Is the customer ALWAYS right? What about in this situation?

[BluDog]

My dh and I teach music and photography classes and have a good customer base. We can always use more customers; what business can't? One thing we do well with is evening group classes. We offer all ages as well as sessions for kids 6-18.

We have found that our kids classes would be touch and go as far as attendance when we charged by the week. Not only would folks forget to pay but it's as if they didn't take our classes very seriously. We now charge by the month and have a much easier time guaranteeing attendance.

There is one mother who insists on not paying for missed classes. What bothers me most about this is that she and her husband are very well off. We have no other families that give us a hard time about paying tuition in full. She takes a lot of liberties with us and I'm frankly sick of it.

How should I handle her? Honestly I don't feel the aggravation she causes is worth all the hassle. However, we can always use the money and certainly don't want any bad publicity but let me put it this way: if I were a utility company I would have shut her off by now.

[Bballallstar]

lol yes I agree with you shut her off. A family member of mine had a daycare business and there were issues and the business had to be let go of because of parents taking advantage and not being right but there were so many people that know of the good that happened there so usually the good outways the bad.What am trying to get at is dont worry about bad publicity if you have plenty of good:) And cut this unapprciative person off!

[sarahjones79]

I would send her on her way.  You have your own business, therefore make the decisions.  You don't need to have aggravation from her. Do you have contracts with your clients?  That would be a great way for you to insure payment based on the month and not on the attendance.  You would also have some thing to use if there are any troubles.  Everyone would sign a contract for services paid on a monthly basis and no refunds due to missed classes.  Good luck!!

[extremelibrary]

No, the customer is NOT always right. Your a business. If she doesn't pay then give her the boot.