Do you know what makes me really mad?! Reading posts on forums can often be distressing for me. Seeing that so many driving instructors are still not happy in the franchise or are struggling to get work.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of, after all, you’re a driving instructor and a darn good one. It’s difficult to be a driving instructor and marketer. Let alone,
- Bookkeeper
- Call Centre
- Administration Assistant
- Bookings Officer
- Secretary
- Car Valeter
- Customer Relationship Officer
- Website Builder
- Content Writer
- SEO Expert
- Adwords Marketer
- Social Media Blogger
- The list goes on…
Now I know there are successful instructors out there who don’t do all this but I’m just showing the point. We can’t be all things.
For many, the solution is to go to a franchise. I know there are many instructors who will tell you not to, but for some it’s the right way to go. 16 years ago, I re-joined a large franchise so I could concentrate on getting additional qualifications. The idea was that the school I joined would do all the marketing and organise my diary etc. It worked very well for 7 years as I did all my initial fleet, ORDIT and Dip.DI. The Master’s degree came a little later!
You might want to just do your job, go home and put your feet up and that’s ok. Honestly!!
But maybe you’re in a franchise now, and life is not too rosy. Some of the major issues I keep seeing come up are:
- Not enough pupils being supplied
- Feeling unloved or lonely out there
- Not enough support
- Not enough training
- You might even be a PDI feeling the overwhelm
- Don’t know who to ask for information
- Struggling financially
The 5 things other driving schools don’t do properly
1. We promise to find you pupils
My driving school and my associate driving schools do not have the above problems. We recruit to suit pupil demand or create that demand with successful marketing. A website can appear on page one position one in 30 minutes using marketing, get it wrong though, and it will cost you £1000’s. Currently in many areas we are turning away pupils. While many instructors with other schools are struggling to find them, we are turning them away…ouch!
2. We are here for you, always
The office is here for you and I have been known to help with many things outside the driving world for instructors. Off hand I can think of asbestos shed roofs, relationship breakdowns and personal financial problems. I and the office staff want to help you with your business. If you have a problem, you can call us and speak to a caring human. We have a closed Facebook group to so you can speak to like-minded instructors and not the drivel you often hear in some forums. Your success is our success.
3. Training, second to none, proven!
My system for training driving instructors was seen as so innovative, when studying for a BA Honours with Middlesex University, I was told to go for the master’s degree so I did. The training is so simple, so surprisingly obvious, you’ll wonder why others make it confusing. This training is now cascaded down by my trainers, most of whom were rescued using the system when they were training. If you’re a PDI on a trainee licence, we can show you how easy it is to pass the part three. As an ADI, you’ll be interested in the free Standards Test training or ORDIT if you wish. Other courses we offer include a business course and soon will be many online training courses.
4. A flat fee
Our franchise fee is currently £80 a week. That’s it. No deposit, no additional charges and certainly no pupil charges. Obviously, there will be your vehicle costs and we can help arrange this for you. We also give you 2 weeks a year free for holidays or Christmas, it’s up to you. If you’re a PDI on a trainee licence I might well do this training for free.
5. 80% of business are doing it wrong
The 80-20 rule, known as the Pareto principle applies to many things in business. Not least of these is the fact that in all business, 80% of people are doing it wrong. Now I am not going into too much detail here on why, but suffice to say that many schools are just ‘getting by’. Look at the big driving schools and how many have gone into or have come close to liquidation. Look at how many instructors are complaining on social media. But there are the few that are doing well, but they keep their cards close to their chest. They don’t spend lots of time on social media complaining about this and that, they’re too busy doing it right or getting there.
So why listen to me, aren’t we all the same?
I have been successful in setting up over 15 driving schools across the country. I have probably the only master’s degree from Middlesex University in Driver Training Education. This is specifically about the education and training of instructors. I have too many other things to bore you with but whilst I am not active in the CPD (continual Professional Development) within the driver training field, I today concentrate on the business CPD. This is to give YOU a better chance of success.
Recently I have introduced a unique package where all our pupils get posted (yes that old fashioned method) a welcome pack. The pack includes handouts, advice and a progress record car and a free gift. They’re then enrolled in the email client that provides further support and advice. When they pass their test, they receive another free gift and a congratulations card. All supplied at a cost to us not you. I am looking at how to make our driving school the ‘best in the world’.
Dave Foster is already one of the highest qualified driving instructor and instructor trainers, in the UK. His experience and knowledge base are exceptional”
Prof. Peter Russell
President at Institute of Driver Education & Research
“Dave is unquestionably, one of the most highly qualified Driver Trainers in the UK and has a real a passion and drive for improving the quality of standards within our Industry. I would recommend Dave Foster to any organisation within the Driver Training Industry that requires expert knowledge at both strategic and operational levels”
Colin Knight
Head of Fleet Safety Management & Compliance at the Clancy Group
What are other driving instructors saying?
“Left an expensive and unreliable franchise in October 2014. I’ve never looked back since. Service is excellent. The team do their utmost for you. I’d recommend them without hesitation to anyone. I have attended a Part 3 rescue course this week with my PDI and as always the information from Dave is invaluable.”
Vince Miner
“As a Driving Instructor, as you can imagine, it is very different to answer calls when they come in from potential students as you are out teaching all the time. Then when you go to return their missed-calls in the evening, they have already gone and booked with someone else. Taking the plunge has been one of the greatest things for my business I have done. They take all the calls that I would normally have missed and turn them into paying students. I also benefit hugely from the over the phone payment system.
They are always on hand to answer my calls and questions if something goes wrong. They are quick to respond, whether that be via email or phone”
Satnam
Some of my instructors have been with me for over 10 years now so something must be right!
Your pain is over
Whatever your pain is, it can be over with a simple call or email to me.
Whether its;
- Not enough pupils
- Not feeling loved
- Lack of training
- Or anything else
Your plight can be over very easily.
Our offer to you
Now just to make this even sweeter for you I wont charge you a penny in franchise fees, not one single penny until you have been given 10 new pupils or until you close your diary – which ever comes the sooner. We will agree postcode coverage before you sign up and you choose your days and hours. I do however ask you to stay with me for 1 year though but hope you’ll be happy like the others for 10 years.
This is a fair play offer, I had an instructor join who gave us 2 postcodes inhabited by mainly pensioners. His diary was open 4 days a week 10am to 3pm with an hour for lunch!! It didn’t work.
We don’t expect you to travel far or work 7 days a week for 24hrs, just a reasonable normal full-time working week within an agreed area we discuss before you start.
Now I know you want to know more and end your pain so, call us now, in confidence and let us help you too.
