains the same we are constantly evolving.
How has Signature evolved over the years?
The biggest change has been the development of our chauffeur division, which is now a stand along business in its own right. We have a superb and versatile range of vehicles and with the high standards we insist upon it was a natural progression for this sector of the business to develop and grow. My department has grown considerably which allows us to ensure our website is always evolving to enhance the user experience and that all marketing and promotional material surpasses not only the competition, but what we have done before.
What’s the best project you’ve worked on so far at Signature?
That’s really hard to answer! I am privileged to be involved in so many new projects, but I suppose being involved in the design of the new websites and accompanying literature is hugely rewarding as it is creative and you always get a real sense of achievement when you see it has a positive effect on the business. However, my greatest achievement is probably the design of the Signature logo. It is a symbol of who we are and is always commented on, so it is a huge compliment that it is at the centre of everything we do.
Sum up the Signature brand in three words.
Quality. Service. The Best.
If you could take your dream car anywhere and do anything, what would it be?
Do I have to pick one! I am a real supporter of British brands, so it would be a toss-up between an Aston Martin and a Mini! If I was out on my own, a trip in a Mini to do a tour of the Cornish Coast. If James Bond was to pick me up in an Aston Martin then perhaps Monaco……have I mentioned I have met Daniel Craig?
If you could design your own car, what would it be like?
Probably small! I live in London and it is always hard to get a parking space! It would have to be classy, or fun. I would quite like a classic mini with the union jack on the roof! To be honest, I don’t think I could do a better job than the marques do, so a hire car is the best option, then I can have a different car every week focusing on the particular design aspect I want!