SERVICE companies, with their relatively small budgets and reduced public exposure, are failing to be pushed into the background of internet development by the megabucks lauded around by motor manufacturers.

Pro-Drive is an excellent example of a company that, while providing a niche but focused service, has produced a virtual shopfront that sets out its offering as effectively as the likes of High Street behemoths such as Ford and Volkswagen.

Pro-Drive provides driver training and consultation on occupational road risk solutions.

Positioned beneath the logo on www.pro-drive.co.uk is a tasteful use of Flash, offering instant links to key areas of the site, however deeply you may wander: homepage, company profile, latest news and contact us. Run your mouse over each to check out the animation.

The site then takes the tried and tested route of lefthand menu, main content to the right and small print at the bottom.

It divides its portfolio online through a small number of sections: fleet risk management, driver training, instructor training, consultancy services, recruitment, seminars and courses, Youth Pride (a Pro-Drive initiative aimed at tackling youth car crime) and its Ambassador service developed to solve recruitment and training problems in the CV sector.

Each section takes a brief look at the service offered. A great touch from Pro-Drive is its choice to not overwhelm the browser with excessive information at this, the ‘toe-in-the-water’ stage. Instead, there’s a Contact Us link at the bottom of each page.

There are links scattered around the sections providing more information on Pro-Drive or related services.

Pro-Drive also adopts a sensible ‘don’t take our word for it’ sales pitch of using a small but effective number of testimonials to bolster its own claims.

Another plus for the site is the offer of a newsletter. There’s not much detail on its frequency or contents. I signed up, but would others in this spam infested world? I’m not so sure.

The lowdown:

The site: www.pro-drive.co.uk.

We like: Tasteful design encouraging stress-free surfing. Good use of testimonials

We don’t like: Could do with a sitemap to avoid the ‘now where did I see that link to the HSE report?’ moments