Tennis club owners, how much of your time do you spend chasing payments?
Or manually calculating just how much each member owes you? Adding in membership fees, discount offers, late fees (come on, we all know you should be charging them…), the amount of admin work that goes into simply getting paid is ludicrous.
And that time you've spent calculating, chasing, and chasing again? You don't get paid for that. It's time you could be spending training another player, growing your business, or being with your family and friends.
Enough is enough. With Class Manager tennis club management software, you can set up automated billing systems so you never have to worry about missing a payment again. Better still, you can choose a payment structure that works best for you and your club.
Below, we're running through the top three payment methods all tennis clubs should offer, all of which can be fully automated with Class Manager.
1. Pay As You Go
What are the Pay As You Go payment options for Tennis clubs?
Exactly what it says on the tin. Pay As You Go is a payment system built around paying for each session, match, or one-to-one lesson as it's booked. No rolling contract, no monthly fees, just pay for what you attend.
This model is particularly attractive to players who want to learn at their own pace, or whose schedule doesn't allow for a regular weekly commitment right now. It lowers the barrier to entry, making it easy for new players to give your club a try.
Benefits of Pay as You Go:
Simple and transparent — players always know exactly what they're paying for
A powerful marketing tool: people are far more likely to try a new tennis club when there's no long-term financial commitment
Payments can be collected automatically at the point of booking
Easy for families to manage through the Class Manager student enrollment and management portal
2. Monthly / Regular Billing
What is monthly billing?
Perfect for committed students who attend multiple lessons each month or term. Regular, automated billing can be configured on whatever schedule suits your members — weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. However, it works best for the player or parent; Class Manager can accommodate it.
And yes, you guessed it: if a card is saved on file, payments are collected automatically. No chasing, no reminders, no awkward conversations.
Benefits of monthly billing for your tennis club:
Great for student retention — regular billing keeps players engaged and committed
Players who pay consistently are more likely to show up consistently
Provides a predictable, reliable income stream, making cash flow planning far easier
Reduces admin time significantly, freeing you up to focus on coaching
3. Pay Upfront
What is it?
Some tennis clubs prefer to lock in their players from the very beginning — and one of the most effective ways to do this is by charging for the full term or season upfront. It's a simple, no-nonsense approach that benefits both the club and the player.
Benefits or upfront payments:
You receive the full payment immediately, giving you funds to invest back into your club
Players who have paid upfront are significantly less likely to drop out — they've already invested their time and money in you
Eliminates the risk of missed or late payments mid-term
Provides a strong financial foundation at the start of each new season
How Can Class Manager Help?
When you set up your classes and seasons in Class Manager, you can select which payment methods you want to offer — just one, or all three, giving your students the flexibility to choose. When they sign up for classes or training through your family portal (or when you manually enrol them), they can select the option that suits them best. From there, the automated billing system takes care of everything.
(One note: for the Pay Upfront option, students won't be confirmed onto their sessions until payment has been received — so you're always covered.)
Want to find out more about how automated payments could save you hours of admin every week? Book a demo with our team, or create your free account here.
Want to find out more? See our latest blog posts and resources:
The Wimbledon Effect: How Tennis Coaches Can Profit From Summer's Biggest Tennis Moment
Three Reasons Why Auto Pay Is The Way Forward For Dance Studios
Webinar: Transitioning from Termly to Monthly Payments: Mastering the Shift for Dance Studios
Keep Your Payments in Perfect Rhythm – Get Paid On Time with Automation!
