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Smallpiano, I really like what you've come up with. It's simple, clear, strait-forward. KS, I like your wording, too. I am now giving serious thought to changing to year around tuition based on your formula. I still have to give some thought on dealing with parents who wish to pay in advance to receive a discount.

If you find a change of wording that you like better, it couldn't hurt to send out an update to the parents, explaining that it simply re-states the existing policy more clearly but does not change anything.

I used to write a website and a printed directory for a group that went for hikes in our local backcountry parks. So, road directions, parking at trailhead directions, and backcountry trail directions. And description. So, I understand how truly difficult it is to write accurately and concisely, in an interesting way, and with things in the right order. You just have to keep trying until you get it just right, for people who are too lazy to put a road map in their car will rediscover their energies when it comes time to complain and criticize.

Luckily, you will not be changing your written policy that often, nor that much. So, your efforts will benefit you for a long time.

I still think it's funny that they as much as told you that nothing would please them except you come back from your vacation right this minute, so they could scold you on your own doorstep.

It's better to laugh than to scream.[i][/i]

I agree that some people just don't read or they just can't understand direction line by line. For example: my previous studio is in a community that doesn't yet shown in google map because it is a new community that means if you type my address in google map or GPS, you cannot find my studio. With this disadvantage, when I have new interviews, I have to send an email with details direction to the parents who never been here. In my email, I started with 'please follow my directions and do not use google map!' then followed by step by step how to get to my place.
There will be only two types of parents
Type One
Print out the email and follow the directions and praise me right away when they arrive saying that I am a very detailed person.
Type Two
Did not print out the email, drive according to what they recall or remember about the direction and get lost and have to call me to find out further instruction.

And guess what, Type Two parents usually come with Type Two children who doesn't like to follow my instruction during lesson.

May I ask how long this particular client has been coming for lessons? The reason I ask is that if they are relatively new to your studio, it may appear to them that they have paid for more time than you've given them so far, as one of the problems inherent in the [pay monthly for x amount of lessons per year] type of scheme is that it sometimes only fully balances out if the students start at the right time of year, and continue with lessons for the full year.

Yes, Ben.
She started two years ago. In Aug 2010 she signed the policy that will start in Sep 2010. Actually she has been very good in attendance, she never miss a class since then. She only request a reschedule one time so far since Sep 2010. So to answer your question, she start at the perfect time of the year with this new policy. Before this policy, I bill by hourly at the end of the month.
Do I answer your question?

My tuition form (separate from my studio policy) states at the top: Tuition for 2010-2011 year is $X. Please choose your payment plan. I then have a box for them to check next to Annual, Semester or Monthly Installments with the amounts and due dates next to each.

The studio policy then states what is included in the program.

I also issue the calendar separately.

The mom may appear angry with the contract, but really she may be not happy with something else. From the perspective of the parent's, we know the teachers will structure the policy and contract in such a way that give the teachers the best protection.

So if the parents are happy with the progress their kids are making, they could care less about the policies and contracts; When they start complaining, it is a sign they are not happy with kids' progress, it is usually a precursor to the student's switching or quiting.

This can be one explanation, another is that they are not really that passionate about their kids' musical education, and don't understand or care about maintaining a good parent/teacher/student relationship triangle - rather, they see music as just another 'activity', and the lessons as a commodity.

Just finish talking to the mom.
She started with that she went home and checked the studio calendar and it was clear that there was no lesson for the week. She said that it is a misunderstanding. I use Keisler’s line about “Charging by hour” but “Billing by month” and she understand. However, she said that she like the way I was in the past. I then explain to her that I am “billing” this way to keep myself and parents convenient. She said she has not come up with her decision but her daughter will come to lesson until her husband and herself make a decision. I later gave her a list of piano teacher phone number in town and say that if you like to find new teacher, I have no problem, but promise me that you will not put a gap between myself and the new teacher because I want your daughter keep playing and going to lesson without a gap. She agreed to that and also agree to give me one month notice if she found a new teacher. She also ask if new teacher “Bill by hour or by month”. I say I do not know and tell her to find out herself.

To Chopin and Ben
The mom is very happy with her daughter's progress with me, she mentioned so in her phone call.

I have been reading this thread over the last few days as an outsider and thought that may indeed be the case (but was afraid to mention it).

Walk a mile in the mothers shoes. She indeed may have been unhappy with the situation back in August, but was probably too afraid to mention it. I know that I would have not been overly impressed either. Look at it from her point of view. She has gone by paying by the hour (Or lesson I am assuming) to paying by the month. This means that she has to basically find 4x's the money at the time of payment. While it's OK to say "instead of paying he money to me each week, put it away and pay monthly" a lot of people live with their finances week by week. The other thing from a consumers point of view is the "What's in it for me" attitude. Are you charging exactly the same hourly rate? She may have been thinking "If I have to pay by the month, why don't I get a discount?"

Hoffy, you misunderstand.

It's not that she's suddenly paying monthly instead of at each lesson.

It's that, regardless of how many lessons are actually in a month, you pay the same flat monthly rate because at the very end, you paid for a TOTAL NUMBER of lessons.

I do a similar thing where I charge the same monthly regardless of number of lessons. However, there are a few families I allow to pay at each session because of their finances. They're exceptions that I trust, of course, but overall, it's better the other way for both parties.

No problems (if that is the case)!

Parents were given 2 months of notice about changing policy. They are free to find a new teacher if they want to. Every parents were given the new policy and a list of piano teacher's phone number in case they need a new teacher. I lost 15 students because of the transition. So I teach only 4 days instead of 6 days. This mom choose to sign the policy and stay with me, I don't see any problem with this. I did not put a gun in her face to force her to sign the policy, what would she afraid of? In fact, I not only change policy, I also raise the hourly rate by 25%.

Maybe therein lies the problem. It would have been better to change your billing arrangement first, then adjust your hourly rate later (or vice-versa). By doing both at once, they may feel that they are paying more due to your change of billing. All this seems logical to you because you have spent lots of time thinking about it. To outsiders it may not seem as logical.

This is true, and it is also true that they had the summer to think about it and change their minds. I lean toward the already-stated idea that these particular people have become unhappy in general and that this (pseudo-)issue is a convenient peg on which to hang their general unhappiness with the way things are going.

Update about angry mom.
Angry mom will angry all the time.
Finally she gave me a two weeks notice to terminate lesson because she can no longer drive to my studio and she wants a teacher who can go to her house. My policy said one month notice and I decide not to argue with her this time and just let go because I have enough of her.
The rest of the post is just rant, you no need to read if you do not want to.

Example one:
1. She always choose the time that she want and regreted later. For recital, I have two times, which is 2pm and 4pm on the same day. All parents are required to sign up their desire time two months before the recital. I need to make both 2pm and 4pm balance and watching out for the head count because this time my recital hall can only sit for 60 people. She is bringing 8 guests and sign up very early for 4pm and suddenly one week before, she say she needs 2pm. I go through pain to ask other students to move to 4pm for her because I know she will be very angry if I cannot do this for her.

2. Every other month I have "Piano Party" which I gather students of same level and have them play for each other. I have her daughter in a particular time that group with other students of her same level. She always have reasons that she cannot make it to the time that I have for her and wanted to choose her own time. I have 35 students, no one ask to change piano party time except her.

3. If you are familiar with MTAC CM test, you know that students were told the dates of the test 6 months before the test. Only about 2 weeks before the test, teacher will be informed with the details such as time and location. I told her the dates of the test 6 months before and tell her just keep the whole day open because we do not know the time until two weeks before the test. Now she is not happy with the time and she is not happy with the fact that this is how MTAC CM test work. She said that the system is broken! I am speechless. I told her that well, she can choose to go to her family gathering or the test, is up to her but the registration fee is not refundable whatsoever. In the phone call, she said that she will not go to the test because MTAC is ridiculus. Later, she text me and say: "Sophia will be going to the test. I had to cancel my plans which I am not happy about it. I know it is not your fault"

OK well, thank you for listening, I have happy that she will have two more lesson then switch teacher.

I think this about sums it up.
It's all that needs to be said, though I did enjoy reading your rant.

Good luck.

BBBB

Don't assume that parents know the countless hours you VOLUNTEER outside your piano-teaching time in order for their kids to take CM.

Smallpiano,

That really wasn't a rant. It was far too restrained and logical to be a rant.