Our date guarantee supplement aims to resolve a set of chronic problems in public training — cancellations, transfers, rescheduling, date withdrawl and refunds.
The training industry's dirty little secret
Vastly more courses are advertised than actually run. Because many advertised dates fail to attract sufficient student numbers.
Cancellations are unavoidable
Training companies offer public courses at frequencies they think the market will bear. Their schedules are based on probabilities at best, but more often, simply educated guesses about the likely demand in a given time and place. Because ...
- Students don't always want courses at the same time — in the same place
- Students change their minds
- A fragmented market — many providers each holding a small share
- Imperfect knowledge — on the part of students and training providers
First bookings involve risk
First bookers invariably take the risk that their date may be ultimately non-viable — causing it to be cancelled or postponed. In mitigation, trainers may guarantee a date, knowing that they risk a loss, if no further bookings are forthcoming. The assumption being, that more profitable events will cover the losses on less profitable ones.
We will guarantee dates before they viable, but ...
We'd be out of business if we did this more often than the profits from other courses can bear. So we only tend to do it, when there are special circumstances, e.g. when the risk is lower and the 'cancellation cost' to students are high.
How can we reduce the risks?
By sharing them! — in much the same way that the insurance industry works.
If you are making the first booking on a course, we'll guarantee the date providing you pay us a little extra. Even though that 'little extra' will only cover a fraction of the losses we'll make, if we have to deliver the course for you alone.
Why pay more than the standard rate — up-front?
Because you'll get the course you want, when and where you want it — and you may end up paying no more than the standard rate anyway. That's, because, if your chosen course instance does become viable, we'll entirely refund the date guarantee supplement. Think of it as a very generous 'no claims bonus'.
Which begs the question ...
Why set the supplement below break-even?
Because:
- It's only fair that we share some of the risk
- It helps increase our reputation for actually delivering
- Which may potentially increase our market share
- While containing losses within manageable limits
Why Take a Public Course Private?
To ensure that you get all of the trainers time, attention and help.
In most cases exclusive courses are 1-to-1. But we'll run them as 1-to-2 or 1-to-3, if you prefer.
And to avoid the disadvantages of mixed-group classes, e.g.
- Students with incompatible interests and priorities
- Especially when your priorities diverge from the average
- Being slowed-down by other students
- Struggling to keep up with other students
But you also forego some advantages of mixed-group classes, e.g.
- Learning from other student's knowledge and experience
- Bouncing ideas off a wider range of people
- Exercises and practical work which can only be done collectively
Don't turn a course into exclusive private training merely to guarantee the date. The date guarantee supplement will give you that and cost you less.