Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 02:48:21 +0200 From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: The_Dojang digest, Vol 16 #133 - 3 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.13.cisto1 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.13.cisto1 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net List-Unsubscribe: , List-Id: The Internet's premier discussion forum on Korean Martial Arts. 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Today's Topics: 1. contractual obligations (TNT Martial Arts-Hillsboro) 2. Re: contractual obligations (Jye nigma) 3. Re: contractual obligations (Jeff Rush) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "TNT Martial Arts-Hillsboro" To: Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 17:01:37 -0700 Subject: [The_Dojang] contractual obligations Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Hello Everyone! A couple weeks ago a parent came in wanting a refund on her 6 month contract. It expired back in January. Her 5 year old was a student, who told mommy she wanted to ride ponies...really! So mommy told me that it was the 5 year olds decision to not attend martial arts class, and to ultimately decide what she was going to do. The 5 year old chose horse back riding lessons instead. I of course told her that she could easily do both, and that I was not going to cancel our agreement based on the decisions of her 5 year old. The dad called me and I explained the same thing to him. All very cordial conversations. There was a class everyday for the kid to attend, and there was no life-altering situation that would cause me to void the agreement. So in comes mommy, 5 months after the contract end, wanting a refund for the 3 months her kid did not attend. Now, keep in mind, when they walked out the door, I never saw them again. I have a 10 stage system for MIA/Reactivation of students. She ignored all of my calls, messages, postcards, letters, and a fedex package...and then comes into my school making a scene demanding a refund. Yah, I stuck to the letter of our agreement...and refused the refund. I also choose to void contracts when I see fit. Here are a couple recent ones. - 15 year old boy, violence issues at school, physically fights dad when dad tries to get him to martial arts - military deployment - major wage earner job loss - ejection of a major slacker I'm closing on 3 years full time business. Being able to project income is an business no-brainer, especially since I signed a CONTRACT with a property management company to pay a certain amount of rent by a specific time for a certain term. I'll bet every one of you have some sort of contract with a phone company for your cell phone, and cable/dish...and I'll bet some of you even have gym memberships at gyms you don't attend....:-) The sun is shining, so I spent the day outside...now its time for classes in 15 minutes---gotta go do some jits! Mark Gajdostik TNT Martial Arts 503-640-8400 www.martialartshillsboro.com --__--__-- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 19:27:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Jye nigma Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] contractual obligations To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Personally I use and like pay as you go. from my cell phone to my gym membership to martial arts. I stay away from contracts. I wonder what everyone else thinks of contracts?   Jye --- On Fri, 5/15/09, TNT Martial Arts-Hillsboro wrote: I'll bet every one of you have some sort of contract with a phone company for your cell phone, and cable/dish...and I'll bet some of you even have gym memberships at gyms you don't attend....:-)      --__--__-- Message: 3 Date: Sat, 16 May 2009 01:31:09 -0500 From: Jeff Rush To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] contractual obligations Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Jye nigma wrote: > Personally I use and like pay as you go. from my cell phone to my gym > membership to martial arts. I stay away from contracts. I wonder what everyone > else thinks of contracts? I'm just a student not an owner, but I realize that pay-as-you-go can be very hard on a small business owner. He has fixed recurring expenses and if enough students are pay-as-you-go and decline to attend a month with no warning, it can disrupt his business and shut him down. At my school you can pay per-month (I presume you are paying per month, not per visit or per hour) but it costs a lot more than paying per quarter, half or year. At first it might seem as if you shouldn't pay if you miss a week or two because of vacation or a business trip. I felt some of that initially. But then I got to know the owner and understood how he struggled to keep the school going. I saw how the instructors would teach classes for just a few students who showed up. Or sometimes they'd wait around and keep the door open with no students present, because it was during school hours, just in case. I'm a business owner myself, not one that has fixed assets, but I can see how there are costs even when students don't attend. I began to view the school as a cooperative club where everyone pitches in to keep it running, and that means paying for the lights and rent even when you aren't using the facility for awhile. But then at my school a student can get a lot of bang for his buck if he puts in the work -- you can attend any number of classes per week at any time the school is open. There are no fixed start/end dates and lessons are adjusted to suit the mix of students who show up. You can attend 3 hours per day for 5 days a week or just go in once a week and you pay the same price. I don't feel the same sense of belonging to my cellphone company. ;-) I do avoid contracts with big companies but not with small ones. -Jeff --__--__-- _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang Subscribe or Unsubscribe: http://the-dojang.net Old digest issues @ ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com/pub/the_dojang Copyright 1994-2009: Ray Terry and http://MartialArtsResource.com Standard disclaimers apply. Remember September 11. End of The_Dojang Digest