12/10/2026
CAN YOU GIVE ME A DISCOUNT?”
“Which part of the service would you like me to remove?” 😉
It’s a question worth asking, because people sometimes want the full service, the same time, the same attention and the same standard, just with a smaller number at the bottom.
Like ordering a three-course meal and asking the chef to charge you for the bread roll.
I understand budgets. Everything costs money, and most of us are watching where ours goes. There’s nothing wrong with asking what something costs or deciding it’s beyond your budget.
But a price doesn’t become unreasonable simply because you would prefer it to be lower.
With driving lessons, you’re paying for more than someone sitting beside you saying, “Left at the next junction.” You’re paying for experience, planning, a properly maintained tuition car, insurance, fuel, ongoing training and the ability to adapt a lesson to the person in the driving seat. Sometimes you’re also paying for someone who can remain remarkably calm while their life briefly flashes before their eyes.
Apparently that last bit should come complimentary with the air freshener.
A lesson might involve helping an anxious learner manage a difficult situation, finding a different way to explain something that hasn’t clicked, or recognising a developing hazard early enough to prevent it becoming a collision. You won’t necessarily see all that work.
You will certainly notice if it’s missing.
That’s why, when someone asks for a lower price, a useful conversation is: “What could we change to fit your budget?” For some businesses, that might mean a smaller package, fewer extras or a different level of service. You adjust what’s included and price it accordingly.
With driving tuition, safety, proper maintenance and the standard of teaching aren’t optional extras. I’m hardly going to say, “For that price, I’ll explain the roundabout, but you’re on your own with the brakes.”
You may be able to discuss a different lesson length or a manageable plan, where suitable. What you can’t reasonably expect is the complete service with the professional quietly absorbing the difference every time.
Once a discount becomes the normal expectation, the original price starts looking fictional. Someone else hears what you paid, asks for the same deal, and suddenly the business owner is running a loyalty scheme they never actually launched.
So “Which part of the service would you like me to remove?” isn’t about being rude. It makes the value visible. Quite often, the answer is, “Actually, I’d like to keep it all.”
Exactly. That’s what the price covers.
Small businesses can care about their customers and still charge properly for their work. We have bills too. Unfortunately, my insurer has yet to accept “exposure” as payment, and the petrol pump remains disappointingly unmoved by good vibes.
Have you ever been asked to provide your full service for less?
What’s your best polite response?
Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation school of Motoring
