No one likes to lose students,
especially if you drop below
the break even mark.
Sometimes
when you open a new class
you get a flurry of registrations;
only to have 30-40% drop out
within the first 2-3 months.
This
is unfortunate however many
clubs leave themselves open
to this sort of thing year
after year. Karate clubs in
general rarely use student
contracts to secure membership
fees and hence leave themselves
open to ‘tire-kickers’.
Non-commercial
dojo owners will scoff at
this idea, that’s fine.
It is to their detriment that
by offering no contract they
are open to attracting those
who will drop out after a
short while.
As
a parent I have never come
across a hockey registration,
fitness membership, or golf
membership that offers any
sort of refund when you cancel.
Most of the time the FULL
amount is required up front;
no monthly fees for these
activities. In the case of
a fitness club, most require
a 3-6 month commitment at
a bare minimum.
This
requirement is nothing to
do with being greedy; it has
to do with financial stability
and to ensure those joining
have a serious commitment.
There
are actually clubs that require
a 12 month contract. Twelve
post-dated checks are required
along with a signed agreement.
Perhaps
this is too much for your
tastes, however consider the
stability this offers when
put in place. At the basic
level a three month contract
is advisable. Those students
who will not agree to this
measure are unlikely to stick
with training as they cannot
yet picture themselves being
there for three months.
Student
contracts are a wise choice
for any club with regular
rent to pay. A potential student’s
commitment to studying Uechi-ryu
is tested by their willingness
to sign up for at least a
three month period.
You
can download a sample student
contract here:
http://www.uechi-ryu-journal.com/sample_documents.php.
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