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I’m struggling with last-minute cancellations – what should my policy be? (All Teachers)
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Vouchers have to be booked within 28 days?! Goodness, mine are 3 months, and my Dad even thought that was too tight!! But actually, any meal voucher usually requires a month for you to book, come to think of it…
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Yes I will put that on them from now on not all lessons have to be used just mean at least book them in because, How strange is this, LAST YEAR someone brought ten lessons I must have forgotten about it and they didn’t book in, they have contacted me THIS year asking about the lessons as the mum brought them for her son and he never booked in, sof I’m not really sure what to say they have sent me credit card bill in which they had 10 lessons for price of nine, strange one!
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The vista print loyalty card idea is a really good one! I might even use it for people who pay for “9 lessons, get one free” bundle up front, so they can keep track of how many lessons they’ve used. Awesome:)
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Hey guys,
I have had some issues with this over the 13 years I’ve taught.
1) Tried the week in advance. People forget, especially when they have had lessons without issue for a long period of time. You still don’t avoid the conversation of “You missed your lesson so now need to pay a week ahead again before I will book you in”. So really it’s quite a short term solution, ie. for one missed lesson.
2) Charging in advance is great, given an incentive, I do 5 lessons for the price of 4 as a startup plan, then you can pay monthly if you’d like. I stipulate from the get go – if you miss a lesson I will charge you for it. It does not work both ways if I cancel you – you do not lose a wage.
3) A written agreement – I am just putting these out now after having it out over the course of 3 weeks or so with a very difficult parent. The trick I found was be ready and willing to let that lesson go if they do not abide by your rules. Once the weak link in the chain – they will always be the weak link in the chain. Why should you take a fee off a lovely lesson and let them off? If word gets around (which is easy to happen) – you look bad. I always say “It’s the same rules for everyone, and no different if this was a dentist or solicitor appointment, I can’t take a fee off others and not you, I can recommend another tutor if you really don’t want to continue, but I wouldn’t want you to do that…. etc.
4) I offer this: You must pay for your lesson if you cancel within 48 hours, or don’t show up, unless you can rearrange it to another day. I say “I would rather you get what you pay for and I’m not in the business of taking money off people who didn’t have a lesson, however I am very busy so it’s not always possible”. This way, I look good to the student/parent, and if they cancel on Monday, and I can fit them in Thursday the same week – no problem. Most of the time I can rearrange, but I won’t put myself out to do so, it’s more of a gesture, and most of my students are spot on. I’ll post my agreement in here shortly. Hope this helps some of you.
Stand your ground, it’s your business, your rules, your way – or they can go elsewhere, which won’t be as good anyway.
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There’s been some incredibly good points raised on this thread!
I think for me personally, the key above all else is just maintaining a good personal relationship with the student and ensuring they feel like they can approach you at any time.
I use the whole 48 hours or be charged the full price idea, but sometimes showing that you’re human and understand does go a long way. For example, if you have someone booked in first thing in the morning, say 10am. They wake up at 8:30am vomiting and ring you to cancel, in my opinion charging someone for this (despite the fact it’s only business) would diminish my relationship with that student. Thus, in future, they’re more likely to lie to you, or just not show up even though they’re genuinely ill because they’re thinking ‘Crap, I don’t want to pay £25 out again for being sick’.
For me personally, I have found being like this right from the get go seems to minimalize the number of no shows I have gotten.
Hope this helps!
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