Customer Complaint

Oh dear! It doesn’t happen very often but I’ve upset a customer. If there is a complaint it would normally come from the pupil, because sometimes pupil and instructor just don’t get on and I am happy to change instructors to keep the customer happy. It is very important that pupils feel they are gaining from their instruction and there is no risk of damage to their confidence. In this instance, and I think it is a first, it is the mother. She has decided her son is not making enough progress after 10 hours of lessons and having taken her son out for driving practise, she is not satisfied as she feels he should have dealt with more demanding traffic situations than just basics. She suggested her son’s instructor was deliberately making slow progress for personal gain and said also during our telephone conversation, that other parents with recently trained sons and daughters agreed with her. In our defence I said her son’s instructor was very experienced and thorough. She retorted “at what cost?” I sent the following e-mail to my instructor:- “I've had a call from Mrs . . . . She has expressed concern at her son's lack of progress. She says that after 10 hours of lessons he hasn't done roundabouts, traffic lights and you still drive him to and from home to Surbiton. Unfortunately she has been talking to other parents and has implied you are deliberately making progress slowly. I of course defended you, referring to your thorough training program and high pass rate but she retorted "At what cost?" I said I would raise her concerns with you but I think she is going to request change of instructor. It seems she is being influenced by the unsupported stories of other people and is putting cost before safe driving. Have you had any feedback from the son suggesting he is unhappy with his driving lessons?” I had suggested a change of instructor may be the best way forward, but after approaching the instructor in question and his response, I changed my mind. Apparently his pupil had shown no sign of dissatisfaction and the problem was emanating from the mother. The integrity of my instructor and therefore my driving school was being challenged. If I were to change instructors, there may still be a problem with this lady disrupting the learning process. I informed her by e-mail I would not recommend a change of instructor and was withdrawing instruction for her son. She has sent me an e-mail by return attacking my professionalism and conduct accusing me of being offensive and insulting. This of course was never my intention. Whenever I receive a complaint about a driving instructor I will always follow it up and act in the best interests of the pupil, but I have every right to defend myself and that of my instructors from any accusation based on the opinion of somebody who is not a qualified driving instructor and on the unsubstantiated hearsay of others. Such opinions might be better directed to the Driving Standards Agency who oversee the industry as a whole, including the grading of driving instructors and their ability to teach. What has really upset this lady is in her own words – “at what cost?” She made the comment – not me! And it is staring her in the face that quality of instruction has been placed second to the cost of the process. Unfortunately it has backfired. She now has to find another driving instructor, who I doubt is as successful as my instructor. Her son will also have to get used to another instructor’s method of teaching in a different car. Hopefully the interruption will only be temporary and he goes on to pass his driving test at the first attempt. With the grounding he has had from my instructor as well as his new instructor, let’s hope he develops in to a safe driver.