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Southeast: the weather, and guitar lessons?


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Last week it goes up over 80 here, and now it's 28 degrees? I think I put in another post (about flooded houses) how it seems we basically don't have winter anymore, just 2 freezes around about this time and that we'd already had the first... I guess this is the second? So here I sit at home - most all of my lessons canceled, and tomorrow everything will be frozen over which means no income tomorrow either... RANDOM QUESTION: Half of the students that called up an canceled expected to take the loss of missing today's lesson. The other half wanted me to schedule a makeup lesson. Now to me, it seems like this isn't my fault. BUT, if I schedule makeup lessons - I'm not only losing out on making money on my time today, I've *also* got to take up an equal portion of my time out of my free time as well. So - what should I do? A) Credit everyone $15 for missing today (and probably tomorrow...) B) Try to schedule makeup lessons? (which will take all of my normal makeup lesson slots, as well as any free time for the next 2 months probably) C) Hold my ground that this is an act of God beyond my control, that I can't pay for it? D) "?"

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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When you're in college, and you walk to the classroom door, and there's one of those famous "yellow slips" on the door, it means the prof is going to be absent. You just show up at the next regularly scheduled class day and take it from there. You don't get a refund on your tuition. Same thing for snow days. Perhaps you oughta think of doing like a "semester" of guitar at a time, Professor McDonald.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Chip, The way it works around here (in Mich.), is if the student can't make it to the lesson, (whatever the reason, act of God, whatever) it is the students loss. The student will be billed for the lesson anyway. You have carved out your time to accomodate for the students' lesson, that is still time lost for you, regardless of the reason. This is the way it works for baby-sitters, and a lot of people that work out of their homes. Now, if you did not lay this rule down to your students prior to today, it may be a little tough to recoup it this time, but I'd say something like, 'next time, I'm going to have to charge you, ok?'. Matt
In two days, it won't matter.
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err, I agree that they should be charged if they don't make the lesson simply cos it's cold, we have had a cold snap here all week (-10c tonight) and I still have to lug my rig to my gigs. I don't know many bosses who would let their staff use excuses like "I'm not coming into the office today. it's too cold and I want to stay home with my fluffy slippers in front of the TV". (If you do, please let me know, I'll be on the next plane) I would only make an exception if the person doing the no-show had a good excuse like "I live on a houseboat and we were out in the middle of the lake and it froze over so were we stranded til it thawed, we have been living on frozen fish all week..." peace, natty[img]http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/fk/butterfly.gif[/img]
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Well, the problem is that while I went to work today and it didn't seem "bad", around about 4:00 the roads started freezing... SO.... My contract.. Hmm. I think I'm going to post my contract seperately and see if I can't get a critique of it. It seems like I've got things spelled out pretty clearly, but geez... I spend SOOOO much time with scheduling and explaining things to parents/students that I didn't used to have to do...

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b]Well, the problem is that while I went to work today and it didn't seem "bad", around about 4:00 the roads started freezing... SO.... My contract.. Hmm. I think I'm going to post my contract seperately and see if I can't get a critique of it. It seems like I've got things spelled out pretty clearly, but geez... I spend SOOOO much time with scheduling and explaining things to parents/students that I didn't used to have to do...[/b][/quote] That's cause people just keep getting stupider. No kidding! Recent studies have shown that if people get any stupider or think any less, we will start to devolve. Pretty scary, eh? One day your a concious mammal, the next your a bacteria or some type of fungus. Don't you know it's your job to coddle them and hold their hand every step of the way? If I was you, I would worry that before too long parents are going to complain that you are being way too hard on little Johnny. "He had school all day, he shouldn't have to practice...that's why we pay for lessons."
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??WHAT??!! if it gets down to 28 your city shuts down?!?! GEEEZ! if its above ZERO degrees here i go out and work on my truck with my bare hands!! the roads have been frozen over since november! we still have to show up to gigs, in fact last week we had an out of town gig...it took ONE HOUR to drive to - its 12 miles out of town! there was a whiteout blizzard and one could literally NOT SEE FIVE FEET. we had the show, and folks came. WE DONT LET A LITTLE SNOW STOP US AROUND HERE!!!!!!!
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Since you are in business, the bottom line really seems to be, "will I lose their business if I charge them?". The answer to that of course involves several things including, but surely not limited to: 1) your contract and communication of expectation of both parties 2) history of each student involved (my experience is that some miss more often are for more reasons than others). When I used to teach I NEEDED to be paid for my time, but there were students that got treated differently under certain circumstances. Hard worker, great natural ability, usually on time and prepared (read enjoyable for the teacher), tries hard? You get more breaks (extra time if I have it, or a freebee in this situation, etc). Just like any other customer of any other business. Especially with the personal nature of teaching. 3) What are the authorities saying? "Do not drive"? Your contract could still cover this under the acts of god, etc. As inferred in Cereal's post where you live and the culture has a lot to do with these issues and what will be tolerated in a contract. Regardless of what you put in the contract it is important to find a balance whereby you don't loose your shirt/strings or their business. Sometimes it's helpful to think of these things by putting yourself in their shoes, situation. Not you in their shoes, but them in their shoes. Nonsense? O.K. Just some random thoughts, Mike
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[quote]Originally posted by coaster: [b]??WHAT??!! if it gets down to 28 your city shuts down?!?! WE DONT LET A LITTLE SNOW STOP US AROUND HERE!!!!!!![/b][/quote] You know, I'm seeing this posted a lot around the net.... I didn't say the SNOW made the town shut town, it's the ROADS COVERED WITH SHEETS OF SOLID ICE that made it shut down. It rained yesterday morning, which turned to sleet, which started to freeze solid yesterday evening. If it had just *snowed* it would have been different; you can't drive on solid ice. It did actually snow this morning (which was cool - if it's going to be cold, blast it at least make it look pretty); and the ice did pretty much melt by about 3 (which sucks because I still missed an entire day's income I suppose). The only problem is that slush will probably be frozen solid tomorrow morning again.

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b] You know, I'm seeing this posted a lot around the net.... I didn't say the SNOW made the town shut town, it's the ROADS COVERED WITH SHEETS OF SOLID ICE that made it shut down. It rained yesterday morning, which turned to sleet, which started to freeze solid yesterday evening. If it had just *snowed* it would have been different; you can't drive on solid ice. It did actually snow this morning (which was cool - if it's going to be cold, blast it at least make it look pretty); and the ice did pretty much melt by about 3 (which sucks because I still missed an entire day's income I suppose). The only problem is that slush will probably be frozen solid tomorrow morning again.[/b][/quote] Ditto here in Charlotte, NC. As a former Northerner I am used to trucking my behind on to work come rain, sleet or snow. But we did have snowplows. Charlotte has a few but only enough resources to cover the main streets and interstates. You are taking a serious chance going out on the road with some of these inexperienced winter drivers. Anybody else in the southeast notice a run on milk, bread and eggs at the local grocery? RobT [img]http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif[/img]

RobT

 

Famous Musical Quotes: "I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve" - Xavier Cugat

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[quote]Originally posted by RobT: [b]Anybody else in the southeast notice a run on milk, bread and eggs at the local grocery? [/b][/quote] That always happens. What sucks is when you've really got to go there anyhow, and it's a madhouse. I drink soymilk so it doesn't bother me, anyhow... I'll admit to one concession, though: I tried to find a flashlight, because usually when this happens the power lines go down. Today turned out to be (surprise) much warmer than expected, so I was "lucky" enough to be able to work. HOWEVER.... Apparently before I got to work today the parents of a student that was supposed to come yesterday called the store. I was told that this parent was mad because I A) didn't make arrangements to have lessons rescheduled ahead of time, I should have called them the previous day (failure to PREDICT THE WEATHER apparently) and B) didn't have them open the store up (the store was CLOSED along with every other business in town) so they could come to lessons - by driving across town on ice. So they're quitting and want their money back. ??!??!?? Meanwhile today a woman got mad at me because I didn't have a time slot open when she wanted her son to take lessons. "He can only come at 4:00 on thursday" ME: "uhm, well... I already have a student in that time slot, I'm sorry...." LADY: "well that's ridiculous!" ME: "well, er....?" LADY: "I was told you gave guitar lessons!?" ME: "yes, I'm sorry I don't have that time slot available, I have others..." LADY: "well, what do you think he's supposed to do if he's got soccer practice?" ME: "I have no idea when he has soccer practice..." LADY (yelling): "I just told you that was the only time he could come!!!!!" ME: "I'm sorry, I can take your name and number and call you if that time slot becomes available.." LADY: "no, forget it, I'm going somewhere else!" (stomps off) ????? This is a variation on another theme I've seen before recently: parent wants a "convenient" time slot for their kid, it's not available - BUT THEY WANT YOU TO DITCH THE OTHER STUDENT FOR THEIR CHILD. Then, they get mad when you tell them you can't do it. I ran into a guy that used to teach at another store in town a few days ago. He quit - couldn't take it anymore, pretty funny. One of my room mates has been teaching drums at the store recently - he's starting to freak out a bit: "I thought I was going to be able to handle it, but I don't see how you do it"... He only has 8 students on Saturday, I've got about 40....

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b]...Apparently before I got to work today the parents of a student that was supposed to come yesterday called the store. I was told that this parent was mad because I A) didn't make arrangements to have lessons rescheduled ahead of time, I should have called them the previous day (failure to PREDICT THE WEATHER apparently) and B) didn't have them open the store up (the store was CLOSED along with every other business in town) so they could come to lessons - by driving across town on ice. So they're quitting and want their money back. ??!??!?? Meanwhile today a woman got mad at me because I didn't have a time slot open when she wanted her son to take lessons. "He can only come at 4:00 on thursday" ME: "uhm, well... I already have a student in that time slot, I'm sorry...." LADY: "well that's ridiculous!" ME: "well, er....?" LADY: "I was told you gave guitar lessons!?" ME: "yes, I'm sorry I don't have that time slot available, I have others..." LADY: "well, what do you think he's supposed to do if he's got soccer practice?" ME: "I have no idea when he has soccer practice..." LADY (yelling): "I just told you that was the only time he could come!!!!!" ME: "I'm sorry, I can take your name and number and call you if that time slot becomes available.." LADY: "no, forget it, I'm going somewhere else!" (stomps off) ????? This is a variation on another theme I've seen before recently: parent wants a "convenient" time slot for their kid, it's not available - BUT THEY WANT YOU TO DITCH THE OTHER STUDENT FOR THEIR CHILD. Then, they get mad when you tell them you can't do it...[/b][/quote] Unfortunately Chip, this happens everyday in many service businesses. You should of heard the customers that wanted the Gibson factory [i]only[/i] to refurbish their 20 - 90 year old instrument. As of my recent tenure, they don't offer that service. One guy bitched at me because of an order that had taken months. Turned out he ordered it gray market, because the Epi dealer down the street wouldn't drop their drawers on the price. Of course, that didn't stop him from playing the authorized dealer's instrument each and every week! The moral is, everyone is right except you. If you tell them THE answer to a question and it doesn't fit their expectations, it's your fault. :eek: :rolleyes: As to the weather, somehow Nashville has been spared, so far. They expect Sat. night or Sun. to get some snow, but other than the frigid cold (for the south), we've lucked out. Of course that hasn't stopped the run on perishables like milk and eggs. Oh, well.. my wife made sure we're covered before the big push hits. :D Northerners have no concept of the ice we get, with the exception of Indiana. The difference is, even Indiana is flat. Not so in Nashville. Couple that with the fact the locals drive like they're in bumper cars [i]anyway[/i], and it gets very scary every time we get a little moisture. Like you said, after 4 or 5pm, solid ice. (I'm a transplanted Chicagoan, so I know both sides of the equation.)

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

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