No-one expects to be disappointed by a chauffeur – read my blog to find out why more people are switching after experiences like this. But many travellers book a minicab and get just that. A no-show at 4am. A driver who “doesn’t do” the Airport Road. A car that smells like last night’s kebab. Sound familiar? It’s happened in Norwich. And a lot of them got sick of it to make chauffeur services popular in this town.

Here’s what you get when you upgrade.

You can be sure you’ll arrive on time. A chauffeur service operates on fixed schedules, guaranteed bookings and accountability. The driver doesn’t have six other surge rides to worry about. They’re there to take you. Full stop.

The cars are more important than we realise. Driving long distances in Norfolk – say, out to Wroxham or down to Diss – is different in a well-maintained executive car than it is in a hatchback with a broken armrest. Vanity is not comfort over distance. It’s just practical.

This is especially true with corporate travel. Let’s say you’re on the train in from London and you have a meeting in the centre of Norwich. You’ve got the pitch ready to go. You don’t want to get into a dispute with a driver over the best way to get past St Giles Street. A chauffeur handles that. Silently. Efficiently. You are calm, not stressed.

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries – these are special occasions. A single mishap can mar an otherwise perfect occasion. When you have a professional driver, that’s not a factor. It’s one less variable when things can’t go wrong.

Airport transfers deserve a special mention. Norwich International is small, yes – but flights don’t. A driver who keeps an eye on arrivals and makes the necessary adjustments? That’s not a frill. That’s what the job is.

Price is higher than the average cab ride. Obviously. But think about what you’re paying for: peace of mind, comfort, privacy and a driver who understands that you have a life. For the right trip, it’s a no-brainer.

Norwich has some good alternatives to the top Google result. Ask about their fleet, read reviews, ask about their on-time record. You don’t need to hear about a great chauffeur service. The return customers do that for them.