Call back/email courtesy- what is rude?

I have a piano student who consistently doesn't show up for his lesson. Normally, he is my last lesson of the day so if he's not there after 10 minutes, I leave. However, today all of my other Tuesday students are out of town, and I didn't want to drive 25 minutes to teach one student who most likely wouldn't show up anyway.

So on Saturday, I emailed his mother and asked if we could do the lesson on Monday or Thursday instead. Yesterday, when I didn't hear anything I called again and left a message explaining then asking them to please call me back. Finally, I made one last-ditch attempt today and actually got a hold of the mother. Luckily, I was able to change the lesson, but wasn't that rude of her not to call me back- even after she got my message?

I'm seriously considering dropping this student because he hasn't showed up in over a month, (I even offered to make up a lesson and they missed that, too) and when he does come, he is usually at least 5-10 minutes late.

So, in light of all this, I was wondering, how long should it take one to respond to an email/ phone call? At what point is no response considered rude?

They were rude, period. It sounds like neither the mother nor the student really consider lessons a priority.

Maybe tell them your schedule is now full, since you filled the spot that this no-show usually takes. You will put them on a waiting list if they want to re-book.

Really unprofessional and discourteous on their part, and a waste of your time and gas (heck, I would bill them for the fuel alone!).

I think the student HAS quit. You just need to make it official.

JMO - I would have phoned first, then emailed. A lot of folks don't live on their computers like I do. :)

If the boy has missed several lessons by just not showing up (no call or email prior) then it appears that is status quo for that family. They obviously do not consider other people first. I would drop him as a student based on too many missed lessons.

As for her non-reply to your calls and emails she is just plain rude and inconsiderate. I know sometimes there can be circumstances where someone is unable to respond quickly and each case is different but this lady and her child have a history of being inconsiderate of your time.

I can't tell. I'm still waiting for the bug guy to return my three calls from May!!! :(

Do you charge this student for missed classes if he does not notify you? If you don't I suggest you start and perhaps that will have them take it more seriously.

If you are charging and he still is not showing up I would tell them that you have students that would really like that time slot and unfortunately if they are not going to show up you will have to give that slot to someone else.

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Originally Posted by sparks19

Do you charge this student for missed classes if he does not notify you? If you don't I suggest you start and perhaps that will have them take it more seriously.

If you are charging and he still is not showing up I would tell them that you have students that would really like that time slot and unfortunately if they are not going to show up you will have to give that slot to someone else.

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My thoughts exactly! I was going to come back and add that to my post.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I agree this family has been rude by not showing up- to some extent I can understand because it's summer and everyone's schedule is different, but I am really getting tired of them!

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Originally Posted by sparks19

Do you charge this student for missed classes if he does not notify you? If you don't I suggest you start and perhaps that will have them take it more seriously.

If you are charging and he still is not showing up I would tell them that you have students that would really like that time slot and unfortunately if they are not going to show up you will have to give that slot to someone else.

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Yes, they do pay for the lessons they miss- but unfortunately it hurts me. I work for the studio, who takes so much a month for lessons. Then, I am paid a portion of that amount. If someone doesn't show up, I still get paid- but only half of what I would make for that lesson if I was teaching. Most of the time parents are very considerate and let me know if their child will miss a lesson, so I can plan around it.

I work in a rich neighborhood though and frankly people who take lessons from my studio can afford to miss them without a second thought. If I were paying for those lessons, I would make sure my child went to every one! But then again I don't have the limitless cash some of these families seem to have.

I think I will talk to my boss, and see if she will find another teacher for this student, or just dismiss the family outright (he has a brother taking lessons from another teacher who also never shows up :rolleyes: ).

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if they are not going to show up you will have to give that slot to someone else.

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They already HAVEN'T shown up, or even bothered to schedule a make-up class.

I think they get dumped NOW.

Email followed by a regular letter.