Back in the 'good ole days' attracting new customers was simply a case of an advertisement in the local paper, a card in a shop window or maybe a square in Yellow Pages!
My how things have changed. Nowadays everybody and their dog has a smartphone and they use it for just about everything, including sourcing a driving instructor. The phrase 'there's an app for that' is being used more and more and now includes the driver training industry where being on a social networking site (or three) is a must for any instructor. I've been on Twitter and Facebook for a while now, but I'm also getting pestered every day to join the latest 'app' for driving schools. 'miDrive' has been around for a while and a couple of new ones, 'Vroome' and 'Roadio' are also available to download from the 'app' stores. All claim to make the 'learner experience' a better one by offering on-line learner solutions and instructor benefits through their smartphone app. Now don't get me wrong, I'm on all of these sites because I feel that we need to embrace change in whatever form it takes and use it to our advantage, but I also see the need for keeping some of the good old fashioned values like one to one conversation and getting out there in the car and practising dealing with real life situations, which to my knowledge, there isn't an 'app' for.
'Apps' are great for information, monitoring your progress and practising theory but only you and your instructor in the car can see how you are in the 'real world' and if we get it wrong, there is no 're-set' button.
My how things have changed. Nowadays everybody and their dog has a smartphone and they use it for just about everything, including sourcing a driving instructor. The phrase 'there's an app for that' is being used more and more and now includes the driver training industry where being on a social networking site (or three) is a must for any instructor. I've been on Twitter and Facebook for a while now, but I'm also getting pestered every day to join the latest 'app' for driving schools. 'miDrive' has been around for a while and a couple of new ones, 'Vroome' and 'Roadio' are also available to download from the 'app' stores. All claim to make the 'learner experience' a better one by offering on-line learner solutions and instructor benefits through their smartphone app. Now don't get me wrong, I'm on all of these sites because I feel that we need to embrace change in whatever form it takes and use it to our advantage, but I also see the need for keeping some of the good old fashioned values like one to one conversation and getting out there in the car and practising dealing with real life situations, which to my knowledge, there isn't an 'app' for.
'Apps' are great for information, monitoring your progress and practising theory but only you and your instructor in the car can see how you are in the 'real world' and if we get it wrong, there is no 're-set' button.