In this working arrangement, the qualified ADI operates as a self employed driving instructor working with the backing of a franchising company - usually a company that has a nation wide 'brand' and is already well established.
Business benefits
Typically the franchising company offers the instructor a range of support, such as
A central booking office
Generally this has a telesales team that is trained in selling driving lessons. As this is a shared national resource, the office can operate longer hours - typically 9am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday ? providing a service far beyond the normal capabilities of individual instructors.
Marketing Support
The companies normally run continuous centralised advertising and marketing campaigns, and also provide support to assist individual instructors in promoting their businesses, such as advertising in local business directories, local press, free papers and leaflet drops.
Vehicle signs
Usually the company will provide the Instructor with vehicle signage with professional logo and graphics ? effectively providing a targeted 24 hours per day, 7 days per week advertising campaign.
Initial financial assistance
Normally the franchise company will have a special financial arrangement to help the instructor?s cash flow position for a defined initial period.
Business Expenses
Normally the instructor must provide a car at their own expense. The car must have the appropriate dual controls and be correctly insured for the purposes of paid driving tuition. As the car is the instructor?s main ?tool?, reliability is a big concern. This, coupled with the high mileage involved, normally means a new car is the best investment. Since there are so many special offers on new cars at the present time, it is impossible to give any accurate costs for this expense ? but there are some fantastic driving school oriented offers just now ? e.g. free dual controls, fuel discounts. Similarly, since insurance is so dependant on an individual?s personal circumstances and history, it is not possible to provide even an estimated figure for this expense.
In both cases shop around for prices, and ensure that the costs are appropriate for the car to be used for paid driving lessons ? particularly in the small print of the insurance policy and any warranty offered with the car.
In addition to providing the car, the instructor will pay the franchising company a regular ? normally weekly ? fee for their support. Typically the weekly fee would be somewhere between ?100 ? ?150.
In addition to these fixed costs, there are variable costs such as fuel, tyres etc. that are dependant on the number and types of lessons given.
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