I'm sorry, I can not give you EVERYTHING for free!!!!!

[MELSMICE]

Many of you know that I own a dance studio. I advertise extensively & use coupons.

My offer states 2 Free Lessons valued at $17.50 off of the first month's tuition for new students. I also offer free costumes to new students that register in a combination or preschool class.

These last 2 weeks I did a promotion called "Bring A Friend Week". Our current students can bring a friend to class at no charge. Of course, the goal is to get a few more students to register. Some do & some just come for the free class & that's it. There are no obligations if you come for Bring A Friend Week.

I had a little preschooler come for the 2 Bring A Friend classes. The current students mom that brought her said she might be signing up & that her mother was going to call me. I sent our brochure to all students that attended Bring A Friend classes, which is standard.

The mom did call me. She wanted to know our costs & said she knew that her friend got her registration fee for free & she wanted that also. I explained that we did not have an offer like that, but because she was starting late (if she did register) I would pro-rate her tuition. She insisted that her friend got some kind of registration for free even though I continued to explain that was not the case.

I told her she could use the coupon for $17.50, however, the month of October would then cost her $17.50 instead of $8.75, as I was making an exception & pro-rating her tuition. I also told her she would get a free costume for her child. She continued to ask about other free things that I would give her.

Seriously????????? Is it really just about what you can get for free? Her daughter was a doll & loved the classes when she was there. She had a blast & was a real sweetheart. I wanted to tell her it might be best if she contacted the YMCA or her local community center!

I'll be shocked if she shoes up tomorrow to enroll her daughter! Registration closes on October 31, so it's tomorrow or nothing!

 

[kirstenb1]

Sounds like she has you confused with some big organization. You're a small business owner, and you guys don't have the corporate padding to "give everything away". Sorry she's being so clueless.

 

[Stacerita]

Some people are always expecting something for free.

In my line of work for certain services we charge a fee plus a per page charge. I had a customer call and ask for records. This person was well known to me since he threatened to sue my company. But I am obligated by law to produce the records for him. Since he is such a PITA I waived the fee and just charged him the per page cost to keep him from making a scene. He kept calling a few times every day asking if there was anything I could do. Even though I told him I already waived a fee, and would keep the cost under a certain price he still kept on. I was so peeved. He fully expected me to do this for him at no cost so he could turn around and sue us with using the information I provide him with. UGH!

 

[tiggger1]

I was talking to someone at my daughter's studio and they had a parent like that this week. The grandmother had paid for Sept month's tuition when classes started( $50 a month from Sept-June) and the mother came in this week and to pay for the costume fee (one time fee of $50). She handed over the check and told the receptionist " So since I paid the costume fee now, I am now paid in full for the year" The office person looks up her billing in the computer and tell her "no you only paid for Sept, you still owe $400 for the rest of the year. The woman had a fit because she thought the tuition was $50 for the entire year!! The office person explained since there was one 45 minute class a week for 10 months and that if it was only $50 a year, it would work out to be a little over a $1 a class..and how did they expect the instructors to get paid?
The person was very upset because she thought they lied about the prices, even though the prices are on the registration form, the rules and regulation form and the billing form that she had signed!

 

[Stacerita]

I was talking to someone at my daughter's studio and they had a parent like that this week. The grandmother had paid for Sept month's tuition when classes started( $50 a month from Sept-June) and the mother came in this week and to pay for the costume fee (one time fee of $50). She handed over the check and told the receptionist " So since I paid the costume fee now, I am now paid in full for the year" The office person looks up her billing in the computer and tell her "no you only paid for Sept, you still owe $400 for the rest of the year. The woman had a fit because she thought the tuition was $50 for the entire year!! The office person explained since there was one 45 minute class a week for 10 months and that if it was only $50 a year, it would work out to be a little over a $1 a class..and how did they expect the instructors to get paid?
The person was very upset because she thought they lied about the prices, even though the prices are on the registration form, the rules and regulation form and the billing form that she had signed!

That lady is crazy. I pay $45 every six weeks for my dance tuition and I think that is a steal. $50 for the entire year? lol

 

[disneyhand]

Many of you know that I own a dance studio. I advertise extensively & use coupons.

My offer states 2 Free Lessons valued at $17.50 off of the first month's tuition for new students. I also offer free costumes to new students that register in a combination or preschool class.

These last 2 weeks I did a promotion called "Bring A Friend Week". Our current students can bring a friend to class at no charge. Of course, the goal is to get a few more students to register. Some do & some just come for the free class & that's it. There are no obligations if you come for Bring A Friend Week.

I had a little preschooler come for the 2 Bring A Friend classes. The current students mom that brought her said she might be signing up & that her mother was going to call me. I sent our brochure to all students that attended Bring A Friend classes, which is standard.

The mom did call me. She wanted to know our costs & said she knew that her friend got her registration fee for free & she wanted that also. I explained that we did not have an offer like that, but because she was starting late (if she did register) I would pro-rate her tuition. She insisted that her friend got some kind of registration for free even though I continued to explain that was not the case.

I told her she could use the coupon for $17.50, however, the month of October would then cost her $17.50 instead of $8.75, as I was making an exception & pro-rating her tuition. I also told her she would get a free costume for her child. She continued to ask about other free things that I would give her.

Seriously????????? Is it really just about what you can get for free? Her daughter was a doll & loved the classes when she was there. She had a blast & was a real sweetheart. I wanted to tell her it might be best if she contacted the YMCA or her local community center!

I'll be shocked if she shoes up tomorrow to enroll her daughter! Registration closes on October 31, so it's tomorrow or nothing!

My guess is that she would turn into "one of those parents" if she did show up, so your probably better off with out her. Though I am sorry for the child!

 

[olwyngdh]

I pay $118 a month for three classes a week for my 8 yr old daughter (ballet, tap, and jazz). I pay =/- $60 for each costume for the spring recital, and around $20 each for the Christmas Charity recital --plus tickets to see the shows if I am not doing backstage Mom. (Tickets run $15-20 each) Coupons are usually tied to something like registering early or getting a new person to register for classes, and they are usually for so much money off at the store or a free t-shirt.

And I don't begrudge a penny of it. My daughter is in a very good dance school. Company is national award winners, and even though I can't afford to let her go out for company, she still has the same teachers.

Dance is one of the best things we can give our children, and if some dimwit parent doesn't want to pay for it, it is her problem, not yours--you are giving a gift at the price you are charging. And Free Costumes too!?!? Wow.

 

[handinpocket]

Times are hard. People are trying to get the best deal possible. All you have to do is say...no.

 

[mtemm]

wow, that is crazy! I can't even imagine my dd's dance studio giving out coupons/free costumes, let alone all the stuff this lady wanted. the closest dd's studio comes to free anything is if you volunteer at the recital to work backstage, you get one free class the following year.

 

[MELSMICE]

Dance is one of the best things we can give our children, and if some dimwit parent doesn't want to pay for it, it is her problem, not yours--you are giving a gift at the price you are charging. And Free Costumes too!?!? Wow.

Thank you. I would love to have the little girl dance...she loved it. I believe I am more than fair in what I charge, what my offers are & my policies.

 

[Stacerita]

Times are hard. People are trying to get the best deal possible. All you have to do is say...no.

I dont think "hard times" have anything to do with it. There are just those people who always want something for nothing.

 

[luvsJack]

Times are hard. People are trying to get the best deal possible. All you have to do is say...no.

there is a difference in a "deal" and a "steal" though. This mom is wanting as much as she can get for nothing. No one can expect to get that much service for nothing. The OP is offering an excellent deal, the lady should take it and be glad for it.

 

[MELSMICE]

Times are hard. People are trying to get the best deal possible. All you have to do is say...no.

She is getting a deal. She was also asking for something that I don't offer at all to anyone, which was a deal on the registration. I did say no to that.

 

[bicker]

Sounds like she has you confused with some big organization. You're a small business owner, and you guys don't have the corporate padding to "give everything away".

Big, small - doesn't matter. No one has "padding" to give everything away. Entitlement mentality is rife in this country, with people expecting to get whatever they want without regard for what they were explicitly promised. It's a cancer. And the size of the company has no bearing on the problem, except perhaps people hold such selfish, unfounded expectations toward big companies even more than they do for smaller companies.

Mel: Sorry you've hit the "jackpot" this time around.

Times are hard.

For everyone. How many companies, big and small, are having trouble making payroll? The thing that really scares me is the realization is that this economy is new normal. So I suppose we have to expect this kind of thing to happen as a standard thing, going forward.

 

[barkley]

i don't know if it could be a factor for your studio, but one of the situations that makes for very confusing issues with registration fees, tuition and the like in our neck of the woods is the practice/habit of some dance/performance/sports/martial arts buisnesses having ties to classes offered through parks and rec. which operates on a much lower cost basis.

the issues/confusion that come up are when a buisness or a teacher/coach/instructor for the buisness (sometimes without the buisness owner's knowledge) are leading a class for parks and req. that is similar and sometimes identical to what is being offered by the buisness. parks and req. will charge for a multiple month course what the buisness normaly charges for one month which causes confusion, and then they offer reduced or free registration. you end up with a parent whose kid did a jazz class through parkis and req. with a teacher for the local dance studio, the class ends and the parent wants to continue with it never thinking that the price for the normal instruction is more costly (and sorry to say-the percentage of people who actualy read before they sign paperwork is shamefully low).

 

[SereneOne]

We pay 100 a month for our daughter to attend a ballet school and company here. She is in elementary ballet for an hour a week and an hour of class for the Nutcracker ballet she will be performing in Dec. It includes costumes with a 20 dollar seamstress charge . Her teacher is a professional that has performed on stage and been in the Atlanta company and is very talented and excellent with the children. I think the dvd is 30, optional shirts are 15, pictures vary and tickets are 20.

I think it is reasonable.

I agree some people expect to get something for nothing, yet if the tables were turned they would be insulted.

 

[MELSMICE]

i don't know if it could be a factor for your studio, but one of the situations that makes for very confusing issues with registration fees, tuition and the like in our neck of the woods is the practice/habit of some dance/performance/sports/martial arts buisnesses having ties to classes offered through parks and rec. which operates on a much lower cost basis.

No, that is not the case in my situation.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I dont think "hard times" have anything to do with it. There are just those people who always want something for nothing.

I agree people are like this even when times are not so tough.

My daughters dance studio gives NOTHING for free or very little discounted. They have a bring a friend thing and I don't think this year they got anything last year they got a tee shirt.

 

[MELSMICE]

I agree people are like this even when times are not so tough.

My daughters dance studio gives NOTHING for free or very little discounted. They have a bring a friend thing and I don't think this year they got anything last year they got a tee shirt.

Our promotion for Bring A Friend Week is that if the friend signs up the current student gets $5 off next month's tuition. Not a great promotion, but it's something just for them bringing their friend.

 

[bicker]

I agree people are like this even when times are not so tough.

True, but I think two mechanisms may make it seem otherwise:

First, this is the pointy-end of a trend (that affects myriad aspects of our lives, including but not limited to this one) that started in the 1980s. So folks thinking about the way things were before that might feel the sting of the difference more acutely than those comparing today to yesterday.

Second, the ramifications of that trend had, in the past, been buffered to some extent by each person's own realization of improved standard-of-living. While not everyone enjoyed that, during the 1990s, especially, it was the reality for a great majority of Americans. Now, that buffering is gone, as we now have a reduced ability to bolster our standard-of-living through the exploitation and abuse of our relationships with arguably weaker international partners and adversaries. So things are just getting harder faster, and that's causing more people to engage in this sort of thing more often.