Even in 2009 when using spreadsheets to manage their operations may have been more common than using online software for dance studios, Nancy Tolbert-Yilmaz knew there had to be a ‘better way’! She was still using the index card method that she originated when she opened her dance studio in 1979. Outstanding accounts totaling $16K and collection fees of about ‘20 percent per’ were burying her.
Jackrabbit Dance helped Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance thrive
“We could only go on for so long with our hugely high outstanding accounts total.” Nancy Tolbert-Yilmaz
There were 2 goals she needed to accomplish to resolve the studio’s dire position and fight her way back:
- Change the studio’s tuition collection policy
- Go on Jackrabbit Dance
Nancy instituted a ‘pay first and last month’ policy for customers as well as one that requires up-to-date tuition for students to get their recital costume(s). In 2010, Nancy implemented Jackrabbit Dance.
Goals 1 and 2 – done!
With the new software, Nancy found a clear view of outstanding accounts. Costume order requests were matched up to outstanding balances and the software basically collected them for her.
The next year, Tolbert-Yilmaz School of Dance had only three outstanding accounts totaling less $500. Boom!
“I can’t say enough good things about Jackrabbit. The software gave us real comeback power and literally saved our business.” Nancy Tolbert-Yilmaz
The devil is in the details
It’s not just Nancy and her husband and business partner, Tolbert Yilmaz (leader in the dance fashion industry), who sing the praises of Jackrabbit. The entire staff is ecstatic over the way it helps keep them operationally organized. Everyone on staff can track minute details – such as costume measurements – without going crazy. And once entered in the database, the software manages and organizes all the details – making them readily available and easy for Nancy to send to vendors.
For example, upon last minute notice Nancy learned that 85 of her students didn’t have costumes they needed for Christmas. Nancy was able to go into Jackrabbit and generate the order in just
How Jackrabbit Dance features can transform the workday
Jackrabbit Dance changed how Nancy and her staff conduct their workday. Automating processes like enrollment and tuition collection saved time that she was able to use to do more ‘interactive’ activities. Paper and index cards are totally absent from the office and repetitive data entry just doesn’t happen. The studio enjoys high productivity levels and, because most tasks are done with minimal human intervention, accuracy soars.
“Not only does it take less time to do what we have to do, our work is more accurate. Our customers surely appreciate that. And it enables our school to thrive!” Nancy Tolbert-Yilmaz
