This is a very old post.
I keep getting hits for this – I mentioned it in a post earlier this year. It is one of the things Red Driving School had listed under its assets when it was put up for sale.
Here is the outline from the Trademark application LVG made in the USA (in 2009, granted this year):
I’m a little confused by the amount of interest there is in this. Indeed, the title of this blog attracts a lot of people who are searching based on the words “ADI” and “diary”, so there is obviously a lot I am missing.
Spyda appears to be oriented towards franchisers – the part about “payments in car” and “payments with head office” give that away. Not many solo ADIs can justify having a merchant account that lets them take credit card payments in the car – it just isn’t cost effective. (Edit: this is a very old post, and this last statement is no longer true. Taking solo payments in the car is extremely cost-effective and very simple in 2023).
I always think that ADIs make life very complicated for themselves. A mobile PDA running Outlook and a PC/laptop with Outlook are just about all you need – sync them and you have up to date files very quickly. Add mobile Excel and you can sync pupil records.
Mind you, if offered the choice of the two products shown below, I’m pretty sure I know which one many ADIs would go for – even if they had to pay twice as much for it:
This is the whole point: you don’t need fancy software to run your business if you are solo. The more complicated it is, the greater your overheads – and it’s hard enough as it is.
For franchisers, though, it is different. Administration is easier if you have a centralised system.