With the credit crunch biting hard on many businesses in the UK, everyone is seeking new ways of generating more income, and it seems that driving instructors are good targets to make money from.
Over the past few weeks, I've had all sorts of people contact me either by phone or post offering services which they claim would increase the number of people contacting me for driving lessons. The offers range from websites asking me to pay for links on their directory because they claim to have a very good online presence in the area I work, franchises for other schools, free 0800 numbers (i didn't even bother to find out what the catch was). One of the most amusing calls was from a company that wanted me to pay them to advertise in a section on their online directory which they claimed had a good ranking in google for driving lessons in my area. When we did a google search, my school website was in a higher position than theirs, but the sales guy said that if I paid them my money and they put in my entry, then it will make their directory move above mine, and then I would get more enquires!
Many people think that driving instructors are stupid or something. While businesses might be struggling, you need to make sure that any marketing services you use, actually work, don't take the company's word for it, and spend your money wisely, because there are no shortage of driving instructors out there, in fact there is an excess, and there are those out there who would like to make a quick quid or two out of struggling instructors.
If you are not as busy as you would like, spend the extra time you have on getting a good driving school website setup (you can do it yourself, and it won't cost the earth), promote it, and it could become the life line that you really need, don't allow anyone to make some easy money from you as a driving instructor.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
How many attempts driving test?
If you have attempted the UK driving test more than once, and were not successful, you might be wondering what the average number of attempts at the DSA test is.
Knowing that statistic won't in anyway change your chances of passing the driving test on your next attempt, what you need is to get yourself in the right mindset, and work towards getting a pass when you next meet the dsa examiner.
I once had a pupil who had never driven before, come to me for driving lessons, and from the word go, he kept telling me that he won't pass the driving test on his first attempt, because none of his friends had, and that he was going to use the first appointment just to gain experience! I kept telling him to change his attitude, because if he prepared himself properly, booked the test when ready, and had the right positive approach, then his chances would be very good at passing first time. Unfortunatey for him, he didn't quite get there, and though he had all the driving skills that were needed for a pass, he failed on the left reverse round the corner maneuver for not spotting a pedestrian walking behind the car as he was reversing due to concentration on not hitting the kerb. He was disappointed, as he only had 6 driving errors in total, he is now waiting for the third attempt (2nd was with another instructor, as I could take him because I had a conflicting test at the same borehamwood dsa centre).
While your driving confidence might have been affected by a failure, you need to put it behind you, work on your weaknesses and see your next attempt as working from a clean slate. Even if you get the same examiner, concentrate on the assessment, and deal with things on the road as they develop, worrying about if they remember you or not, that you failed at a particular road or maneuver will not help you. If you sucessfully deal with the present task, you are one step closer to getting that coveted pass certificate and the full driving licence.
Are you ready to make your next attempt at the driving test the last?
Knowing that statistic won't in anyway change your chances of passing the driving test on your next attempt, what you need is to get yourself in the right mindset, and work towards getting a pass when you next meet the dsa examiner.
I once had a pupil who had never driven before, come to me for driving lessons, and from the word go, he kept telling me that he won't pass the driving test on his first attempt, because none of his friends had, and that he was going to use the first appointment just to gain experience! I kept telling him to change his attitude, because if he prepared himself properly, booked the test when ready, and had the right positive approach, then his chances would be very good at passing first time. Unfortunatey for him, he didn't quite get there, and though he had all the driving skills that were needed for a pass, he failed on the left reverse round the corner maneuver for not spotting a pedestrian walking behind the car as he was reversing due to concentration on not hitting the kerb. He was disappointed, as he only had 6 driving errors in total, he is now waiting for the third attempt (2nd was with another instructor, as I could take him because I had a conflicting test at the same borehamwood dsa centre).
While your driving confidence might have been affected by a failure, you need to put it behind you, work on your weaknesses and see your next attempt as working from a clean slate. Even if you get the same examiner, concentrate on the assessment, and deal with things on the road as they develop, worrying about if they remember you or not, that you failed at a particular road or maneuver will not help you. If you sucessfully deal with the present task, you are one step closer to getting that coveted pass certificate and the full driving licence.
Are you ready to make your next attempt at the driving test the last?
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Robinson's Garage Breakdown Number
If you have a driving school car on lease from Robinson's garage in leicester also know and trading as the driving instructor centre and are unfortunate enough to have a car breakdown outside working hours and can't find the breakdown services details in your vehicle then here they are:
AA Fleet Services 0800 424 151
Robinson's Account Ref 0070697
You will need to quote your car registration as well to the breakdown operator and note You will be liabe for the call out charges if the fault was due to driver error. I guess that would mean things like running out of fuel, putting the wrong petrol type into the tank, etc.
I was unfortunate to be in this situation recently (no breakdown paperwork in glove compartment), and was only saved by the fact that I knew a colleague driving instructor who also had a robinson's garage school car on lease and when I called him up, his car had the correct paperwork. The vehicle in question was my recently changed toyota yaris school car.
I'm hoping this is the last time I have a problem with the vehicle, as I can not afford to have to cancel driving lessons or compensate learner drivers for missing their tests in this current credit crunch climate when many businesses are struggling and trying to keep their heads above the water and provisional licence holders are having to either cut back on tuition or seek cheaper and sometimes lower quality driving schools.
More Reading
ADI driving school car
AA Fleet Services 0800 424 151
Robinson's Account Ref 0070697
You will need to quote your car registration as well to the breakdown operator and note You will be liabe for the call out charges if the fault was due to driver error. I guess that would mean things like running out of fuel, putting the wrong petrol type into the tank, etc.
I was unfortunate to be in this situation recently (no breakdown paperwork in glove compartment), and was only saved by the fact that I knew a colleague driving instructor who also had a robinson's garage school car on lease and when I called him up, his car had the correct paperwork. The vehicle in question was my recently changed toyota yaris school car.
I'm hoping this is the last time I have a problem with the vehicle, as I can not afford to have to cancel driving lessons or compensate learner drivers for missing their tests in this current credit crunch climate when many businesses are struggling and trying to keep their heads above the water and provisional licence holders are having to either cut back on tuition or seek cheaper and sometimes lower quality driving schools.
More Reading
ADI driving school car
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
