Please advise. In the past few months, we’ve got some number of request from UTME (JAMB) candidates/parents requesting to connect with tutors in addition to our test prep on Pass.ng. This happens after they might have taken some test and discovered their level of readiness for the exam; often low. The request however isn’t from a particular cluster; say Lagos. It’s scattered all across the country.
Since our operations is based in Lagos, putting into consideration the athenticity of the service, how can we vet tutors from states other than Lagos before connecting them to nearby candidates without having to examine them physically?
To protect your reputation, my suggestion is to have trusted representatives in your target cities to vet the tutors before connecting them to the candidates.
This question is something you will have to derive from the model of the sort of business you run. Scalability is a major issue for small businesses. However, there are several factors that makes it worthwhile not only for you but also your partners and the customers.
You have to ask yourself. Will the partners have enough customers for sustainable or is it a part time thing?
What measures can you put in place say if you have your office in Lekki, and there’s a tutor in ikorodu. What measures will you use within lagos, that will not include physical connect? how can this be done outside lagos. I will encourage you to communicate with your team members and brain storm. Till you test and try, try and test.
Why not start with tutors that are tied to a particular school. Verify the school and connect with the head of the school if possible.
Create a rating system for the tutors and students. Hold the rating sacred as this will help you along the line. the first few weeks are the most difficult.
Hi Sam
Been a bit
You need to decide if it’s an extended area you do want to venture into and then weigh in the requirements, cost and potential rewards .
And if you do so and it’s worth it, definitely shoot for it and start from Lagos but again like you mentioned, the requests are scattered across the country but you have to start from somewhere ( since the vetting/ratings are super important) and your manpower might not be able to handle a national launch immediately.
On the other hand , another option (if this isn’t exactly a path you want your business to take and if it might distract from your core business model) would be to partner and outsource to one of the startups that have already made this (vetting and providing quality teachers) their core business ( ProTeach comes to mind)
Perhaps some referral exchange model?
Just my 2cents . All the best man
There’s really no easy way to span any kind of business outside your base; online questionnaires, no matter how tough, is an easy step to beat, I can get someone to help with the answers or simply Google them up. Recommendations are also easy to game. I can pay references to say all but good things about me when you call.
Get them to send in video ‘aptitudes’ like the one I shared above. You select the topic/past question they will tackle it like tutors in under 3 mins and allow 'em a very short timeline (24 -32hrs) to submit.
Ask for a proper Identification (for those who made it) then request a character check on their profiles with the state CID, 3-5K per search, this would mostly return a negative, the police don’t keep any meaningful criminal database, however the psychological effect to the would-be employees can’t be underestimated in keeping them in check if/when need be.
I have a model that should work and scale. It can be kinda long to explain. contact me and I will share it with you. I once flirted with that idea of creating such a platform but then I travelled to the US. i will love to be part of a team that makes it happen. you can reach me at icetritium@gmail.com