How to Handle Cancellations

standardgirl said:
btw, I personally think that 24 hrs is the usual notification period, but I tried to stick with 72 hrs especially when it involves visiting coaches. Anyone heard of anything longer than a 72-hr notification?
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For what it's worth, I've committed to paying for lessons from a visiting pro 3 months in advance, no refund allowed. The person organizing it needed enough commitments before bringing him over.
 
jerseydancer said:
Let me ask you another question: We have scheduled the lessons, took time off work (I had to negotiate with my manager that someone else will cover my business trip that week), and the visiting coach canceled the trip. Now I cannot go back and give my time off vback, so I have just waisted three days off and it is too late to schedule anything else for this time. Who pays for that?
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excellent point!!! the students' time is valuable too. Especially for working folks have only limited amount of vacation/sickdays.
 
mamboqueen said:
If the cancellation policy for a coaching is different than it is for regular lessons (most I know have 24 hour policy) then that needed to be communicated when the coachings were booked. I don't think it's unreasonable to cancel on Wednesday for Sunday's coachings if there is a valid reason. If a teacher is going to insist on a student paying for the coachings with a few days' cancellation notice, then I'd be hardpressed to schedule the coachings until the last minute...and if he's unavailable, so be it.
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For a local teacher this is not a problem with a 24 hour cancellation policy. I do think we are talking about an out of town/country coach here. The problem with a 24 hour cancellation police is that for out of town coaches airline tickets, hotel, meals and lesson fee is booked a long time ahead of time and all have to be covered no matter what. When I have had coaches in from England I always have the couples pay two weeks before. I also have a waiting list set up, so that if a couple can't make it there will be others to step in. It would however be a problem if there are so many coaches in that there is no break for the couples to make the money to pay for the coaches. I do think this is the problem in this case.

Dancepro
 
Yeaeh, I know on rare occasions when something comes up for studnets in studio that they have to cancel, most times can find another student who wanted spot and can fill it. few rare cases where that didn't happen, one of pro couples took advantage of the spot. Of course, that benefits all us students anyway, as better they are as dancers, better they are teaching us. Well, more they have to teach us anwyay. not necessarily better teachers. ;)
 
dancepro said:
For a local teacher this is not a problem with a 24 hour cancellation policy. I do think we are talking about an out of town/country coach here. The problem with a 24 hour cancellation police is that for out of town coaches airline tickets, hotel, meals and lesson fee is booked a long time ahead of time and all have to be covered no matter what. When I have had coaches in from England I always have the couples pay two weeks before. I also have a waiting list set up, so that if a couple can't make it there will be others to step in. It would however be a problem if there are so many coaches in that there is no break for the couples to make the money to pay for the coaches. I do think this is the problem in this case.

Dancepro
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Completely understanable, dp. Perhaps the wise thing to do (as someone mentioned above) is to require payment when the lesson is booked. Or, alternatively, just tell the students that if they cancel, no matter when, they are required to pay.
 
CANI said:
I agree. No amount of advance notice relieves the student's obligation in my opinion. If the student, or the teacher, can find another substitute, that would be ideal. If not, the student, IMO, remains obligated for the fee. I'm a student and this is what I would do (even in event of death in family, family emergency, being called out of town on business, etc.)
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What would you do if you were obligated to pay for that hour and discovered that the booking teacher had filled your slot with someone else?
 
mamboqueen said:
Completely understanable, dp. Perhaps the wise thing to do (as someone mentioned above) is to require payment when the lesson is booked. Or, alternatively, just tell the students that if they cancel, no matter when, they are required to pay.
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The problem with that is, it encourages everyone to wait until the last minute to book. Other than maybe having a choice of time slots, there is no upside to booking earlier. I sometimes have to travel for business on short notice. If my studio had a "no cancellations, no nothing" policy, I'd never book a coaching.
 
cornutt said:
The problem with that is, it encourages everyone to wait until the last minute to book. Other than maybe having a choice of time slots, there is no upside to booking earlier. I sometimes have to travel for business on short notice. If my studio had a "no cancellations, no nothing" policy, I'd never book a coaching.
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I agree...and it's precisely what I would do. I guess as long as there is clear communication on the policy, there shouldn't be any problems. I think most reasonable people can try to work something out. I don't think it's good for a teacher, a coach or a student to have ill feelings on something gone awry. After this whole line of conversation started, it will definitely make me inquire before booking a coaching, though. I feel if I give short notice, I should pay for it...but I think there needs to be a reasonable time where you can cancel if it's necessary.
 
Joe said:
What would you do if you were obligated to pay for that hour and discovered that the booking teacher had filled your slot with someone else?
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Hi Joe – It depends on what I’d agreed to upfront. If nothing had been discussed, I feel obligated to pay the fee. If I need to cancel, I’d probably approach the host, ask if we could agree that if I, or if s/he, found a replacement, I wouldn’t need to pay because they weren’t out any money. If s/he agreed, if a substitute were found, I wouldn’t be paying.

If the upfront agreement was, “If you cancel within xx period, you pay the full fee.” Then, I would pay the full fee and it doesn’t matter if they found a replacement, because that is what I agreed to upfront. I understand the need for consistent policies in certain instances to run a business smoothly.

There are other ways that the situation you pose could evolve that would result in me feeling like I’d been treated unfairly, and in such a case, if a discussion couldn’t resolve it, I wouldn’t continue doing business with the person.
 
mamboqueen said:
Completely understanable, dp. Perhaps the wise thing to do (as someone mentioned above) is to require payment when the lesson is booked. Or, alternatively, just tell the students that if they cancel, no matter when, they are required to pay.
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When I have had coaches in the students receive a letter where it is all written out clearly. That lessons are to be paid before hand, that there is no refund unless stand in is found and what the price per lesson are. Once they have then booked, they get another letter with the amount due and the due date.

Of cause this is a lot of work for somebody, in my case my assistant, but this way of doing it seems to work.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Dancepro
 
dancepro said:
When I have had coaches in the students receive a letter where it is all written out clearly. That lessons are to be paid before hand, that there is no refund unless stand in is found and what the price per lesson are. Once they have then booked, they get another letter with the amount due and the due date.

Of cause this is a lot of work for somebody, in my case my assistant, but this way of doing it seems to work.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Dancepro
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And I think it is perfect so there is no misunderstanding or bad feelings. I would think once you had this in the system once, it wouldn't be that onerous to repeat (a la form letter). Honestly, as a customer of any sort, that is the kind of proactive policy I like. You find out everything up front. It is work, imo, that is worth it in the long run.
 
CANI said:
Hi Joe – It depends on what I’d agreed to upfront. If nothing had been discussed, I feel obligated to pay the fee. If I need to cancel, I’d probably approach the host, ask if we could agree that if I, or if s/he, found a replacement, I wouldn’t need to pay because they weren’t out any money. If s/he agreed, if a substitute were found, I wouldn’t be paying.

If the upfront agreement was, “If you cancel within xx period, you pay the full fee.” Then, I would pay the full fee and it doesn’t matter if they found a replacement, because that is what I agreed to upfront. I understand the need for consistent policies in certain instances to run a business smoothly.

There are other ways that the situation you pose could evolve that would result in me feeling like I’d been treated unfairly, and in such a case, if a discussion couldn’t resolve it, I wouldn’t continue doing business with the person.
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Yes, I totally agree that making sure everybody is aware of the policy, helps clear any ill feeling either way.

I personally feel that if a substitute is found in time to fill up the time slot, then the student would get a refund. That is just my opinion.

Dancepro
 
mamboqueen said:
And I think it is perfect so there is no misunderstanding or bad feelings. I would think once you had this in the system once, it wouldn't be that onerous to repeat (a la form letter). Honestly, as a customer of any sort, that is the kind of proactive policy I like. You find out everything up front. It is work, imo, that is worth it in the long run.
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Yes, it is just a form letter where dates and names are changed. I have found it is well worth paying my assistant to do that. It really is not a lot of work to do it like that.

Dancepro
 
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