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Need Your Advice (All Teachers)
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to ask your advice on a student situation that has cropped up today or if any of you have encountered a similar situation.
One of my students booked and prepaid 10 lessons with me a couple of months ago and I gave her a discount of 10% so she paid me £270. She had 2 lessons and has been sluggish in arranging her 3rd lesson saying that she wasn’t prepared. So, after a month, she has just left me a voice message telling me that she’s thought about the remaining lessons and now cannot commit and would like a refund! I have to admit she was a little strange in the lessons and was difficult to build a rapport with.
What do you think I should do? I’m reluctant to give her all the money back really as she committed and paid for the lessons but on the other hand I think it only states on the website that gift vouchers are non refundable?!
Perhaps we need some solid terms to cover this situation. Maybe a cancelation fee?
Many thanks,
Jonny
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8 Replies
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I think it is important to state upfront that payments are non-refundable, otherwise people seem to just assume they can get their money back. The ball is in your court though, so it depends whether or not you want to upset her…
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Tricky. So with vouchers, I have an expiry date on mine, so if they don’t book before that time, they lose the money..
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I would stand my ground. She’s not the kind of person you would have had positive WOM with anyway. Or another idea would be to say that the lessons are not refundable but that they ARE transferrable. Maybe she knows someone who would be a much more willing student. Win win.
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Although like Ben said it’s difficult if you haven’t set the terms first.
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I’d totally stand your ground, but just be wary that if she starts going down the legal route that could be a crap day for you. Technically she’s paid for a service that you haven’t provided yet so I could see that not being good for you. I’m no legal expert though! Maybe seek out some legal advice if it starts going that way.
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Cheers guys for the good advice. My instinct was to just stand my ground as it’s quite annoying when students just think they can cancel an agreement on a whim however I think it could be quite stressful as she seems the type who may take a legal route and I had nothing concrete in my Terms and conditions about it. I’ve decided to change the terms now so in future I’ll charge a 25% cancelation fee which seems fair. Best to be covered from all angles I think.
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Good idea. You have to pay for mistakes, that’s just part of business growth. Then learn and improve so you don’t have to pay again!
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Non refundable!!! Otherwise everyone wants a refund when they decide they have no commitment!