RI's what is the best thing to do in this situation???

charlimouse

charlimouse

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Sorry this is hugely long, I hope it makes sense!

I am a freelance riding instructor. A few weeks ago I new client phoned me about lessons for her daughter. It turns out these people moved into the house just over the road from my yard just before Christmas. We arranged a lesson for the daughter at mine as I have an arena and jumps, and it is a 5 min hack maximum to my yard from her house. Lesson time comes and goes, 45 mins later the girl and mother turn up saying the ride over took longer than they thought (it is a few 100 meters!). I give them their lesson, and find the pony is completly unsuitable for the nervous child as it bucks, launches poles (the child wants to SJ!) and generally doesn't stop or turn. I got on the pony gave it 20mins schooling to try and get the bucks out if it's system. I put the kid back on and the pony goes much better for her. After the lesson was just speaking to the mother (I couldn't speak to the mother during the lesson as she left the child with me, and went to do some shopping!) and she mentioned to pony just roams their garden, and kid sometimes rides, but doesn't really like just riding on their own.

Fast forward to the next week, they turn up 45 mins late again, excuse this time is the child had been at a party (no phone call to tell me they are going to be late). Pony goes a bit better despite not being ridden since the last lesson.

The next week (which was last week) I mentioned the lesson would have to be on time as I had horses to bath and plait as I had an early start the next day to go to a competition. They said fine, they would be on time (not normally late!) They eventually turned up 45 minutes late (again). This week they gave no excuse, and never apologised. I said the lesson would have to be a bit shorter than normal as I had things to do before it got dark. I gave the child a 40 minute lesson, again the pony had improved, yet hadn't been ridden since the last lesson.

Yesterday I was teaching in the morning, then my family were all coming for the weekend. I had a phone call at lunch from the mother asking for a lesson for the child that afternoon. If they had been any other of my clients I would have given them a lesson, but I said no. I said I could do monday or tuesday (it is half term this week), they said they might be going away, I said I wouldn't be able to teach next weekend as I am out with the horses both days. The lady said they may be back on friday, but wasn't sure, so to leave space in my diary for a lesson on Friday afternoon. The problem I have is I have a regular client on a Friday afternoon, and they can only get the school they use (I come to them) on an afternoon. This client can only do Thursday or Friday, I am busy on Thursday, so Friday afternoon is the only time I can teach this client.

So essentially I feel that these new clients feel that they can leave me hanging on for them, and that I should then drop everything to teach them. Them have no common courtesy, I don't even get a phone call. I asked where the pony was going whilst they were away, and they are just leaving it in the garden! So I now feel slightly responsible to keep an eye on this pony. I have space for more horses at my yard, and i've hinted this may be a better place to keep the pony (but obviously it will cost them, as I will not have DIY especially these people!) but they just say the pony is fine in the garden. The pony is fine, he looks well, his feet are a bit long, but the lady had lost the phone number of the farrier! So she has booked one of mine to come. I just don't know what to do with regards to teaching them, they are my neighbours, so I don't want to pi$$ them off, but at the same time I am getting sick and tired of trying to accommodate them. I am still growing my freelance RI business, so I don't want to turn away custom, or get a bad reputation. What on earth do I do????????
 
To me I think you perhaps need to lay out that this isnt something that you do as a hobby (which I suspect they might see it as!) maybe call them appointments instead! and that in future they must be on time

I would check pony whilst they are away just in case anything happens.
 
i would say you need to be on time or cant do lesson. Also they need to fit in days with you, i wouldnt have them on your yard tbh - can you imagine the pain in the a**s they will be
 
I would just tell them you booked up on the friday and any future lessons if not there on time they only get to the end of original time slot as you are busy woman and cant be hanging aroung waiting (time is money and all that)
 
Its a difficult one, being as you are building up and dont want one client to bad mouth you to friends. What about a contract you both signe, stating cancellation charges or late or no show charges. You want to do your best by them, and its probably a case of the mother has no sense of time or urgency and thinks you can be at her availabillity as and when. Dont drop others for this one as she may just not show up one time and not come back again, (we had 4 at our school not show today ) We have a cancellation of £10.
I wish you all the best.
 
What on earth?
Plain and simple.
If the client has booked a lesson for 3pm and doesnt turn up until say, 3.45, she gets a fifteen minute lesson and charged for the full hour!
You are providing a service, not a drop in centre!
If you have a regular Friday client, put them first.
 
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i would say you need to be on time or cant do lesson. Also they need to fit in days with you, i wouldnt have them on your yard tbh - can you imagine the pain in the a**s they will be

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Absolutely agree with this
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Did you charge them for the time they kept you waiting as well as the lesson? If you say this, you will need to follow through with it, even if it is awkward. e.g. if they say 3pm for an hour lesson, and turn up at 3.45 - they get 15 mins because that was the time allocated - or pay extra to have the full hour.

Sometimes you have to hit people in the pocket before they realise that it is your free time you are giving up to help them.

Also I wouldn't have them on your yard. You will end up doing the pony for them because you are obviously a responsible person and they sound totally unreliable. I would keep an eye on the pony while they are away to make sure it is OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way if it was me.
 
Have you tried calling them when they are late? Say if they are 15mins late give them a call and say unfortunately you wont have time now. I only say that because they are always late. It is very rude.
 
I hate lateness. As above really Joeanne say's. Does their pony live on its own in their garden?If so, Can you not drum it into them that horses are herd animals and it needs company.
 
The problem is I have already told them about being on time etc. I really don't want them on my yard, but it is money, and I have space. I don't do any DIY, only full, but I would rather have that stable filled with a competitive eventer for me!!!!! I know I need to put my foot down with them a bit more, but I have mentioned a few times, and i'm not particuarly good at confronting them upfront about being late. They are a sandwich short of a picnic, they seem to have no common sense, and I am getting to my wits end with them! I will not drop everything for them in the same way I will for my other clients, but they don't seem to realise I am not at their beck and call 24/7. Sorry to rant, i'm just getting so annoyed that I am trying to move everything around in my diary to fit them in, but they then show no common courtesy, so say thank you, of even be on time.
 
I've tried calling them when they are late, and get no answer. The pony is on it's own, they don't have any horsey knowledge. I said I evented, to which the mother said "oh, what is that?" I told her, and she said, "oh, so you can actually ride aswell then?" er yeah! Hence I am a RIDING instructor!
 
You may have already tried this, but just in case... I do some teaching in my free time and when I first started I was going to some people who were just the same. Hours would go by while I waited for them to catch and groom their horses, tack up, wonder off, um and ahh, before finally getting on - lessons would start 30 mins late routinely.

It was easier in a way cos I was going to them, but the same could work at home.

I also find it hard to be strict with people so I told them (in advance) I had another appointment at whatever o'clock so had to be away on time. So their lesson was cut short if they were late and I drove off - happily this only had to happen once and then they got the message. You could have a fictional appointment that means you have to leave 5 mins after lesson end - even if it's just to have a cuppa with a friend, they don't need to know that. Worth a go.
 
refer them to your local PC?

only teach in the time they have allocated and charge for it and if kid doesnt get a lesson then tough.....
 
Well, stop moving everything around in your diary and get professional. Charge for you time, including time they keep you waiting. If they arrive late and you don't have time to teach beyond their slot, as said above, just teach to the end of the lesson time. When they arrive 15 mins late give the mum a choice "Do you want me to teach until 12 o'clock and just charge you for the hour, or shall I give a 45 minute lesson and charge you for an hour and a half?".
Re the way the pony is kept, sit the mother down and tell her that a garden is not a suitable or safe place to keep a pony. Warn her about poisonous plants and also that (if you know how big the garden is) there will not be enough grazing. If she says the pony is fine, just repeat that it isn't.
As for Friday, you shouldn't have let them think you would hold that slot for them. You should have told them straight off that you were already booked. Too late now, unless you can ring them and cancel them.
Type up some lesson booking terms and give them a copy. Include cancellation terms, and what you do if the client arrives late. The first time they don't turn up, fail to pay a cancellation charge or cause any sort of hassle, don't book them any more lessons.
I know you are trying to build a business, but part of that is being business-like. That means that there are some customers you will choose to part company with.
 
Firstly I wouldnt let your regular client down on friday, teach them on time as normal. If the new client doesnt turn up on time, tough!! I wouldnt have someone continuouly turn up late + be rude enough to expect you to drop everything to teach them. Just say, very sorry, youve missed your appointment, I have some one else to teach in this slot (even if you dont) but im happy to arrange another time. This way they will either start to respect your time more, or use someone else (who wont put up with this lax time keeping either). They dont sound to me like they will last the course any way, mummy + daddy will probably find the pont gets in the way of somethin else + it will b sold in 5 mins flat.
 
I havn't let my regular client down, i've just said to the feckless client I may have time, depending on what time they are around. I am thinking i'll book them in at 4pm I should be back by then from my regular client. Then if they are late it will be dark, plus they have to hack a few hundred yards back on the road (but i've a feeling the fact it is dark won't cross their minds, and I wouldn't want to feel responsible for an idiot driver dirving into child and pony!)
 
IMO you really don't need these people's business, however much you are trying to build your own business up. They will put other people off, apart from the hassle they will cause you.
They are using you like a doormat too - you shouldn't need to take c**p like that. If it were me I would tell them that I'd made suggestions about how they look after the horse which they don't want to do, and also that you've asked them to turn up on time which they haven't, and that as a consequence you're afraid you can't teach their child anymore. If you can't face telling them to sling their hook - however politely - then just tell them that you're not free, irrespective if what time they suggest.
 
I used to teach a bit and with one client who was always late, i used to arrange either another lesson directly after or to have a fictitious appointment somewhere straight after. They soon realised that a ten minute lesson wasn't good value!
 
Well, I think the mother is downright rude and I wouldn't be hanging around for her - I would do the regular client and leave the snotty mother waiting and see how she like it. I would also increase my price and hope she goes elsewhere....
 
just book the lesson from 4 til 5 pm! or x til y time. comfirnm with them the day before if they arrive late work til y or 5 pm and take your money! dont work over! get til 5 or y time and stop. get your 25 pounds(whatever you charge) then tel them pony/child would have progessed quicker if arrived 10 mins before x time and been ready for lesson! get diary ready and rebook, suggesting they get there 10 mins before start of lessons! 1 you remain proffessional. 2 the time of x til y is confirmed. 3 you get paid. 4 confirm that cancellations require a full 24 hr notice or will be charged in full! they will learn! or if you decided to work over the x to y time charge them!
 
I agree with Milliepops - set up appointments regularly after their lesson if you feel you can't tell them again about being late. In fact get one of those page a day diaries and next time they finish their lesson ask them if they want to book another (whilst getting out said diary). Already have appointments booked in (fictional or whatever) for after when they usually have a lesson, so if they usually have 3 - 3:45pm for example have a lesson to get to off your site for 4:30 and stress you will be leaving at 4pm to get to it. That way if they turn up at 3:45 they already know in advance that you will be off at 4pm and can't get uppity.
I know you are just setting up but most people would realise that being 45 mins late for a 45 mins lesson is not acceptable. I was ill last weekend and paid for my lesson in full despite not attending as there is a 48 hour cancellation clause at the place I ride.
 
I agree entirely with what the others say about cancellaation charges and not teaching late because they turn up late.

I ride in a riding school and if you have your hour slot, if you are late they won't make the next person late to accomodate you, and you still pay full rates! Most places are the same.

5 or 10 minutes occasionally I'd let off, but more than that and regularly without an appology is just rude - get tough with them.

Oh and make a discrete call to the BHS welfare department about the pony in the backgarden. They should be able to pay them a visit and make it clear to them that this is unacceptable. They need never know you reported them!
 
if i turned up 45 mis late for a lesson, i would either not get lesson or be given 15 mins but i would have to pay for the whole hour regardless,
its just rude and ignorant not to ring and say im going to be late for whatever reason
 
I know just how the OP feels. I do some teaching in my spare time, and to be honest I'd have earned more if I charged people for cancellations! They think it is ok to either not inform me at all, or ten minutes before. I rejig my time to accomodate people and then they let me down.

I'd tell this idiot mother that I'm busy, every time she tried to book a lesson. You don't want clients like this, and I dread to think what would happen frankly if the totally unsuitable pony harms the child on your watch. Insurance or no insurance, this could be disasterous for your business.
 
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