The Chauffeur Booking Brief: What an Executive Assistant Should Send, and Why

Most chauffeur bookings for business visitors are made by someone who will never sit in the car. An executive assistant, a travel coordinator or an office manager sends a short message, the transport company replies with questions, and the details are settled over a string of emails and calls that nobody has time for. Usually something is still missing on the morning of arrival: the terminal, the hotel entrance, the second passenger nobody mentioned.

This guide sets out exactly what to send, in what order and why each item matters. It is written for the people who book cars for others in Saudi Arabia, whether for a single executive on a two day visit or a delegation moving between cities. It pairs naturally with our duty of care guide for travel managers, which covers how to choose a provider in the first place.

The Booking Brief, in Brief

Why a Complete Brief Matters

Every missing detail becomes a question, and every question costs time on both sides. More importantly, the details that go missing are usually the ones that decide whether the visit starts well. A chauffeur waiting at the wrong terminal, a sedan sent for two passengers with four large cases, or a car arriving at a hotel's main lobby when the guest is at the business tower next door all trace back to a brief that was nearly complete.

A complete brief also protects the price. A chauffeur company can only fix a price in writing when it knows the shape of the job. When the details arrive late, the quote is either padded for uncertainty or revised later. When they arrive together, the quote is final and the invoice matches it.

Finally, a complete brief makes the booking portable. If the assistant who made it is away when the plans change, a colleague can open the same page and see everything the chauffeur company has been told. That continuity is part of looking after a guest properly.

The Ten Fields, and Why Each One Matters

1. The traveller's name and mobile number

Give the name as it should appear on the greeting board, and a mobile number that will work on arrival, ideally one with WhatsApp. If the traveller prefers that the chauffeur contacts the assistant instead, say so. For a delegation, name the lead passenger and one deputy.

2. The flight number and date

The flight number matters more than the scheduled time. It lets the pickup follow the actual arrival, so an early landing or a delay does not leave the guest waiting or the chauffeur leaving. If the traveller is arriving by road or by train, give the expected time and the point of arrival instead. Our guide to airport meet and greet explains what a properly run arrival includes.

3. The arrival airport and terminal, where known

Large airports in the Kingdom have several terminals, and the walk from the wrong one can be long. Include the terminal if the airline has published it. If you are not sure, the flight number is usually enough for the chauffeur company to work it out, but say that it is unconfirmed. Our airport transfer service covers Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

4. The hotel name exactly as booked

Copy the hotel name from the confirmation, including the district. Several international brands have more than one property in Riyadh and Jeddah, and some large hotels have separate entrances for the residence, the business tower and the main lobby. If the guest is staying in a serviced apartment or a private residence, give the full address and a map pin.

5. The first appointment and its address

The first meeting decides the first departure time. Give the address, the building and, if you know it, the gate or car park entrance. Business districts such as KAFD and the government quarters often have controlled access, and a note about where visitors are dropped saves time at the barrier.

6. The number of passengers and the luggage

This is the field most often left out and the one that most often changes the vehicle. Two passengers with cabin bags fit a sedan. Two passengers with four large cases, a sample box or golf clubs do not. Count people and count bags. Our fleet page shows what each vehicle carries.

7. The vehicle preference

Say what you want and why. A senior guest may expect a Mercedes S Class or a BMW 7 Series. A small team may be better served by a Mercedes V Class or a GMC Yukon. A delegation may need a Sprinter, a Coaster or a coach. If you are unsure, describe the passengers and the occasion and let the chauffeur company recommend.

8. Accessibility and special requests

Mention reduced mobility, a wheelchair, a child seat, a preferred language, dietary needs for a long drive or a request for a quiet journey. None of these is unusual, and all of them are easier to prepare the day before than to solve on arrival.

9. Transfers or full days, and the shape of each day

A transfer is a single journey from one place to another. A full day is a chauffeur and vehicle at the guest's disposal for twelve hours. For a visitor with three or four meetings across the city, a full day chauffeur is usually simpler and often cheaper than a string of separate rides. Our guide to transfers versus full days sets out the arithmetic. Either way, send a rough outline of each day: first pickup, the main appointments and the expected finish.

10. Billing and who approves changes

Name the person who can approve a change, such as an extra hour or an added stop, and say how the booking should be paid and invoiced. Companies that book regularly can set this up once through our corporate transport service, so each new booking only needs the travel details.

A Brief You Can Copy

Paste the fields below into an email or a WhatsApp message and fill in each line. If a line does not apply, write none rather than deleting it, so the chauffeur company knows it was considered.

Multi Day Visits and Delegations

For a visit of several days, send one brief for the whole trip with a short line for each day, rather than a new message each morning. Ask for the same chauffeur across the visit where the schedule allows. Continuity is one of the quiet advantages of a chauffeur service: by the second morning the chauffeur knows the hotel entrance, the office car park and the guest's preferences.

For a delegation, add a passenger list with a mobile number for each person, and say which passengers must travel together. If the group will move between cities, give the dates and the cities and we will quote each intercity leg per route. Distances in the Kingdom are large, and our guide to city distances and drive times helps set realistic expectations. Larger parties are handled through our group transport service.

What Happens After You Send It

A well run chauffeur company should reply with a written confirmation that repeats the key details back to you, the vehicle that has been allocated, the chauffeur's name and contact number before the day of travel, and a fixed price. Check the confirmation against your brief. If anything differs, correct it in writing so there is one agreed version.

On the day, the traveller should only need two numbers: the chauffeur's and the company's. Ours is +966 56 644 0190, answered at any hour in English and Arabic. Changes during the visit go to that number, and the person you named in field ten approves anything that alters the price.

What It Costs

Published Riyadh full day rates, each covering twelve hours with a chauffeur inside the city, are below. They are the figures most visiting executives use, because a full day covers a whole programme of meetings with one vehicle and one chauffeur.

Every published figure, including Jeddah and airport transfers, is on our pricing page. Intercity journeys are quoted per route. Our guide to what a chauffeur costs per day in Riyadh breaks the numbers down further. We also serve visitors to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Five Common Mistakes

Sending the scheduled time instead of the flight number. The time changes; the flight number lets the pickup change with it.

Shortening the hotel name. The chain name alone is not enough in a city with several of its properties.

Forgetting the luggage. Bags decide the vehicle more often than passengers do.

Booking separate rides for a full day of meetings. A single full day is usually simpler and often cheaper.

Leaving changes without an owner. Name one person who approves anything that changes the price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum information needed to book a chauffeur?

The traveller's name and mobile, the date, the pickup point and the destination. With only those four a booking can be made, but the vehicle, the waiting point and the price are far more reliable when the full ten field brief is sent.

Should I send the flight time or the flight number?

Always the flight number and date. The scheduled time is useful, but the number allows the pickup to follow the actual arrival if the flight is early or late.

How far in advance should an assistant book?

As soon as the itinerary is known, and at least a few days ahead for senior guests or groups. During major conferences and exhibitions premium vehicles in Riyadh are in high demand, so early booking is the simplest way to secure the right car.

Can the brief be sent on WhatsApp?

Yes. A WhatsApp message or an email both work. What matters is that every field is in one message, so nothing is lost across a long thread.

Will we know the chauffeur's name before the guest lands?

That is what you should expect. The chauffeur's name and contact number should be shared before the day of travel, so the traveller and the assistant both know who to look for.

Can you invoice our company rather than the traveller?

Yes. Say in the billing line who pays and how. Companies that book regularly can set up a corporate account so that billing details only need to be given once.

Ready to book? Send your brief to info@roarkchauffeur.com or call +966 56 644 0190, and see our published rates before you do.