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I'm curious, how do most flight schools pair up students and CFIs? Are there set procedures, or is it an informal, "who's at the right place at the right time" sort of deal?
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That's exactly the way that it is. I'm pretty much running the show around here at JWN, and I like a no-stress enviroment. If the phone rings, I'm very eager to give the phone to another CFI. I really haven't much time to pick up new customers, so I have my own way of choosing CFI's.
I have one particular CFI that busts his butt. He's here whenever he's not on the road (he's a musician), he's here. OK, OK - he spends a night or two with his wife. But he's a go-getter, and he's here when we need him. Great CFI, too. If a guy or girl walks in, he's first pick.
The other CFI's? Well, they're usually not here when walk-ins or call-ins happen. Guess what: They don't get students.
I don't require any of my CFI's the maintain "office hours". That being said, I'm not going to feed them students quite so easily. A couple of them want to sing that "I'm an independant contractor" song. Ok, contractor. Go find your own students. When a CFI says that, they're gone on my "I'm not gonna give this guy any students . . . " list. Dig your hole, now lay in it.
Here at Wings, team players get the bones. If you want some students, come to work.
We have a receptionist that handles alot of the stuff that goes on, and she'll kinda direct phone calls according to the above system.
We don't have much "fighting" among CFI's. Some are jealous, but I don't apologize for that.
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Student intro flights are evenly distributed among each of the CFIs.
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Here, it's availability. If a customer wants to do a DISCO flight on Wed at 1330, we assign the person that is available in the scheduler. If you don't wanna fly, mark yourself as unavailable in the computer. If you don't mark unavailable and then I get a call that you cancelled because of the dog's dental appointment or some crap like that, we're going in the office to have a talk. It's going to be a one-way conversation, too.
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If I were a chief CFI and was talking to a prospective student, I might pair them up with a particular CFI because I get the feeling their personalities would work best together, even if the CFI I want to pair them with isn't around much.
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Are Chief's out there doing this kinda work? Why are they flying, or doing what chiefs are supposed to be doing?
My job as an assistant chief (while searching for a new chief) is to manage and keep the flight school running smoothly. I should have CFI's at the door greeting customers with our receptionist.
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I'm just saying that I think there's more to getting students than hanging around all the time.
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No, that's about all there is to getting students initially. Now, retaining those students is a different story. . .
