Cancellation policy Options

[Gordonian]

Hello teachers,

I wonder how many of you use a cancellation policy for your teaching practice?
I currently use a verbal policy, that says that pupils should try to give me 48 hours' notice of intention to cancel a lesson. However, this is widely abused and I find that most pupils who cancel normally give me no more than about 12 hours notice.

I have had at least one cancelled lesson every week this year so far, and it is getting to the point where I think I need to have something in writing to protect my income, as teaching is my main source of income.
I know the ISM have a contract (I am a member), but I don't use it as I didn't want to have to be dealing with fees for an entire term up front.

The other side of the coin is that I sometimes find I need to rearrange a lesson myself, due to other work commitments, so I sometimes am the one doing the cancelling, which again isn't a formal issue as I have no written policy.

As an aside, I find that adults are more likely than children to cancel lessons!
What are your own experiences in this area?

thanks
Gordonian

[AnnC]

I don't use the ISM contract either, but I do have written Ts&Cs which everone signs after the first four trial lessons. These state that no less than 24 hours notice will be accepted without payment for the lesson, unless the circumstances are exceptional, at my discretion. Naturally, a degree of trust is essential, but you soon get to know your students, and I don't find that this is abused now that it is in writing.
I don't take payment up front either, and they just bring two fees to the next lesson.
If you have to cancel you either make the lesson up or you don't take the fee - simples.
As to who is the more likely to cancel, probably adults, but then I have more adult students than children, so it's not a fair comparison. I'd say it's more seasonal - no-one cancels in the run up to an exam, a festival or a concert. Keep feeding them these throughout the year and you don't get cancellations!

[JudithJ]

... no-one cancels in the run up to an exam, a festival or a concert. Keep feeding them these throughout the year and you don't get cancellations!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



I don't remember ever cancelling a lesson as a child. The two main reasons that I cancel lessons as an adult are either that I need to work late, or work has been a nightmare that week so I haven't been able to do enough practice. I don't see the point of going to a lesson when I haven't been able to implement what I was taught in the previous lesson.

These reasons wouldn't be relevant to a child.

[AnnC]

... no-one cancels in the run up to an exam, a festival or a concert. Keep feeding them these throughout the year and you don't get cancellations!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



I don't remember ever cancelling a lesson as a child. The two main reasons that I cancel lessons as an adult are either that I need to work late, or work has been a nightmare that week so I haven't been able to do enough practice. I don't see the point of going to a lesson when I haven't been able to implement what I was taught in the previous lesson.

These reasons wouldn't be relevant to a child.

But presumably you pay for these lessons, since neither would be the teacher's fault?

[FullofWind]

One of my chuldren's teachers was frequently cancelling at the last minute because she was offered professional work. I was very understanding of this because she is very good and I felt it important that she prioritised her professional career. However, things came to a head when I had to cancel with 48 hours over Christmas and she got very angry because it upset her holiday plans. If a teacher cancels frequently at short notice then it does not set a good example for their pupils, which is fine if the relationship is very flexible. The problem arises when it's one rule for the teacher and one rule for the student. Some teachers avoid this by only working on set days for some tutees or having a flexible relationship with other tutees.

I must add that I don't think lack of practice is a good enough reason to cancel a lesson, especially if it leaves the teacher out of pocket.

[Jane S]

I use a standard EPTA contract, and a separate list covering T&Cs. As far as cancellation is concerned, I request 24 hours as a minimum. Alternative lessons are offered at mutual convenience, but any lesson has to be taken with that term. If someone is usually a good attender, and only very rarely cancel, I do my best to be accommodating. If I have to cancel, then it is either another lesson, if convenient, or a credit carried over to the next term. My term is the same as a half term at a school, so I only collect 6-8 weeks fees at a time.

I think the teacher who cut up rough over the cancelled lessons was very short sighted. Goodwill with students and their families is an important part of my teaching practice. If I am flexible with them, they are flexible too, when I need it.

[smd]

Learning to play an instrument is not a short term thing, so you are hoping to build a relationship with your pupils lasting maybe 10 years or longer.
I think you need to offer some flexibility as adults will give up altogether if they feel they are being made to pay for lessons thet are unable to attend.

My teacher has a policy of charging if you give less than 24hrs notice - which seems fair unless you wake up feeling really ill with no notice in which case I have to consider attending and having a bad lesson and passing on my germs (stupid) or not attending and paying for nothing (sensible but unpleasent)

My advice is to:
Make sure your pupils are aware that short notice cancellations affect your income as you are unable to fill gaps without notice. (Maybe say if you've some people who can fill occassional slots or new pupils waiting for slots)
Impose charges for short notice cancellations.
Make sure your holiday /non-working dates are notified well in advance.
Price your lessons to allow for time off for yourself.
But don't be too mean or you may loose all your pupils.

[chraze1]

Hi,

I have experienced much of the same and in fact my latest horror story is documented in a thread started ystrdy re the pupil not being in on the first lesson!, I understand the musicians union have terms and conditions which you can have access to if you become a member, I have, (in light of my own experience) contacted them and am awaiting some docs in the post as I'd like to read more before I make a decision. However if you have a look at this site
www.free-legal-document.com/tutoring-contract.htmlCached - Similar

that might give you some ideas to build your own terms upon.

I think it's vital you have something in place, someone said once before on a previous thread, provide a loophole and they will jump through it!,
I think that about sums it up!
With exsisting pupils, I had to grin and bear it as I started out the wrong way, but I issued an end of term letter with the new terms attached for them to read and sign upon their return!.
With potential new pupils they have to provide an email address to which I send my terms for them to read, accept or don't accept! and bring signed to the first lesson if they go ahead!

Best of luck!

[Dugazon]

At the end of the day, it actually doesn't matter if it's a written or verbal agreement, they are both valid (the latter is just more difficult to prove).

I think the problem arises where you, as the teacher, don't enforce your own rules. If you tell people you require 48hrs notice, and you let them off without payment with 12 hrs, they will walk all over you. Again and again and again. You put yourself in a very weak position if you let them off once - they will expect the same treatment every time.

You need to enforce your own rules. Whether you have them in writing or not is secondary. I know teachers who have really strict written T&Cs, but are scared to insist on payment when it matters. Where is the point to have T&Cs at all then?
You can decide how strict you want them to be of course. My advice is: No written exceptions. If you say you don't charge for illness, people will always be ill if they can't be bothered. You will get to know your students with time, and there's always such a thing as discretion. I use it, too, but it's me who decides, not the student who thinks their party is more important than their lesson.

It doesn't matter btw if you occasionally need to cancel, assuming you don't charge. Of course you need the goodwill of your students and don't want to mess them around, so I am also assuming you are not constantly cancelling with very short notice.

The general flawed thinking of students (and some teachers dare I say!) is that we are only being paid for attendance. Wrong...

Don't devalue your own work, people. If you treat your business like a hobby, you can't expect your students to see you like a pro.

[dolcebaby]

I must add that I don't think lack of practice is a good enough reason to cancel a lesson, especially if it leaves the teacher out of pocket.

I agree! Some of my adult students used to do this - they are in a more flexible slot so the cancellation itself might not leave me out of pocket, but I still advised them that if they didn't have any time to practice, all the more reason to come to the next lesson and catch up on how they should be doing things - otherwise they just get more off track and practice things wrong. You have to keep space in your life for learning music, and a week without practice followed by a cancelled lesson just takes you to the wrong place.

My system for regular students is - I invoice for all weeks in the term minus two in advance, then the two extra weeks are make up weeks. I.e. in the summer term I will have 13 teaching weeks, I will invoice in advance for 11 weeks, which can be paid in one go or two or three instalments. Then if the pupil has to cancel they have two spare weeks they can move lessons to. On the other hand, if they attend the first 11 weeks straight , then they can either have an extra long summer holiday or (more likely) pay for one or two more lessons during the make up weeks.

That way a cancellation policy doesn't really come into it. If they attend less than the invoiced number of lessons, it's tough, they've had two chanches to make them up. If they have less because I have cancelled, I will refund or reduce next term's invoice.

I do have a few non regular slots where things are a bit more free and easy on both sides as my availability is not guaranteed but I will only give those to adults who have reached a certain stage.

But my first lesson with them is charged as a one off, paid for in cash on the day, so we are not entering into the above agreement until we've met each other and are happy. This does mean they might not turn up for the initial lesson and I would have no comeback but at that stage I choose to cut my losses.

[sbhoa]

I must add that I don't think lack of practice is a good enough reason to cancel a lesson, especially if it leaves the teacher out of pocket.

I'm with you on this regardless of the financial situation for the teacher.
I've had adult students do this and it's very frustrating, especially with beginners.

For more advanced students I have encountered the attitude from the teacher that they don't really want to see you if you've not done much. That wouldn't work for me as a student because I would be worrying about the expectation of s certain amount of progress between lessons. Sometimes that doesn't really happen and teacher input is needed.

[ExpressYourself]

I invoice by the half term. I have to be informed of any cancellations prior to the start of the half-term (and then can include it in the invoice if possible)

Inspired by Dugazon I don't include any exceptions in my T&Cs but realistically I'm prepared to make exceptions for unusual events. Less than 24h then tough, but with more than 24h notice I have made exceptions for house moves and bereavement.

I used to just say 24h but I got a number of parents who would quibble, and I got a lot of cancellations with the minimum notice, often for parties etc! Since implementing my new T&Cs I've hardly had any cancellations so attendance has improved!

Anyone who wants to quibble can take their business elsewhere.

Having said that, my daytime schedule is more flexible because I often have to take my youngest to the hospital and also my retired daytime ladies are often attending hospital themselves or taking their husbands or going on holiday! But they're all lovely I've known them for years and we offer flexibility on both sides. I still wouldn't refund with a last minute cancellation though

No one signs my T&Cs but they're written at the bottom of all my invoices so I figure payment of the invoice is acceptance of the T&Cs. Could be wrong but it suits me

[Dugazon]

People tend to "forget" to bring back contracts you gave them to sign at home, that's why I don't do it that way anymore either (tried it all). Some seem to think this relieves them from having to stick to it or something (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

What I do now: I have a registration form, which I fill out during the consultation lesson - with the student present. It has space for address details, previous experience, goals etc. At the bottom it says that ad hoc lessons require 48 hrs notice of cancellation, regardless of reason. It furthermore says that they received a copy of my full terms in case they decide to sign up for monthly payment at a later stage, and that they agree to them as the basis of any further tuition in that case.
They sign this there and then (even here, some people try to find a way out by filling in their address, but not signing at the bottom, and I need to point it out a second time - as if not signing keeps all doors open or something (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) ).

Nobody forces them to sign up for monthly payment (although most do these days, because they actually get the better deal if they do, provided their attendance is good). If they do, it is quite clear from the outset however what terms are the basis of our business relationship. If they are not okay with it, I have a similar stance as ExpressYourself - good riddance! And guess what: Since I am tougher, attendance has actually improved. If you let people off constantly, especially if the reasons are simply "can't be bothered today", or a general lack of organisation, they will think it is okay and you don't mind being messed around - and they will do it again. YOU actually set the tone.

Most students are lovely, but you DO get some who try it on. Again: It is actually YOU who has to solve this problem, not the student.
I think people are under the wrong impression that students will respect them less for simply running a business (still an alien concept to a lot of creatives I think (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)) and sticking to their terms. My experience is the opposite (and I was a softie myself when I started out, so I understand it well).

[JudithJ]

I don't remember ever cancelling a lesson as a child. The two main reasons that I cancel lessons as an adult are either that I need to work late, or work has been a nightmare that week so I haven't been able to do enough practice. I don't see the point of going to a lesson when I haven't been able to implement what I was taught in the previous lesson.

These reasons wouldn't be relevant to a child.

But presumably you pay for these lessons, since neither would be the teacher's fault?

Naturally.

In fact, I do seem to remember once paying for a lesson when the teacher was sick on the basis that I still got paid if I was off work sick.

I can understand what some teachers above are saying about needing to be organised enough to practice, and I'm sure that I will probably think the same thing when I am a teacher. I do usually manage to fit my working life around my practice, however, occasionally I have had to be at work from before 8am until after 9pm. In those weeks it is hard/impossible to find a time to practice when your neighbours won't be banging on the door.

[Czerny]

One of my chuldren's teachers was frequently cancelling at the last minute because she was offered professional work. I was very understanding of this because she is very good and I felt it important that she prioritised her professional career. However, things came to a head when I had to cancel with 48 hours over Christmas and she got very angry because it upset her holiday plans.

How does a student not coming affect someone's holiday plans? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)