04/11/2025
Meet our office manager, Hina and see how her journey with The Summit unfolded, making us the streamlined, efficient business we are today.
Enjoy the story 🙏🏽
Hina drives things – from within our office, ensuring everyone is in the right place at the right time.
The Bridge of Sighs? No – the Bridge of Drives more like!
Tell us about yourself, Hina…
“I always stumble on this, I don’t know why! Hina is pronounced ‘He Naa’, I wish my parents had spelled it like that originally.
To all our guests and bookers, I often speak to you via email, WhatsApp and via Rehan’s WhatsApp when he is driving or otherwise unavailable.
My journey began with The Summit at the very beginning, on March 12th 2008 when we first began this project…
I started by playing a background role while Rehan, my husband set up the business that has become the service it is today, and I now run the office at The Summit Chauffeurs. But before I get into that, let’s go further back so I can tell you a bit about my background.
I was born in Pakistan, raised in Dubai and started work after graduating from university with a degree in teaching. As a teacher I always liked the children, but sadly they didn’t always like me, but I think that’s only natural.
When I moved full time to the UK (and permanently) in 2011, I was giving up Dubai; sun, sea and shopping, and it was a bit of a culture shock – especially the weather! By this time, my husband and I had a son (Ghani – now 15) and The Summit in its guise of London Oxford Taxis was flourishing, going from strength to strength. I wanted to continue working, but without the stresses of running a full-on classroom, so I joined my son’s school as a TA.
This was a perfect fit for me as the schedule worked with being a mum and there I would remain until…
Covid hit… This was exceptionally stressful, as I’m sure no one would disagree with; Having to reach out to vulnerable children, share information with parents who didn’t necessarily understand the circumstances of a pandemic, and work with other bodies in order to deliver education during an unprecedented global upheaval.
By the time we returned to ‘normal’ and reopened the school, there were financial cutbacks, resources we relied on were no longer available, parents had become accustomed to homeschooling and so many did not return immediately.
It was a very difficult time, but I think it made me stronger and more resilient. At the same time, Rehan was struggling to cover the admin as we came out of lockdown. He repeatedly asked me for help, but I could not do much as my workload had doubled for the school too for a variety of reasons – and I was struggling, unhappy and feeling burned out.
The wonderful and the different
I enjoy cooking, all sorts of foods as long as it’s wonderful and different! I’ll try anything someone fancies… I taught myself to bake and have to say, my cheesecake is something out of this world – well that’s what everyone who has tried it says!
And TV - almost ALL movies and Pakistani dramas – wow! I cannot get enough, do share your recommendations if you have any…
Anyway, back to my journey with The Summit. While I was a TA, and learning to bake, The Summit Chauffeurs was seeing an unexpected and massive increase in demand, and the admin was piling up during the first year. Whilst the team were brilliant on the road, they needed an ‘office handler’ – The Ned to The Summit’s Spiderman, The Jarvis to The Summit’s Iron Man!
We were using Virtual Assistants, but they also demanded time to set up processes; time Rehan did not have to guide them. So, I discussed with my husband, the potential of me assisting casually with the business and I took the opportunity to accept a redundancy from the school and step away from employment – admittedly, I did need the break.
I really did.
I assisted casually at first, but 6 months later found myself fully immersed in The Summit and loving the view!
I now manage all the bookings, flight checks, driver shifts and availability, tracking orders and instructions and sharing any changes with our team member.
I am happy
I am loving life again
And although I do miss my students and my school, I think I needed this.
And when I joined The Summit – wow!
It was overwhelming.
• Nearly 1,000 WhatsApp messages from drivers, clients and of course enquiries
• Nearly 100 emails, many just enquiries
• Nearly 20 calls that would result in a multitude of follow-up actions
• And 40 plus SMS from all across the world.
And that was just day one
I knew then, my first job would be to drown out the noise and help streamline the processes and bring order to the chaos…
The Summit Chauffeurs were in great demand
On the road we were winning, but behind the scenes, invoices were being delayed, expenses were being filed late and of course this would have a knock on effect to the business’ smooth running and cash flow.
I worked with the VA’s from One Resource (I recommend them, without a doubt) and our accountants and bookkeepers (Clearsight Accountants and Business Advisors – brilliant and thank you) and today, I work full time as admin manager supporting the accountants in invoicing and paying the team their dues, their expenses and of course their gratuity.
So, when you do send Rehan an email or WhatsApp message, you may occasionally get a reply from me saying he is in a meeting or with a client because we never want you to feel like you’re being ignored… Never!
We’ve got you just as you have got us too…
