Driving instructor franchises? Anyone got anything good to say about them...?

bionic_dad

Hi all

I'm considering a career change, i tick all the right boxes to be a driving instructor - patience of the patron saint of patience, great personable demeanour, tons of customer focussed experience, 25 years worth of driving experience, CRB checked etc etc

I currently work in IT but its not really my thing.
I fell in to it by chance and have been bluffing my way along for last 10 years and having been made redundant two years ago from the City then under threat of redundancy in the education sector a few months back I decided i would do something I feel i'd find more rewarding.
I'd like to move into the realms of teaching but do not have a degree or sufficient industry experience to teach in it.
I can drive and put people at their ease sounds like a done deal??

However i'm finding lots of negative stuff about RED but not much on the others like BSM or the AA?
Is it as highly stressful and anti social as a career as everyone seems to be saying and are the franchises just a rip off and leave you floundering for clients and faltering financially??
If its soooo terrible why do I read there are more instructors than work...?

I found a thread on here previously but it didnt really get to the heart of the matter.

Can anyone tell me the real deal...???

many thanks in advance wise folk

Marcusp

Anyone got anything good to say about them...?

No

this is because the message is too short

SueC_2

bionic_dad wrote: »

If its soooo terrible why do I read there are more instructors than work...?

I think that's possibly a large part of the problem. Huge overheads (insurance and franchise costs not being inconsiderable) and not enough work to go around in order to cover them.

Many instructors end up scrabbling around for work, working shifts scattered at all times of day, night and weekend - completely screwing up their private lives, just trying to cover their expenses.

I only speak from what I've read, I have no personal experience, but thought I'd chip in anyway!

paulwf

If its soooo terrible why do I read there are more instructors than work...?

Possibly because lots of people have the dream of getting out of the office/factory, being their own boss and choosing their own hours. Quite a few people have a car and driving license and can find the money to pay for the qualifications. In terms of setting up your own business it takes a lot less capital than most other businesses.

Being self employed means people start up doing what they want to, not what there is a demand for, so it quickly becomes a saturated market. Just like these boards are full of people starting up doing alternative therapy or home computer repair because they like doing it.

Hammyman

bionic_dad wrote: »

If its soooo terrible why do I read there are more instructors than work...?

What do you think the above sentence means?

It means there are TOO MANY instructors for the work available. It means everyone has jumped on the bandwagon.

I know someone who is a "RED" franchisee. Still is and is only now just getting a reasonable amount of work but certainly nowhere near his previous income.

MoneySavingUser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2513939

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2415519

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2297121

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2057963

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1880629

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/599117

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1134119

serverdog

A friend of ours is a driving instructor, and he reckons the only way to do it is privately. It's hard to start off, but once you have a few clients, the rest come in via word of mouth. He is always fully booked (unless snowing) and schedules the hours he wants.

His life was made easier in that in the last 5 years, his 2 kids started to drive, so they told all their classmates and therefore he had a sufficent supply of paying clients. Now that he is known around that college, he gets a constant supply of students.

Obviously you have large startup costs involved in setting up your own driving school, but it avoids the franchise model.

highguyuk

serverdog wrote: »

A friend of ours is a driving instructor, and he reckons the only way to do it is privately. It's hard to start off, but once you have a few clients, the rest come in via word of mouth. He is always fully booked (unless snowing) and schedules the hours he wants.

His life was made easier in that in the last 5 years, his 2 kids started to drive, so they told all their classmates and therefore he had a sufficent supply of paying clients. Now that he is known around that college, he gets a constant supply of students.

Obviously you have large startup costs involved in setting up your own driving school, but it avoids the franchise model.

I have no experience, but I think I'd agree with your post.

There is also the fact that your friend's fate is in his own hands. If his reputation suffers because he has done badly etc then that is his own fault. It could be other RED or whoever driving instructors do badly and are poor and that reflects badly on you - even though you've done nothing to deserve it.

mad_as_a_march_hare

i will try and answer a few of your queries from my personal point of view my OH is a driving instructor.

Firstly he was already an instructor when i met him, but he went on the private route to being an instructor and trained with someone local.

But Now i will give you the lifestyle reality of the job i have always accepted his job and the hours that go with it, but it has ruined his past relationships.

My OH does 36 hours a week in tuition, but this does not include travelling time between lessons, when all this is factored in he is out the house by 8 am and never home much before 8pm.
He does however never work on a Sunday and only works Occasional Mondays, but he is always saying that he never gets enough time to spend with me or my son.
Also when he is home his mobile is always going, with pupils letting him know there shifts, or wanting to change lessons, and then there is email enquires that need answering.

On his day off, is spent, washing and cleaning the car and then doing the admin.
As for holidays, My OH has 2 weeks summer holiday, but has been known also to go and do new starter lessons in this time, this year for instance what was going to be our annual 2 weeks was shifted to accomodate pupils tests.

My OH does work hard at his buisness and has a great reputation and a very full diary at the minute, but he will always find time to fit in pupils needs. However i would not change a thing about it, he loves his job and he gets great satisfaction from it.

I just wanted to give you a snapshot view of what normal life is like when your OH is a driving instructor. But not all instructors work like that but i always insist that my OH business does come before the family as thats what pays the bills and enables us to live the lifestyle that we do.

Hope this info has given you a small gimpse into the world of becoming a Driving Instructor, It may sound glamourous but is very hard work and if you want the money then you need to put in the hours.

bionic_dad

MoneySavingUser wrote: »

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2513939

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2415519

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2297121

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2057963

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1880629

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/599117

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1134119

ah thanks I did search but only found one thread about a guy having a career crisis at 25 - think i was using the wrong criteria - many thanks

bionic_dad

mad_as_a_march_hare wrote: »

i will try and answer a few of your queries from my personal point of view my OH is a driving instructor.

Firstly he was already an instructor when i met him, but he went on the private route to being an instructor and trained with someone local.

But Now i will give you the lifestyle reality of the job i have always accepted his job and the hours that go with it, but it has ruined his past relationships.

My OH does 36 hours a week in tuition, but this does not include travelling time between lessons, when all this is factored in he is out the house by 8 am and never home much before 8pm.
He does however never work on a Sunday and only works Occasional Mondays, but he is always saying that he never gets enough time to spend with me or my son.
Also when he is home his mobile is always going, with pupils letting him know there shifts, or wanting to change lessons, and then there is email enquires that need answering.

On his day off, is spent, washing and cleaning the car and then doing the admin.
As for holidays, My OH has 2 weeks summer holiday, but has been known also to go and do new starter lessons in this time, this year for instance what was going to be our annual 2 weeks was shifted to accomodate pupils tests.

My OH does work hard at his buisness and has a great reputation and a very full diary at the minute, but he will always find time to fit in pupils needs. However i would not change a thing about it, he loves his job and he gets great satisfaction from it.

I just wanted to give you a snapshot view of what normal life is like when your OH is a driving instructor. But not all instructors work like that but i always insist that my OH business does come before the family as thats what pays the bills and enables us to live the lifestyle that we do.

Hope this info has given you a small gimpse into the world of becoming a Driving Instructor, It may sound glamourous but is very hard work and if you want the money then you need to put in the hours.

Thank you soooo much this is exactly what I wanted to know really really big thanks for your time and effort with this reply :):)