I Used to Refund Every Missed Lesson. Here's Why I Stopped.
From The Victoria Clark Show for Music Teachers · 1:05:45
Show by Victoria Clark
You know you shouldn't refund it. You've told yourself that. And then the text comes in, and you feel the familiar pull, the guilt, the worry about how they'll react, and somehow you end up saying yes again.This episode isn't about what your cancellation policy should say. It's about why so many of us can't bring ourselves to enforce it, even when we know we should.For years I handled missed lessons on a case-by-case basis, making decisions based on how well I got on with the family that week, whether they'd seemed annoyed lately, or simply because saying no felt too uncomfortable. In this episode I get into the real reason that happens: the people-pleasing patterns that run deep in a lot of music teachers, the apology spiral that signals to parents that your policy is up for negotiation, and the fear of losing students that keeps so many of us stuck in the refund and reschedule cycle long after we know it isn't working.I also share the reframe that shifted everything for me around what students are actually paying for, what really happened in my studio when I stopped refunding, and why switching to monthly billing made the whole thing structurally so much easier.If you've listened to Episode 1 and thought "yes, but I still can't do it," this is the episode for you.In this episode:Why refunding missed lessons costs you more than moneyThe key reframe: what your students are actually paying forHow people-pleasing shows up in your studio policies, and what to do about itThe apology spiral, and why it's working against youThe fear of losing students, addressed honestlyWhy monthly billing and a no-refund policy work so well togetherResources mentioned:Monthly Billing Transition Toolkit (£12)Free Studio Policy TemplateAccess the show notes here: Episode 3 Show Notes
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