What Have I Gone And Done? Options

[twinklefingers]

In the middle of moving house I got a call asking for lessons - when asked the price, I came out with a completely random number? I don't know why, well I do - it's because I teach at three differenct school and they all have a different rate for lessons as well as my home rate being different as well. It wasn't until after that I realised...anyway rang the parent today to explain and as the actual rate is higher she said she is not prepared to pay it. i didn't really know what to say and so said that I would think about it and get back to her - as I don't really want to be turning people away, but is it fair to have people on different rates?

I know this is completely my fault and I have been an idiot...but I am still learning and now need to sort the problem...help, anyone?!

[jo.clarinet]

You made a genuine mistake in a 'flustered' situation. If the parent can't accept this, then it's their problem, not yours. If they choose to go elsewhere, console yourself with the fact that it sounds as if they might be a troublesome family if they can't accept your explanation at this stage - I presume you told the parent about the school situation? And mentioned the advantages of home rather than school tuition (relative peace and quiet, access to all your teaching materials, full-length lessons etc), so that she understands why the private lessons cost more?

It's a potential minefield if you start charging different rates to each of your private pupils, because parents do gossip and those who are charged more may well get indignant - and rightly so!

[TRACY]

You made a genuine mistake in a 'flustered' situation. If the parent can't accept this, then it's their problem, not yours. If they choose to go elsewhere, console yourself with the fact that it sounds as if they might be a troublesome family if they can't accept your explanation at this stage - I presume you told the parent about the school situation? And mentioned the advantages of home rather than school tuition (relative peace and quiet, access to all your teaching materials, full-length lessons etc), so that she understands why the private lessons cost more?

It's a potential minefield if you start charging different rates to each of your private pupils, because parents do gossip and those who are charged more may well get indignant - and rightly so!

If I were you, rather than telephone her, I would write. Explaining as mentioned above the benefits of home tuition and the reasons you need to have all private pupils on same rate, which hopefully is competitive in comparison with other private teachers in your area, if you know this to be so, then also point this out. I would then, as a goodwill gesture offer her the first lesson at the reduced rate, by way of an apology for the mix up.

[Czerny]

Firstly, the parent has done nothing wrong in not wanting to pay a rate that is higher than the amount they were originally quoted. For all we know cost could have been the primary consideration when she was making enquiries about lessons, and she could be counting every penny.

Twinklefingers, you haven't done anything wrong either, apart from get slightly flustered, so don't beat yourself up about it! If I were you, if you are keen not to turn this pupil away I would take them on at the lower rate (I assume it's not substantially lower) and put it up in September (having given notice) to be in line with your other private pupils.

I charge one of my pupils a slightly lower rate for various reasons (1. They are a low income family with a disabled child; 2. I teach two members of the same family and 3. They are the only pupils who never cause me any hassle with chasing up payments or expecting lesson changes at short notice). While I obviously don't tell any other parents that this is the case (and the parent in question doesn't know any of the other parents), I feel it is up to me to set my rates and I would quite happily justify this decision.

One final point: does quoting a rate over the phone count as a verbal contract?

[twinklefingers]

You made a genuine mistake in a 'flustered' situation. If the parent can't accept this, then it's their problem, not yours. If they choose to go elsewhere, console yourself with the fact that it sounds as if they might be a troublesome family if they can't accept your explanation at this stage - I presume you told the parent about the school situation? And mentioned the advantages of home rather than school tuition (relative peace and quiet, access to all your teaching materials, full-length lessons etc), so that she understands why the private lessons cost more?

It's a potential minefield if you start charging different rates to each of your private pupils, because parents do gossip and those who are charged more may well get indignant - and rightly so!

If I were you, rather than telephone her, I would write. Explaining as mentioned above the benefits of home tuition and the reasons you need to have all private pupils on same rate, which hopefully is competitive in comparison with other private teachers in your area, if you know this to be so, then also point this out. I would then, as a goodwill gesture offer her the first lesson at the reduced rate, by way of an apology for the mix up.

Unfortunately I don't have an address otherwise this would have been perfect. I'm worried about calling back as I'm not particularly assertive! But you're all right, that I need to just explain and let it go if they choose not to have lessons. I did say that I would be happy to give first lesson at a reduced rate but she was still not happy with this. The difference in what I said and what it is isn't that huge - so I think maybe I should just stick to my guns!

[Minstrel]

Stick to your usual Ts and Cs otherwise you are only storing up problems for the future.

If cost/finances are a major consideration and it is a young beginner, could you do a slightly shorter slot and increase the time as the child gets older?

However, if this is one of the over-assertive parents who we all try to avoid you are better off that she realises from the start that you are a professional musician and work in a manner to reflect this. OK, you slipped up on the phone once, we all do that from time to time. don't beat yourself up about it. If - and this is a big if - this one is already trying to get her way on fees and you give in to her terms, where would you stand if she suddently starts paying late and/or cancelling at the last minute?

[ad_libitum]

It was an innocent enough mistake to make. I can see it from the parent's point of view. If I genuinely couldn't afford the new price I'd say so but it would be me having to rethink whether I could afford it. I don't think you should be the one to go away and rethink your price.

I put my prices up once and changed it on all my online adverts etc... Someone phoned up to book lessons and I quoted them the new price which was fine. They came back to me later in the week to kindly inform me that I had forgotten to put the new price in a section on my website - just so I could change it. They didn't insist that they pay the old price because of the mistake....

Maybe the parent didn't originally expect you to give them the lower price but now they do because you have said you'll go away and think about it? I think I'd phone, and explain that having thought it wouldn't be fair to your other private pupils to give someone a lower rate because of a misquote on the phone, and that they are welcome to go away and have a think about it.

[Czerny]

It was an innocent enough mistake to make. I can see it from the parent's point of view. If I genuinely couldn't afford the new price I'd say so but it would be me having to rethink whether I could afford it. I don't think you should be the one to go away and rethink your price.

I put my prices up once and changed it on all my online adverts etc... Someone phoned up to book lessons and I quoted them the new price which was fine. They came back to me later in the week to kindly inform me that I had forgotten to put the new price in a section on my website - just so I could change it. They didn't insist that they pay the old price because of the mistake....

I'm not getting at TF here, because I agree it was an easy mistake to make with all her different schools having different rates, but in a shop there is a legal obligation to charge the advertised price, even if the wrong ticket has been put on the shelf / item by mistake. I still don't think the parent is doing anything wrong simply by not wanting to pay more than they were initially quoted, and it doesn't necessarily mean they will be 'difficult' and try to break terms and conditions.

[ad_libitum]

It was an innocent enough mistake to make. I can see it from the parent's point of view. If I genuinely couldn't afford the new price I'd say so but it would be me having to rethink whether I could afford it. I don't think you should be the one to go away and rethink your price.

I put my prices up once and changed it on all my online adverts etc... Someone phoned up to book lessons and I quoted them the new price which was fine. They came back to me later in the week to kindly inform me that I had forgotten to put the new price in a section on my website - just so I could change it. They didn't insist that they pay the old price because of the mistake....

I'm not getting at TF here, because I agree it was an easy mistake to make with all her different schools having different rates, but in a shop there is a legal obligation to charge the advertised price, even if the wrong ticket has been put on the shelf / item by mistake. I still don't think the parent is doing anything wrong simply by not wanting to pay more than they were initially quoted, and it doesn't necessarily mean they will be 'difficult' and try to break terms and conditions.

No not at all - the parent isn't doing anything wrong. It's fair enough they don't want to pay the higher price, but at the same time I don't think the OP is obliged to give them the lower price.

Incidentally, the idea that a shop has to give you the price quoted on a label because the label was stuck on the item is a myth. The store isn't obliged to sell you an item at a particular price even if it has been wrongly labelled. You can report it to trading standards if you think the shop is being deliberately misleading, like pricing a lot of items incorrectly, but in general there is no legal obligation to charge the price on a mislabeled product.

[twinklefingers]

It was an innocent enough mistake to make. I can see it from the parent's point of view. If I genuinely couldn't afford the new price I'd say so but it would be me having to rethink whether I could afford it. I don't think you should be the one to go away and rethink your price.

I put my prices up once and changed it on all my online adverts etc... Someone phoned up to book lessons and I quoted them the new price which was fine. They came back to me later in the week to kindly inform me that I had forgotten to put the new price in a section on my website - just so I could change it. They didn't insist that they pay the old price because of the mistake....

I'm not getting at TF here, because I agree it was an easy mistake to make with all her different schools having different rates, but in a shop there is a legal obligation to charge the advertised price, even if the wrong ticket has been put on the shelf / item by mistake. I still don't think the parent is doing anything wrong simply by not wanting to pay more than they were initially quoted, and it doesn't necessarily mean they will be 'difficult' and try to break terms and conditions.

I am just sending off my application to the Musician's Union and I plan to be a lot more clear and organised in the future. I definitely see this as a lesson well learnt for the future! I can completely see this from the parents point of view and don't think she has done anything wrong at all! But at the same time, I don't want to take on new students on a lower rate so I think I will have to bite the bullet and call back and just be honest and explain the situation! ahhh!! Gosh, this could have so easily been avoided if I wasn't such a big fluster head! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[SueHM]

Something I keep meaning to do - put a blank 'enquiry form' by the phone, so that when I get a new caller, I don't forget to ask them something vital because we end up talking about something else - good way to avoid these slip-ups is to have an aide-memoire to hand (list of terms for the OP?!)

[twinklefingers]

Update: Called again, answerphone - just said I was happy to stick at lower price until September but then would have to raise it as otherwise it's not fair on other students. Apologised and explained that I was embarassed by my mistake and that I am happy for her to think about it or alternitavely look for another teacher...phew.

That's a good idea actually Sue, as I always come off the phone thinking there was something else I needed to ask!

[Czerny]

Incidentally, the idea that a shop has to give you the price quoted on a label because the label was stuck on the item is a myth. The store isn't obliged to sell you an item at a particular price even if it has been wrongly labelled. You can report it to trading standards if you think the shop is being deliberately misleading, like pricing a lot of items incorrectly, but in general there is no legal obligation to charge the price on a mislabeled product.

I stand corrected! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Holz Gedeckt]

Incidentally, the idea that a shop has to give you the price quoted on a label because the label was stuck on the item is a myth. The store isn't obliged to sell you an item at a particular price even if it has been wrongly labelled.

Yes, that's my understanding too.

I don't see any harm in having a different rate for some pupils, as long as they don't let on. I give members of my choirs a discount, but on the understanding that they keep quiet about it from the outset. I have also done the same when I have known that a pupil is in difficult financial circumstances.

[maggiemay]

Update: Called again, answerphone - just said I was happy to stick at lower price until September but then would have to raise it as otherwise it's not fair on other students.

I think that's very reasonable. Hope it works out well!