Terms and conditions for course ordering and payments

These apply to all course related transactions and ordering, unless specifically overridden by email from me with the customer.

Travel

I usually ask my clients to book the flights and hotels for me(more commitment to not cancel the course without giving it serious thought). Flights are usually business class flights (I arrive the night before the course - and I need to be fresh and ready for it).

Securing a course date

To secure a course date, I ask for 5% of the total course fee (without flights or travel costs) up front. The date is *not* considered secure until the payment notification has arrived to me personally. I will provide you with a special link through which you will be able to pay this fee. this link changes for each course and customer. This pre-payment will be deducted from the end-invoice you will receive when the course is over.

Securing course fees are non refundable even if the course is canceled at any time.

Why?

It takes lots of my time to do all the administrative stuff to get courses up and running. Also, scheduling a course means I have to say no to other customers who want that month’s course as well (I can only travel once per month). 5% covers that time and makes sure people take the date seriously.

Payment terms and late fees

Payment will be due within one week of the invoice date. I do not accept NET, NET-30 or NET-60 payments at all. You will receive the invoice to pay when the course ends.

If payment does not arrive within two weeks of invoice date, You will be charged an extra 2% for each two weeks that pass by. 

Why?

I’ve had bad experiences with some customers not paying for up to 3 months after the course had been done. This kind of behavior makes me write these terms, because sometimes that’s the only thing payment departments respect. I wish I could just rely on basic human decency, but I’ve been burnt enough times to know when I’m being too naive.

Canceling a course

• You can cancel a course up to 45 days before the course begins without any charge (except the initial secure course fee which is non refundable)
• If you cancel a course between 45 and 30 days of the course start date, you will be charged 20% of the total expected course fee (on top of the secure source fee).
• If you cancel a course between 30 and 15 days of the course start date, you will be charged 50% of the total expected course fee (on top of the secure source fee).
• If you cancel a course within 15 days of the course start date, you will be charged 80% of the total expected course fee (on top of the secure source fee).
• If I find out that the course has been canceled and no one even bothered to tell me about it (yes that actually happened) within 30 days of the course starting, you will be charged 100% of the expected course fee
• In any case of cancellation, if I had already booked flight tickets or hotel tickets to be there at your course, you will be charged full reimbursement of those costs (with attached invoices for them of course) on top of the charges listed above.

Why?

These requirements are based on some previously bad experiences with people freely canceling courses as if my time and work didn’t matter. I work hard to make these things happen, and when I schedule a course, I have to turn down other customers for those dates. Since I’m only able to travel once per month, if your course is canceled, I’m basically out of income for that month. This is to make sure that people do not take lightly canceling the course, and that if that happens to be the case, that I don’t lose income (it’s usually too late to get other courses in such a short timeframe).