Without a makeup lesson policy tutoring businesses can track and enforce, you're leaving money on the table—and burning out your team.
If you're running a tutoring business without a clear makeup lesson policy, you're probably putting out fires every week. One parent wants a reschedule with two hours' notice. Another expects a refund after three no-shows. Your tutors are frustrated because their calendars are full of holes, and your admin team is drowning in one-off decisions that eat up hours.
Here's the truth: ad-hoc rescheduling doesn't just cost you time. It costs you revenue, predictability, and team morale.
A solid makeup lesson policy tutoring businesses can actually enforce solves all of that. It protects your margins, gives your team clear rules to follow, and keeps clients happy without turning every cancellation into a negotiation. In this guide, we'll walk you through the policy models that scale, the workflows that work, and the software features that turn policy into reality—so you can stop improvising and start running a business that's built to grow.
Key Takeaways
Ad-hoc rescheduling drains revenue and burns out staff; a codified policy is essential for scalability.
Lesson credit systems are superior to 1:1 makeup lessons for growing centers, offering controlled flexibility without calendar chaos.
Implement tiered notice windows (e.g., Free > 48hrs, Fee 24-48hrs, No credit < 24hrs) to balance fairness and margin protection.
Automation is non-negotiable: use software to handle eligibility checks, credit issuance, and expirations to reduce admin time by up to 60%.
Track KPIs like reschedule rates and credit liability to ensure your policy protects your bottom line.
What Problems Does a Makeup Lesson Policy Actually Solve?
Let's start with what happens when you don't have one.
You lose revenue every time a client cancels last-minute and you can't fill the slot. Your calendar becomes Swiss cheese. Your tutors get frustrated because they're paid for productive hours, not empty ones. Parents expect endless flexibility, and every "special case" becomes a precedent. Your team makes inconsistent calls, which leads to disputes and bad reviews.
And the admin load? Brutal. Every reschedule request lands in someone's inbox and becomes a manual task: check availability, confirm eligibility, update the calendar, send reminders, log the change. Rinse and repeat.
A clear policy fixes all of that by delivering:
Predictable cash flow. You know what's billable and what's not.
Controlled flexibility. Clients can reschedule tutoring lessons within boundaries you set.
Better tutor utilization. Fewer gaps mean more productive hours.
Fewer one-off decisions. Your team follows the same rules every time.
Less admin chaos. Automation handles the workflow instead of your inbox.
Here's a quick before-and-after:
Before: A parent emails two hours before a session asking to reschedule. Your admin scrambles to find a slot, manually updates the calendar, forgets to notify the tutor, and the credit gets lost in a spreadsheet. Three weeks later, the parent disputes the charge because "you said I had a makeup."
After: The parent submits a reschedule request through your client portal. The system checks eligibility (notice window, credits remaining), auto-approves or flags for review, issues a credit with an expiration date, and logs everything. Your team spends 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes, and you have a clean audit trail if the parent asks questions later.
Drawing on our work with 700+ tutoring centers, we've seen this shift cut admin time by 60% and reduce refund disputes by half.
Operator takeaway: A policy isn't about being rigid. It's about replacing chaos with a system your team can run without you.
What Are the Most Common Makeup Policy Models?
Not all policies are created equal. Here are the five models most tutoring businesses use—and what works at scale.
1. No makeups
What it is: Clients pay for reserved time, not just delivered lessons. If they cancel, they forfeit the session.
Best for: High-demand tutors with waitlists, or businesses where scheduling flexibility would destroy margins.
Watch-out: This can feel harsh to clients unless your messaging is crystal clear from day one.
2. Limited makeups per term
What it is: Clients get a set number of reschedules per semester or year (e.g., two per term). After that, they forfeit.
Best for: Small teams that want to offer some flexibility without endless rescheduling.
Watch-out: Hard to track manually. You need makeup class tracking software or a spreadsheet you actually maintain.
3. 1:1 makeups
What it is: Every cancelled session is rescheduled as a live makeup. No credits, no expiration.
Best for: Solo tutors with light schedules who can absorb the calendar juggling.
Watch-out: This model creates scheduling nightmares as you scale. You'll spend more time booking makeups than teaching.
4. Lesson credit system
What it is: Cancelled sessions convert to credits with expiration dates. Clients book makeups within the credit window, but only when slots are available.
Best for: Multi-tutor centers and anyone running group or high-volume programs.
Why it scales: Credits decouple the cancellation from the makeup. You're not hunting for "the perfect slot" every time someone cancels. Clients book when it works for your calendar, and expired credits protect your revenue.
Watch-out: You need clean tracking. A lesson credit system tutoring businesses run manually falls apart fast.
5. Subscription allowances
What it is: Clients pay for a subscription that includes X flexible reschedules per month. Beyond that, they pay a fee or forfeit.
Best for: Premium programs or businesses that want to bake flexibility into pricing.
Watch-out: Pricing this correctly is tricky. If your allowance is too generous, you'll erode margins.
Which one wins?
Centers that scale trend toward lesson credit systems because they're easier to track, protect revenue through expiration rules, and generate cleaner reports. You can see exactly how many credits are outstanding (your liability), how many expire unused (your margin cushion), and how well your team is fulfilling makeup requests.
Operator takeaway: If you're running more than one tutor or plan to grow, start with credits. They're the only model that stays manageable as you add locations, tutors, and clients.
How Flexible Should Your Rescheduling Rules Be Without Hurting Margins?
Flexibility isn't free. Every reschedule costs you something: tutor time, calendar capacity, or admin hours. The trick is to choose the right amount of flex based on your business model.
The decision framework
Ask yourself four questions:
Do I have excess capacity or a waitlist? If you have empty slots, flexibility is cheap. If you have a waitlist, every reschedule is lost revenue.
What's my average client LTV? High-LTV clients justify more flexibility. Low-LTV clients don't.
What's my tutor utilization target? If you're trying to hit 85% billable hours, tight rules help. If you're at 60%, you can afford to be looser.
How much admin time can I budget? Flexible rescheduling tutoring models eat hours if they're not automated.
Recommended tiered windows
Here's a structure that balances fairness with margin protection:
Free reschedule: 48+ hours' notice. Client gets a credit, no fee.
Late-cancel fee: 24–48 hours' notice. Client pays a partial fee (e.g., 50% of lesson rate) and gets a credit for the rest.
No-show or <24 hours: No credit, full charge. Exception for documented emergencies (medical, family crisis).
Adding controlled flexibility tools
You don't have to say "yes" or "no" to every request. Here are three ways to add flex without opening the floodgates (inspired by strategies for music studios):
Swap lists. Let clients trade slots with each other. Your team just approves equal-duration swaps. Self-service + fairness.
Limited tokens per term. Each client gets two "flexible reschedule" tokens per semester. After that, stricter rules apply.
Group makeup sessions. Offer monthly group review sessions where clients can burn credits. Reduces 1:1 scheduling load.
Operator takeaway: Flexibility is a lever, not a binary. Adjust it based on capacity, client value, and what your team can handle without burning out.
What Rules Should You Set for Late Cancels, No-Shows, and Tutor Cancellations?
Not all cancellations are equal. A client no-show is different from a tutor calling in sick. Your policy needs different rules for each—and a clear reason why.
Late cancels (24–48 hours)
Business reason: You've lost the chance to fill the slot, but the tutor hasn't prepped yet.
Suggested rule: Charge a late-cancel fee (e.g., 50% of session rate) and issue a partial credit. Or offer one "courtesy late cancel" per term, then enforce the fee.
No-shows (<24 hours or total ghost)
Business reason: You've paid the tutor, blocked the time, and the client didn't even notify you.
Suggested rule: No credit, full charge. Exception for documented emergencies (hospital visit, family crisis). Require proof if it's a repeat pattern.
Tutor cancellations
Business reason: This is your fault, not the client's. They reserved time in good faith.
Suggested rule: Automatic credit or priority rebooking. If you can't find a makeup slot within two weeks, consider a partial refund or bonus credit.
Escalation ladder for exceptions
Not every situation fits the rules. Here's a simple decision tree your team can follow, preventing the need to improvise policies (as noted by ComposeCreate):
Standard case? Follow the policy. No manager needed.
Emergency with proof? Staff approves a one-time credit.
Repeat pattern or high-value client? Manager reviews and decides.
Policy conflict or legal question? Escalate to owner.
Operator takeaway: Define the "why" behind each rule so your team can explain it confidently. When clients understand the business reason, they're more likely to accept the boundary.
How Do You Operationalize the Policy So Your Team Enforces It Every Time?
A policy on paper is worthless if your team doesn't follow it. Here's how to turn words into a repeatable workflow.
Map the end-to-end process
Every reschedule request should follow the same steps:
Request submitted (email, portal, phone, text).
Eligibility check (notice window, credits remaining, client standing).
Approval or denial (automatic or manual, depending on the case).
Credit creation (if approved) and system update.
Booking the makeup (client selects from available slots or staff assigns).
Notifications (confirmation to client, alert to tutor, calendar sync).
Audit trail (log every decision for disputes or reporting).
If you're doing this manually, every step is a potential error. If you're using makeup class tracking software, steps 2–7 happen automatically.
Define roles and SLAs
Who does what, and how fast?
Client: Submits request via portal (preferred) or email.
System: Auto-checks eligibility and issues credit if rules are met.
Staff: Reviews flagged cases within 24 hours, approves or denies, sends response.
Manager: Handles escalations (repeat requests, VIP clients, policy conflicts).
SLA example: All reschedule requests answered within one business day. Makeup slots offered within one week (or next available if high demand).
How Tutorbase reduces manual steps
Instead of juggling emails, spreadsheets, and calendar apps, Tutorbase gives you one place to handle the entire lifecycle, similar to best practices observed in retention-focused swim schools:
Portal requests. Clients submit reschedule requests through their account. No more inbox chaos.
Auto-eligibility rules. The system checks notice windows, credit balances, and policy limits—then approves or flags for review.
Auto-notifications. Clients and tutors get confirmations instantly. No one's left guessing.
Clean audit trail. Every request, approval, credit issue, and booking is logged. If a client disputes a charge three months later, you pull the record in 10 seconds.
Operator takeaway: Your team will enforce the policy if it's easy to follow. Automation isn't a luxury—it's how you ensure consistency at scale.
What Is a Lesson Credit System, and How Should You Structure It?
Think of a credit as a controlled liability. The client "owns" it, but you set the rules for how and when they can use it.
What a credit ledger tracks
Every credit should have:
Value (duration or dollar amount tied to the original session).
Issue date (when it was created).
Expiration date (your window of liability).
Eligible services (which tutors, subjects, or session types it can be used for).
Status (pending, used, expired, refunded).
Credit structure parameters
Here's what to define up front:
Expiration windows
Common ranges: 30 days, 60 days, end of term, or end of calendar year. Shorter windows reduce liability and encourage rebooking. Longer windows feel more generous but increase your balance sheet risk.
Transferability
Can credits move between siblings in the same household? Can they be gifted to another family? We recommend "household only" to prevent a secondary credit market.
Eligible tutors
Can clients use the credit with any tutor, or only their regular one? "Any tutor" improves utilization. "Regular tutor only" simplifies scheduling but can create bottlenecks.
Same duration only
A 60-minute credit should only book a 60-minute session. Don't let clients split or combine credits unless you've built that logic into your system.
Why credits beat refunds
When a client asks for a refund, that's cash out the door and a signal they're disengaging. As advised by Lessonmate, offering a credit keeps revenue on your books and encourages the student to return. Clean tracking makes this feel fair instead of stingy.
Operator takeaway: Credits are only as good as your tracking. Use software that shows balances, expiration alerts, and usage history—or you'll end up with disputes you can't resolve.
What Should You Look for in Makeup Class Tracking Software?
Not all scheduling tools are built for tutoring operations. Here's what actually matters.
Must-have features (and why they matter)
Feature | Why it matters | What to ask in a demo |
|---|---|---|
Automated rescheduling | Reduces inbox clutter and manual calendar updates | "Can clients request reschedules through a portal, and does the system auto-check eligibility?" |
Credit ledger with expiration tracking | Prevents disputes and shows liability at a glance | "Can I see all active credits, expiration dates, and usage history in one view?" |
Calendar sync | Keeps tutors and clients on the same page | "Does this integrate with Google/Outlook, or do I maintain two calendars?" |
Parent/client portal | Shifts scheduling work from your team to the client | "Can clients book, reschedule, and check credit balances without emailing us?" |
Billing integration | Auto-applies credits to invoices and tracks payments | "If I issue a credit, does it show up on the next invoice automatically?" |
Reporting and audit trails | Proves what happened when disputes arise | "Can I export a log of all reschedules, credits issued, and expirations for a specific client or date range?" |
Non-functional must-haves
Beyond features, look for:
Ease of use. If your team needs a manual to do basic tasks, adoption will fail.
Fast onboarding. Can you go live in days, not months?
Strong support. When something breaks at 5 PM on Friday, can you get help?
API access (if you're scaling). Multi-location centers need integrations with accounting, CRM, and payroll tools.
Why Tutorbase is purpose-built for this
Generic schedulers stop at calendar booking. They don't understand credits, lesson-specific billing, or the operational nuances of tutoring businesses. Tutorbase handles the full lifecycle: request intake, eligibility checks, credit issuance, makeup booking, tutor notifications, billing updates, and audit trails—all in one system. We solve the gaps often found in general wellness schedulers (like those discussed by WellnessLiving).
Operator takeaway: Choose software that was designed for tutoring operations, not repurposed from yoga studios or salons. The feature gaps will cost you time and money.
How Do You Roll Out a New Rescheduling Policy Without Upsetting Clients?
Change is hard. But a messy rollout is worse than no policy at all. Here's how to do it cleanly.
The rollout playbook (step by step)
Draft the policy. Write it in plain language. No legal jargon. Explain why each rule exists.
Internal test. Run it with your team for two weeks. Find the gaps before clients do.
Pilot with a small group. Choose 10–20 low-risk clients. Collect feedback and adjust.
Train your staff. Walk through every scenario: standard reschedule, late cancel, no-show, emergency exception. Practice the language they'll use with clients.
Publish everywhere. Add it to your website, booking confirmations, invoices, and onboarding packets. Make it impossible to miss.
Announce the change. Email all active clients with a clear effective date (at least two weeks out). Explain the "why" in terms they care about: fairness, reserved time, consistency.
Enforce consistently. No exceptions in the first 90 days unless it's a true emergency. Early inconsistency kills credibility.
Messaging principles
When you communicate the policy, focus on:
Fairness. "This ensures every family gets the time they've reserved."
Respect for tutors. "Our tutors prepare for every session. Late cancels leave gaps we can't fill."
Consistency. "We're applying the same rules to everyone, so no one gets special treatment."
Avoid apologizing for boundaries. You're running a business, not a favor factory.
Change-management tips
Grandfathering options
If you're moving from "unlimited makeups" to "credits with expiration," consider a transition period. Example: "Clients enrolled before March 1 get 90-day credits; new clients get 60-day credits."
One-time courtesy credits
Give everyone one bonus credit as a goodwill gesture when you launch the new policy. It softens the change and shows you're not being punitive.
Firm effective date
Don't let the rollout drag. Pick a date, stick to it, and don't cave when the first parent pushes back.
Operator takeaway: Clients respect boundaries when you communicate them clearly and enforce them fairly. The chaos comes from inconsistency, not from having rules.
What Are Three Plug-and-Play Policy Templates You Can Copy Today?
Here are three ready-to-use templates. Pick the one that fits your business model, tweak the details, and publish.
Template 1: Strict (best for high-demand programs)
Makeup & Rescheduling Policy
We reserve your lesson time exclusively for you. If you need to cancel, please provide at least 48 hours' notice.
48+ hours' notice: No charge. Your session is forfeited, but you may request a makeup if available.
Less than 48 hours or no-show: Full charge applies. No makeup offered.
Tutor cancellations: We will reschedule at no charge or issue a credit valid for 60 days.
Emergencies: Medical or family emergencies (with documentation) may qualify for a one-time exception per year.
Makeups are subject to tutor availability and must be scheduled within 30 days of the original session. We do not offer refunds for missed lessons.
Best for: Tutors with waitlists, premium pricing, or limited capacity.
Watch-outs: Retention risk if your market expects flexibility. Communicate the "why" clearly during onboarding.
Template 2: Balanced (best for growing centers)
Makeup & Rescheduling Policy
We understand that schedules change. To keep things fair for everyone, we follow these guidelines:
48+ hours' notice: Free reschedule. We'll issue a lesson credit valid for 60 days.
24–48 hours' notice: $15 late-cancel fee. You'll receive a credit for the remaining session value.
Less than 24 hours or no-show: Full charge, no credit. One emergency exception per term with documentation.
Tutor cancellations: Automatic credit or priority rebooking within two weeks.
Credits expire 60 days from issue date and are valid for sessions of equal length with any tutor in the same subject. Credits are non-transferable outside your household.
Best for: Multi-tutor centers that want controlled flexibility and clean tracking.
Watch-outs: You need software to manage credit expiration and prevent disputes. Don't run this manually.
Template 3: Flexible (best for retention-focused solo tutors)
Makeup & Rescheduling Policy
Life happens, and we're here to work with you. Here's how we handle schedule changes:
Any notice: You may reschedule up to two lessons per term at no charge. Just let us know as soon as possible.
After two reschedules: Additional reschedules incur a $10 admin fee.
No-shows without notice: Full charge applies.
Tutor cancellations: We'll reschedule or offer a bonus session.
Makeups must be scheduled within 90 days and are subject to availability. We'll do our best to find a time that works for both of us.
Best for: Solo tutors with light schedules and high-touch client relationships.
Watch-outs: Admin load grows fast as you add clients. Track reschedules in a system, not in your head.
Ready-to-use micro-copy for invoices and confirmations
Booking confirmation:
"Your session is reserved. If you need to reschedule, please provide at least 48 hours' notice to receive a credit. Late cancels and no-shows are non-refundable."
Invoice note:
"Missed sessions are charged in full per our policy. Questions? View the full policy at [yoursite.com/policy]."
Dispute reply:
"We understand your frustration. Our policy ensures fairness for all families and allows us to reserve dedicated time for each student. A copy of the policy was provided at enrollment and is available at [yoursite.com/policy]. We're happy to discuss how we can support you going forward."
Tutorbase lets you auto-insert policy reminders into booking confirmations, invoices, and email templates—so you don't have to remember every time.
Operator takeaway: Templates get you 80% of the way there. Customize the notice windows and fees to match your pricing, then publish and enforce.
How Do You Handle Edge Cases Without Creating Loopholes?
Policies cover the common scenarios. Edge cases test whether your team can think on their feet without undermining the rules.
Common edge cases (and how to handle them)
Repeated late cancels from the same client: Pattern behavior signals disengagement or a scheduling mismatch. After three late cancels in a term, escalate to the manager for a "fit" conversation. Offer to adjust their standing time or pause the program. Don't keep charging fees indefinitely.
Long vacations (3+ weeks): Let clients "pause" their subscription or pay to hold the time slot without taking sessions. Don't issue makeup credits for voluntary time off.
Illness notes: Require documentation only if it's a repeated pattern. One sick day with a parent email? Approve the credit. Three in a month? Ask for a doctor's note or suggest pausing until they're healthy.
Group sessions: If one student in a group cancels, the session runs for the others. That student forfeits unless you can fill the spot from a waitlist.
Multi-student households: Allow credit sharing within the household only. Don't let one sibling's credit become a free-for-all.
Tutor changes mid-term: If a client requests a different tutor, existing credits stay valid. If you change the tutor (termination, scheduling conflict), issue bonus credits as goodwill.
Package expiration: Clearly state whether unused sessions convert to credits or expire. We recommend expiration to protect revenue, with a 30-day grace window for VIP clients.
Decision tree for your team
Can staff approve on the spot? Yes, if it's a standard reschedule, documented emergency, or first-time request.
Does it need manager approval? Yes, if it's a repeat pattern, policy conflict, high-value client, or potential refund.
Is it a hard no? Yes, if the client is violating the policy repeatedly, refusing to provide documentation, or demanding a refund outside your terms.
Recordkeeping is your defense
Every edge case should be logged in your system: what happened, who approved it, and why. When disputes escalate, a clean audit trail is worth more than any conversation recap. Also, check your local consumer protection laws. Some jurisdictions require specific refund windows or contract terms.
Operator takeaway: Edge cases are inevitable. Handle them with empathy and consistency. Log everything, escalate when needed, and never let one exception become the new rule.
What KPIs Prove Your Policy Is Working?
You can't improve what you don't measure. Here are the metrics that tell you whether your policy is protecting revenue and keeping operations smooth.
The core KPI set
Reschedule rate: (Total reschedule requests ÷ Total scheduled sessions) × 100. Good: <10%. Bad: >20%. High rates signal scheduling mismatches or too much flexibility.
Late-cancel rate: (Late cancels ÷ Total sessions) × 100. Good: <5%. Bad: >10%. If this spikes, tighten your notice window or raise late fees.
No-show rate: (No-shows ÷ Total sessions) × 100. Good: <2%. Bad: >5%. High no-shows = poor engagement or unclear policy. Send more reminders or require prepayment.
Credit liability balance: Total outstanding credit value at month-end. Good: Declining month-over-month. Bad: Growing faster than revenue. This is unfulfilled liability. If it's climbing, you're not booking makeups fast enough—or your expiration windows are too long.
Credit breakage rate (expiry rate): (Expired credits ÷ Total issued credits) × 100. Good: 20–40%. Bad: <10% or >60%. Some expiration is healthy (it's margin protection). Too much suggests clients feel the policy is unfair.
Makeup fulfillment rate: (Makeups booked ÷ Credits issued) × 100. Good: 60–80%. Bad: <50%. Low fulfillment means you're not offering enough slots—or clients aren't motivated to rebook.
Tutor utilization rate: (Billable hours ÷ Total available hours) × 100. Good: 75–85%. Bad: <60%. Your policy should reduce calendar gaps, not create them.
Churn rate (post-policy launch): (Clients lost ÷ Total clients at start of period) × 100. Good: <5% per quarter. Bad: Spike >10% in the first 90 days. A small uptick is normal when you tighten rules.
How to use the data
Month 1: Baseline. Expect noise as clients and staff adjust.
Month 2–3: Look for trends. Are late cancels dropping? Is credit liability stable?
Month 4+: Optimize. If reschedule rates are high but utilization is fine, you can stay flexible. If liability is climbing, shorten expiration windows.
Tie it back to Tutorbase
Every one of these KPIs lives in your Tutorbase dashboard. You can export credit balances, fulfillment rates, and session histories without building custom reports or wrestling with spreadsheets.
Operator takeaway: Monthly KPI reviews turn your policy from a "set it and forget it" document into a lever you can pull to improve margins, retention, and operations.
How Should You Price Makeups, Late-Cancel Fees, and Flexibility?
Pricing isn't just about covering costs. It's about shaping behavior and protecting your calendar.
Pricing principles
Late cancels are a capacity loss.
When a client cancels with short notice, you've already blocked the time and paid (or reserved) the tutor. You can't fill the slot, so you've lost revenue and incurred cost. Your late-cancel fee should cover the tutor's compensation plus a portion of overhead.
Example: If your tutor earns $30/hour and your overhead is $10/hour, charge at least $20–25 for a late cancel. That keeps you neutral instead of losing money.
Flexibility has a price.
If you want to offer flexible rescheduling tutoring options (like "two free reschedules per term"), bake the cost into your pricing. Add $5–10 per session to cover the admin time and calendar risk. Clients who value flexibility will pay. Clients who don't will appreciate that you're not subsidizing others' chaos.
Three ways to structure it
Option 1: Flat late fee. Charge $15–25 per late cancel, regardless of session length. Simple to communicate, easy to enforce.
Option 2: Percentage of lesson rate. Charge 50% of the session rate for late cancels. Scales with pricing tier.
Option 3: "One free, then fee". Offer one courtesy late cancel per term, then charge the fee. Balances goodwill with accountability.
Simple ROI model
Let's say you run a 10-tutor center and each tutor has two late cancels per month.
Manual approach:
20 late cancels × 30 minutes each = 10 hours/month of admin time.
At $20/hour admin cost = $200/month, or $2,400/year.
Automated approach (with Tutorbase):
Same 20 late cancels, but the system auto-checks eligibility, issues credits, and notifies everyone.
Admin time drops to 5 hours/month (just handling escalations).
You save $1,200/year in labor.
Add in fewer refund disputes (another $500–1,000/year) and higher utilization from better tracking (call it $2,000/year in recovered revenue), and your total ROI is $3,700–4,200 annually—against a software cost of maybe $1,200/year.
Operator takeaway: Pricing late fees isn't about being punitive. It's about protecting your business from calendar chaos and ensuring clients respect the time you've reserved for them. And the right software makes the whole system pay for itself.
FAQs about Rescheduling and Makeups
What rescheduling window is fair but still protects capacity?
48 hours is the industry standard for a free reschedule. It gives you time to fill the slot or adjust tutor schedules. Anything shorter (like 24 hours) feels tight to clients; anything longer (like 72 hours) limits spontaneous bookings. Tier it: 48+ hours = free, 24–48 = fee, <24 = no credit.
How do I switch from refunds to credits without losing clients?
Communicate the "why" clearly: credits let you hold their value while keeping operations fair for everyone. Sweeten the transition by offering a one-time bonus credit or a longer expiration window (90 days instead of 60). Most clients accept it when you explain that refunds signal disengagement, while credits signal partnership.
Should credits expire, and what expiry window is reasonable?
Yes, credits should expire. Without expiration, your liability grows indefinitely and clients lose urgency to rebook. Common windows: 30–90 days. Shorter windows protect revenue; longer windows feel generous. For most centers, 60 days is the sweet spot. Tutorbase sends auto-reminders before credits expire, so clients can't claim they "forgot."
Can clients use a makeup with any tutor, or only their regular tutor?
It depends on your model. "Any tutor" improves utilization and makes scheduling easier. "Regular tutor only" simplifies operations but can create bottlenecks. We recommend "any tutor in the same subject" as a middle ground. Track it in your system so you're not making manual judgment calls.
How do I handle repeated late cancellations from the same client?
After three late cancels in one term, escalate to a manager for a conversation. The pattern usually signals a scheduling mismatch, not malice. Offer to adjust their standing time, switch to drop-in sessions, or pause the program. Don't keep charging fees forever—it damages the relationship and signals you're only interested in revenue, not outcomes.
What's the cleanest way to track and audit credits to prevent disputes?
Use makeup class tracking software with a built-in credit ledger. Every credit should show issue date, expiration, usage status, and a full history of who approved it and why. When a client disputes a charge, you pull the record in seconds instead of digging through emails. Tutorbase logs every credit transaction automatically, so your audit trail is always clean.
How many "flexible reschedules" should a subscription include?
Two per term is a good baseline for most businesses. It covers legitimate schedule conflicts without opening the door to chronic rescheduling. If you want to offer more, raise your subscription price to cover the admin cost and calendar risk. Always set a cap—"unlimited reschedules" is a recipe for chaos.
Conclusion: What's the Simplest Policy You Can Start With This Week?
If you're starting from scratch, here's the balanced default we recommend:
Credits with expiry, tiered notice windows, and clear tutor-cancel rules.
Specifically:
48+ hours' notice = free credit, valid 60 days.
24–48 hours = $15 late fee + partial credit.
<24 hours or no-show = no credit, full charge (one emergency exception per term).
Tutor cancels = automatic credit or priority rebooking.
Run it as a 30-day pilot with a small client group. Track reschedule rate, credit liability, and client feedback. After 30 days, tighten or loosen based on what the data tells you.
Then review your KPIs monthly: reschedule rate, no-show rate, credit breakage, and utilization. Adjust the levers (notice window, fees, expiration) until you hit the right balance of flexibility and margin protection.
Why Tutorbase is the Fastest Path from Policy to Profit
A policy is only as good as your ability to enforce it. Tutorbase automates the reschedule-to-credit lifecycle so your team doesn't spend hours in spreadsheets or email threads. Clients submit requests through a portal, the system checks eligibility, issues credits with expiration tracking, sends notifications, and logs everything for disputes. You get clean reporting, fewer admin hours, and revenue protection at scale—all in one platform.
Ready to stop losing revenue to calendar chaos? Start your free trial at Tutorbase and see how a real makeup lesson policy tutoring system works in under 10 minutes.
