A new 2016 entering student whose first language is English started to take the piano lessons January, and his mother who perhaps doesn't speak and write Japanese well asked me some questions about the fees of OK studio piano class and I answered them. The following Q and A are based on the chat we took in English using LINE App.
Q: Hello sensei, thank you so much for your advise. I am sorry for not checking earlier, but my kids have a christmas party they have to go to on Saturday the 12th and we leave for ●● (her home country) on the 19th. I think it makes sense to start in January. So finally can we book 3.45 for ○○ (her son's name) on Wednesday afternoons from January? Please confirm sensei and thank you for your patience.
A: I understood what you said. I agree with you on the whole. ○○ can have his lesson from January, 3:45-4:15 every Wednesday, and I'd like to know what date he will take the first lesson.
Q: Thank you sensei. Can he start on the 6th Jan?
A: Yes, he can. I book him on Wednesday 6. Please get in touch anytime if you have any questions or need some help.
2015 had gone, 2016 came.
Q: Happy New Year sensei! ○○ (her son's name) is looking forward to the lesson! Sensei, may I ask again about the fees? There is one at 2,000 per session and another pacakge 10,000. How many sessions does the latter cover?
A: A 30-minutes lesson costs 2,000 yen. A 60-minutes lesson costs 3,000 yen; however, if you take a 60-minutes lesson four times a month, all you pay is 10,000 yen. The latter covers 4 sessions spending 60 minutes each. This is a monthly payment system.
Q: Sensei, we would like to have the 10,000 per month course as my son is really eager to improve his piano skills. Do you have another 30 minutes slot for him on Wednesday afternoon or Saturday afternoon?
A: I am available at 3pm on Saturdays. Would you like to shift today's lesson to Saturday 9? I will be able to offer a 60-minutes lesson from 3pm every Saturday this month, 9, 16, 23 and 30.
Q: Yes. That would be great. Could it be possible to have the lesson on the 30th moved to today 6th (30 min as he has been looking forward to it and 27th the other 30 min as we are going to skiing on the 30th)?
A: I am sorry but you cannot devide a 60-minutes lesson into two 30-minutes lessons in the monthly payment system.
Q: I understand. Can you accommodate him today for a 1h lesson instead of the 30th?
A: I am very sorry but other students' lessons occupy before 3:45 and right after 4:15. However, I can offer a lesson 5:15-6:15pm.
Q: OK Sensei, we will take the 5:15 slot. Thank you.
A: I am glad to hear that it is convenient for ○○ to have a lesson 5:15-6:15 today instead of 30th.
Q: Thank you for arranging sensei! See you soon!
A: My pleasure! Thank you for his entering the piano class!
What's the Monthly Payment System of Our Piano Class?
The monthly payment system requires the students to fix the lesson day of the week. For instance, once you decide to take the lesson every Thursday 4 times a month, basically you cannot change the dates except when you are sick or you have some school event or some accident unavoidable.
If you often need to change the lesson dates, it is appropriate for you to take the lessons one-by-one basis, though each lesson costs 3,000 yen an hour. In this case, you don't have to take the lesson 4 times but at least take it once a month.
by Ko Ito
