Need Help with a decision....

[JANATHOME]

I need help or some input/insight on a decision I have to make with our (AM/AM) dance lessons. This just came about and driving home I was pretty angry but now I just want to make the best decision for our dance progress…. I am afraid this might get lengthy… I hope someone has the stamina to get through my dilemma.

We work once a week with an independent coach who does travel with her AM’s so we will not always have a lesson every week. We knew this from the start and were OK with it... We then work twice a week with two instructors at a chain studio. The reason we chose to go the chain route was for the consistency we felt we needed and found 2 instructors that we thought were great for us.

We have done this for a few years now and when it was time to buy more lessons at the chain I did not give it a thought, bought enough lessons to last us for 6 months, at 2 times a week. (What I usually do) The receptionist told me prior to buying the lessons that we were only booked in up to the competition with one of the 2 instructors (which is a few weeks from now), and I did not think anything of it. So tonight I tell her to schedule us in further and she told me the instructor will be dropping down to part time, he has no availability. I was OK with that and told her to book us with the other instructor we work with… no go, her schedule is full.

So now I am faced with a decision. At first I was angry that I was sold lessons that they knew could not be booked, but I am past that. The way I see it I have a few options….

I can request a refund of half of our lessons and find another studio to pick up a lesson with… I paid cash for half of the lessons the other half went on my AMEX card. Without a refund I can’t afford another studio. This would mean now we are at 3 studios a week…. Not crazy about this or developing another instructor relationship.

Option two, request a full refund, just leave the studio and find another instructor altogether. I really like the instructor we will be able to work with once a week at the chain, she has advanced us a great deal and overall I like this chain studio, thus my confusion as to what to do.

Option three... request half a refund and just take the one lesson a week at the chain, one with the independent when we can and just increase our own practice time as we are AM/AM's... The advantage of the chain is we can use the floor anytime we want.

Finally, this studio is run pretty professionally without hardly any sales pressure and we have always been treated fairly. I don’t have concerns about getting the refund, and if it comes to it I will just call AMEX. I do feel however for the first time that we were taken advantage of and that stings a little bit right now.

I am sorry this is so long, but wanted to get it all out there and then be ready for a conversation with the owner in the AM. Please no chain bashing… I just need some help with a pretty costly decision.

[skipper]

This is a quite a decision for you. You need to understand that you are the customer. Decide what is the VERY BEST for you (in a perfect world). Then be very clear with the chain studio owner/manager. At the end of the day, they will not want to lose good students.
Perhaps you will need to book your lessons as "standings".
Book extra lessons with the traveling coach when she is in town.
Experiment with other teachers in the area. Sometimes things get too comfortable--and you should look outside your box.

[fascination]

hmmm...seems that if their practice has never previously been exploitive of you it is probably a good thing to give them the benefit of the doubt...why don't you confer with your travelling coach a bit about this and solicit their advice?...

[JANATHOME]

Fasc,
I will confer with the traveling coach, next week.... I just will not have the opportunity to speak with her until then...

Skipper, our lessons were standing, why I had no concerns.

I certainly will give the studio the benefit of the doubt, why I was only angry for a bit... But when we talk through this I need to know what I want or expect, this I am still trying to figure out.

[mummsie]

I would drop to one lesson with the current instructor and save the extra money for travelling lessons when you can get them. - mummsie

[Joe]

You mention discussing this with the receptionist. Escalate to the studio manager. Maybe s/he can squeeze you into the schedule(s) of those teachers.

[2totango]

As a receptionist at a studio, I know what I can and cannot do regarding an instructor's schedule. If there is no time on the schedule, I can try to schedule with someone else, which will not work for you. I agree to escalate this to the studio manager, as talking with the receptionist isn't the final answer.

[samina]

Good advice. Nothing to add except to say that of the options you outlined, #3 appealed to me most. But of course, it has to align with what feels right for *you*.

Let us know how it works out, jan.

[Standarddancer]

First of all, I have to say feel bad for your situation, I personally don't like the idea of prepaid dance lessons. It is definitely not right they took your money as they've known they sold you lessons they won't be able to book.

Initially I was more inclined for option #2, but since you can get free practice at that chain, probably take #3 for now and observe how things going within next 6 month.

Also try to talk to studio manager about being sold lessons that they were not able to book, see what he or she says regarding the situation.

[atk]

While the situation isn't the best, I believe the original poster did go into it knowing that the purchased lessons weren't all booked...

The receptionist told me prior to buying the lessons that we were only booked in up to the competition with one of the 2 instructors (which is a few weeks from now), and I did not think anything of it.


That said, it sounds like you really need to talk to the studio owner, and see what can be done.

[JANATHOME]

Seems everyone likes option 3 ,which after a night of sleeping on it, was what we decided was the best route to take for now. We are still considering if we want to pursue a refund or just let the prepaid lessons stay as is and use them over a longer period of time. We are leaning towards refund.

Yes ATK I did err with my decision. The standing appointments are filled in by the instructor while non standings are booked by the receptionist. I just thought he had not yet updated his appt book. Hindsight I should of asked why, so a lesson learned.

I will though discuss this with the owner. After taking priviate lessons for 10 years plus I know the value of a lesson and what it should cost, so no sales pitch is necessary for us. We are pretty low maintenance being an AM/AM couple in an almost all pro am studio. We just go along purchasing lessons, using them, purchasing more. I think owners have to be careful or at least aware as to not to upset or treat unfaily these low maintenance couples... At least in our area there are so many instruction options we could of easily let our emotions dictate our decision and just walked away.

Thanks to all who gave me advise.

[nucat78]

As a receptionist at a studio, I know what I can and cannot do regarding an instructor's schedule. If there is no time on the schedule, I can try to schedule with someone else, which will not work for you. I agree to escalate this to the studio manager, as talking with the receptionist isn't the final answer.

Hey! You took one of my email addresses 2TT! :D

[Easy]

Seems like you've been treated fairly so far. Maybe the other instructor was undecided at the point of sale or things just weren't clear with this instructors direction with the studio?

Being a studio owner myself, I'd say the best course of action is to have a meeting with the manager or owner...express your concerns and let them try to help with the problem. If their solution does not suit you...you are the customer, you do what is best for your desires and needs. Only you know what they are. Good luck, and please, without mentioning names and such, let us know how it goes and how you feel ;)

[latervet1]

You might explain your situation to your current instructor at the chain studio and see if maybe they really can work you in. Ask if the full booking is a short term problem or maybe next month they can start fitting you in. frequently when i cant get my lessons booked my instructor may switch things around and get me in somehow. Or if one instructor is going to part time they may be considering hiring a new instructor that may be a good fit for you.
good luck

[Joe]

You also might be able to ask to be fit in to the teacher's schedule on an ad hoc basis, for example if one of the regular students bails out that week or something, if it's known that it will happen in advance. Might take you some time to use up your prepaid lessons that way, but it's something.

[JANATHOME]

Well I did speak with the owner and the conversation went well. I do think not getting excited about the situation and having a rational conversation helps. He absolutley understood my concerns and disappointments with the situation. We did not come up with an immediate solution but he told me he would work on alternatives that might work for us.

I have never been "givn a line" before at this studio so I will wait and see what he comes up with and then make a decision. Overall though I was pleased that he sought me out the next day after this came about and gave me some assurances that he would try to resolve our situation....good enough for me for now!

[dancingmomof2]

Wow, what a story. We have gone to the same studio for the last five years and we only pay a month in advance. They have tried to get us to buy more months ahead but we feel its best to do a little at a time. I would have been very frusterated if that had happened to me and hopefully the studio owner helps you out. I have heard horror stories before about people investing tons of money only to have the instructors move on or the studio have problems. Guess your experience is a good one for all of us to keep in mind.

[Larinda McRaven]

And just so everyone remembers.... this is at a CHAIN studio. So the old stereotype of chains being money hungry - pressure sales - and poor teachers is obviously not very true.

Any studio, franchised or independant, if they are run by good people, will be willing to work with students to make everyone happy and comfortable and get their moneys worth..

[Throwaway Overshare]

So the old stereotype...is obviously not very true.

All the studio has done so far is skillfully talk with their customer.

That sounds hopeful, but the real verdict won't be in till we hear what proposals they offer her.