Hi all, I will be careful what I say to not be outing so please bear with me. Posting here for traffic.
I run a tutoring company with DH. Our main area is 11+ for one of the specific exam boards. We used to write the real exams, worked in education a while, and so we are good at what we do. We are fairly new to the market (<2 years).
We sell our papers and also run mock exams. One of the issues I am having is that parents will ALWAYS ask for more, extra help (they even found my personal Facebook). They will send voice notes, message, call. I used to be too accommodating, helping answer the questions (even though we also have paid-for tutoring services...). But now I am quite angered by it, we are still getting our name out there but already have a very good reputation of being 'the best' for mocks (we predict papers well but this, of course, isn't guaranteed) I always felt that my constant accessibility (ALL TIMES OF THE NIGHT) was helping. But now I have realised that I am being taken advantage of.
The busier mock companies do not get the same as what we do, they're actually quite blunt to the point of being rude, parents complain about them, the product is OK, neither great nor awful, yet they continue to book the exams with them (as well as us). We are also cheaper (our prices increase next year).
I suppose I really had enough when a client (we consult so provide the extra service where we do answer all the questions for a fee) asked about another mock provider they tried which is popular. I read the reviews and noted a client from the previous year leaving a stellar 5 review, yet didn't leave me one, despite them calling me incessantly to help with more beyond their mock result (will they get in? how does it work? he is here on the waiting list, what does it mean? etc). Why didn't they ask the other provider if they are so 5 worthy?
I've also had it the other way, where at midnight I did not respond to an email from a parent who purchased a downloadable paper and couldn't figure out how to press the 'download' button, so began threatening me with chargeback on their card etc. I eventually was woken up due to the incessant alerts on my personal phone / Facebook / Google Chat / email (the purchase had occurred half hour earlier).
I don't have children (yet) so I suppose parents are just trying to do what they can but I wouldn't dream of this. So what is the best solution?
YABU - this is normal and part of owning a business, stop moaning
YANBU - you're being taken advantage of.