Lesson payment etiquette for EFT
Found in: Forms & Organization
Sue C., Australia
Payment to me for lessons used to be mostly in cash, but now more people are direct depositing to my bank account.
Up until now I have not acknowledged receipt of these, but I wonder, would it be better if I sent them a email acknowledging and thanking them for receipt of their payments? I don’t really want to do this, but just wondering what the normal thing is?
Kerry V., Australia
I used to give out receipts, this was more for me to have a paper trail of payments. Now though I write down who paid for what, cash, check or direct deposit. If they have paid DD I always send a quick and short email “Your payment has come through, thank you”.
Cate R., Australia
I have been asking people to email me their receipt once they paid, I don’t email back but acknowledge them personally as they arrive for their lessons with something like ‘ I saw your payment today, thank you very much’ or ‘thank you, I saw your payment today /yesterday etc’. I used to send out envelopes with students 2 weeks prior but just recently I’ve just started emailing them out, I do still send a hard copy home with those that either don’t check or even have an email. My new system seems to be working in my attempt to go paperless. I just think that if I had to respond to all my students it just cuts into even more office time. I hope that helps.
Fiona H.
I do a simple email for all payments made into my bank account, whether it be big or small, so there’s a history I can search on my email if need be and also because of good business practice. I have this personal theory that if students pay promptly, they get a prompt answer back from me – it acknowledges their effort in doing the payment and keeps it all paperless. Via email you can copy and paste your receipt ‘sentence’ which makes it quicker too (I change mine slightly to state the payment amt and the date rec’d for each one). Each receipt takes me about 10 sec’s as I have my internet banking open at the same time and just flick back and forward between the screens. When I do receipts, I simply open their invoice and forward it back to them with the receipt written below:
“Dear X
Your payment of $X for the below invoice has been received on X. This is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards”