Class Manager

Revelation School of Dance Review of Class Manager

Comments: This software is really easy to use. Its make the admin side of my business so much easier particularly when it comes to invoicing. The best part of Class Manager is the extremely helpful staff. Any problems that arise are resolved that day and somebody is always on hand to help. In a world of pre-recorded messages and company’s wanting you to email through with queries Class Manager is a breath of fresh air. Being able to pick up the phone and speak to one of their representatives who are so happy to help is worth every penny.
Class Manager is excellent for Dance schools as you can do everything from registers to invoicing. I recommend them constantly to all of my dance teacher friends. They are also always to keen to hear opinions and suggestions from their clients.

Pros:

Personally being able to pick up the phone and have somebody answer any questions straight away. The staff are so friendly and happy to help.

Cons:

Honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this software.

Alternatives Considered: ClassForKids

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: The training session for site sold it for me. It was so helpful and easy to use.

Excellent software with exceptional customer support!

Comments: Excellent, their customer service is exceptional. Even with the time difference (I am in Australia and the support team is UK based) I find the responses prompt and efficient they follow up on issues as well to ensure all has been resolved. The overall branding, ease of use, customer support, and parent portal makes Class Manager an excellent system for dance schools.
After the initial set up it, it will save you hours in admin time.

Pros:

The overall interface of Class Manager is a simple easy to use menu option. The main menu homepage has a snapshot of the day's lessons, outstanding invoices and upcoming events/birthdays. Invoices are easy to bulk generate and simple to view send and track, for the user they are clearly itemized and easy to read. Class rolls are clear and easy to mark, children only need to be marked if they are absent which is a huge timesaver.

Cons:

Initially, Class Manager lacked quite a few basic features needed to operate a simple roll system for a dance school. However, in the 9 months I have been subscribed to Class Manager almost all features have since been added, many thanks to their excellent support team. There are still a few minor things that could be improved, such as adjusting invoices after they have been generated (it is possible but quite involved), additional payment options to allocate a payment too. I also found the initial set up of classes very tedious, however, once created seasons can simply be copied to the next which saves a lot of time. Some feedback from staff is it can be hard to mark rolls after the day of classes, by this I think they mean that they have to manually search for the class within the system. Perhaps a setlist of each employer's classes to easily refer back to would be a solution to this issue. Lastly, for parents who are paying invoices off in installments, they cannot see the amount remaining from heir end only the total amount that was outstanding. This creates a lot of additional admin time for the administrator.

Alternatives Considered: Google Forms and DanceBiz

Reasons for Choosing Class Manager: Cost.

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: 1, Cost. 2, Referral by a fellow dance teacher. When I first joined Class Manager it was a very basic feature software, still excellent value for money but lacking a lot of basic features. As mentioned above 9 months later the amount of features that have been added has transformed it into a system that meets every need.

A complete disaster

Comments: Our experience with Class Manager has been nothing short of disastrous, and we deeply regret our decision to switch to this software. It has proven to be the worst class management system we have ever encountered in over 20 years of running our business. What was promised to be a streamlined, efficient solution has turned out to be an unprofessional, clunky, and overly complicated platform, lacking many essential features that are critical for smooth business operations. From the very start, we faced numerous issues. The interface is incredibly user-unfriendly, making simple tasks unnecessarily complex. Instead of simplifying our workload, the system has created an endless stream of new problems, which has significantly increased the amount of time and effort we need to invest in managing day-to-day tasks. Payments are routinely mishandled—on multiple occasions, customers have been charged twice, leading to complaints and frustration from parents, and in some cases, refund requests. Error messages are a constant occurrence, and problems with invoicing and payment processing have become a regular headache. The system seems to fail at its most basic functions, often leaving us scrambling to fix issues it should have prevented in the first place. We were completely misled during the sales process. The features that were promised to us either don’t exist or are so poorly implemented that they are unusable. The customer service has only exacerbated the situation. Despite reaching out numerous times for support, we are often met with either no response or unhelpful answers that fail to address the core issues we are facing. It’s clear that this company does not prioritize customer satisfaction or even understand the real-world needs of the businesses using their platform. The decision to switch to Class Manager has not only wasted our time and money but has also damaged our relationship with our clients, who have become increasingly frustrated with the system's failures. What was meant to simplify our operations has resulted in increased workloads, stress, and countless hours spent trying to resolve issues that should never have occurred in the first place. In hindsight, switching to Class Manager was a colossal mistake and has caused more harm than good. We strongly advise others to avoid making the same error. Spend a little extra on a more reliable system—doing so will save you from the overwhelming frustration, stress, and regret that we are currently facing.

Pros:

We completely regret ever switching to Class Manager

Cons:

Everything, it is such a clumsy, glitchy software.

Brilliant customer service

Comments: One of the best things about Class Manager is the customer service, which I think is outstanding. There are several ways you can contact them to ask a question and I always receive a speedy reply. There was a time that I had an issue with my account and the team responded well. They went through a lengthy process to ensure the problem was fixed and followed up with me afterwards to make sure I was happy with the outcome.

Pros:

I love having lots of my business elements all in one place including customer information, student records, registers, timetables, invoices, payments, staff records, emails and more). It's easy to use and I have my staff set up with their own logins so that they can access registers and medical information when required but I can limit their access to other private information. The invoicing function saves me a lot of time. Another point that is great about Class Manager is that they are always improving the software. They actively ask users for feedback to ensure they provide what dance school owners need and regularly add new features.

Cons:

I would really like a few tweeks to the online registration process on the software as at the moment this doesn't quite provide what I need it to but I understand that is currently under review. It would be brilliant if it could link up with accounting software in the future.

Alternatives Considered: membermeister

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: I was aware that it was created by the same developers of Stage Stubs and was really impressed by that software so was keen to see what else they could create. It was also priced very reasonably compared to other similar products. I also liked the fact that the price was fixed regardless of the number of customers you have on the database (many other companies increase the amount you pay when you add more customers).

Best decision we could have made!

Comments: Class Manager made our customer/student management a lot easier, quicker and more reliable. We can really manage most of our tasks from within this system which also means all info is in one place and therefor always current. Initially, we did not see how moving away from Excel spreadsheets would open a whole new world for us, but it really did! Also, we can have more than one person working "within the system" at the same time without data corruption - try that in Excel!

Pros:

Having outgrown Excel Sheets, we were looking for the best solution for our theatre school. Originally, we were a bit hesitant because we were early adopters and are using Class Manager from abroad (Germany). However, neither proved to be problematic. Class Manager has been very easy to set up, it works very intuitively and should you encounter any issues (which in our cases have been mostly user generated issues), provides top notch customer service - very quick and efficient. Whilst we thought that value for money has been great initially, a lot of new features have been added on a regular basis without increasing pricing - which makes value for money extremely great! We found that requirements for the use of a tool like Class Manager very dramatically from user to user. Some of the newer features we did not use, but one of the things we find very useful is that you can simply "hide" those features making the backend as complicated as you need but as simple as possible.

Cons:

No complaints at all. The Class Manager team even helped us import our data from good old Excel!

An easy to use and ever improving system

Comments: Excellent customer service. Excellent value for money. We looked around at many other platforms and before we heard of Class Manager were going to set up LoveAdmin - until the customer service we received was atrocious and luckily we found Class Manager. The team have been helpful and instructive from day one, and you certainly aren't forgotten about as a customer once you've signed up.

Pros:

I like the ease of use of the software and its layout - things are where you expect them to be. It is an attractive looking interface from both customer and client point of view. There are many good features to the software and it is excellent value for money. I like the functionality of the registers, having all the information in one place on a system such as this is much more professional and easier to administrate as a manager and the dashboard is great for an overview of the business.

Cons:

There is nothing that I like 'least' about the software. I am really impressed that every recommendation that we have made to improve the functionality or recommendations from other users is considered, addressed and ultimately put on the list of things to improve. These include GoCardless integration for monthly invoicing, a text message system and being able to download reports on classes, number and finances.

Alternatives Considered: Jackrabbit Dance, LoveAdmin and Google Sheets

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: The other platforms either had bad customer service, didn't have all the functions we needed or they weren't being developed, or didn't seem as user friendly.

Great app for managing out Gymnastics Club

Comments: Overall, I am very happy with class manager and it makes running my gymnastics club a lot easier and it is very well priced. The team find it very easy to use.

Pros:

I really like many features about class manager. Being able to sign new customers up easily and grab all their details. I like being able to offer a free trial and then the system automatically checks with the customer to get information about whether they would like to continue. The ease of being able to check if customer Direct Debits have been set up.

Cons:

I wish the system would gain the customer address as when they enrol with us we have to then gain this separately.

Great Software to make life easier!

Comments: A great company. lots of great features and they are always looking to create new features. They listen to suggestions from their consumers too. Great response rate from support staff too.

Pros:

A massive help for myself in terms of invoicing. I was always having to manually mark off invoices against the bank and was very time consuming. So it has saved me so much time.

Cons:

The class invoicing seems a bit tricky. but i may just need to sit down and get my head round it.

Time saver

Pros:

The things we at En Pointe Theatre Arts enjoy about class manager is the online scheduling as a way for parents and teachers to check class times if needed as well as the ability to input school holidays so parents are aware of the school holidays. The system also saves a lot of time on admin and gives parents and easy way to register for classes. The new maps feature is definitely useful in plotting where to hand out leaflets in the local community.

Cons:

Class manager could be improved by implementing a make up class feature where students can be added to another register just for one class if they missed their usual class due to illness

Great software… fabulous customer service and help

Comments: Class manager is the full package! We run all of our scheduling and customer management through it. It’s fabulous for booking trial classes for new customers too!

Pros:

Class manager helped us to manage the rapid growth of our studio with ease! It has so many fabulous features… we would be lost without it!

Cons:

There is nothing that comes to mind… it’s great!

Easy to use system

Comments: Customer service is excellent. I did have a couple of issues initially and these were dealt with quickly and effectively.

Pros:

I love how easy class manager is to use, everything I need to organise my classes from registers to invoices is all in one place. I like how parents can set themselves up as a customer making it less work for myself.

Cons:

The policies section could be more user friendly as I found this quite difficult during the initial set up.

Alternatives Considered: DanceBiz

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: The affordability of it. My school is only small and I wanted something affordable that would do what I needed it to do.

Wouldn’t be without it!!

Comments: Couldn’t run my business without class manager and what’s more my customers love it which is super important for me.

Pros:

Class manager has completely changed the way my business is run for the better. All of my customers love it and it has made life so easy for me when running an already busy schedule.

Cons:

I would like to be able to customise the portal a little more.

Love class manager couldn’t be without it

Pros:

The simple way to invoice customers is the best part

Cons:

At the moment there isn’t anything I’m not happy with all problems have been resolved so quickly by customer service

Amazing customer service, overall great program

Comments: They have a great online chat option where we can pop in our questions and get them answered quickly. The staff are informative and accessible as well as being patient and helpful.

Pros:

We trialled this program because in comparison it was much much cheaper than its competitors. Yes the program was in its infancy so therefore had some kinks to iron out but everything and I mean everything that we asked of the developers has been implemented promptly in order for the program to cater for the different needs of its clients. The customer service is impeccable- we ask and they deliver with such amazing speed. Even when we are in Australia and they are based in the UK so therefore we have a large time difference, their response to questions and concerns is super fast and efficient and they always try to cater for their clientele. It almost feels like a community where we are building the program together. Nothing is to hard for the class manager team to cater for and although the program is still growing and there are features they are developing, they really do go above and beyond to satisfy their clients. The price is also amazing $40 AUD a month in comparison to $120 plus every little extra is an add on price- whereas it’s all included in class manager. There is no hidden costs popping up all the time. They also adapted to the whole online learning experience during the covid pandemic with ease, adding options to the program literally overnight. They seem to work tirelessly to build the software to be up to the standard of competitors but without the price tag.

Cons:

We would love the text service to get a wriggle on, we’ve been waiting for that one for a while but understand it’s a big job to create and code.

Best Management Tool for Dance Classes

Pros:

I choose the class manager software after trialing several products, this was by far superior to anything I had used before. Firstly Payment struture is very straight forward and you don't get penalised if you grow bigger, they just support your ability to grow and allow you to reduce your admin time. Meaning you can devote more time to you main business needs. It is really easy to set up your timetables and invoice your lessons every month, and has meant my payments are coming in quicker and take up much less of my time to log. Class manager has allowed me to bring all my communication and customer details into one place, helping me remove paperwork for registrations, means my parents can manage their own profiles, classes and payments. This has been a godsend during the covid crisis The Class manager support team are really responsive I have never had a query ignored or missed. They are extrememly helpful and helped me get to grips with the system very quickly. Finally Class Manager enabled extra festure during the covid crisitime, allowing me to bring on-line classes to my whole dance school during the covid crisis, for no extra charge, this has allowed me to keep functioning and supporting my students from my main customer base. I cannot thank them enough for this. I would highly recommend this service if you want fantastic service, fabulous support and value for money.

Cons:

The main thing that could be improved is the usability of each page, by maybe letting you set view permantly on certain pages/ searches so it doesn't jump back to original setting after you have completed a task. The ability to send out customer wide texts or groups texts if needed would also be a fantastic asset to the service.

An absolute DREAM!

Comments: Extremely positive. I run my school single-handedly and Class Manager makes the work load so much less and so much smoother. I was unsure if I would use it at first, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself “why didn’t I do this sooner?!” I was wasting so much time before. I find it really easy to use and there is everything on there I could wish for at the moment. I would recommend to everyone looking for a class software. On a slightly separate note, with the current Covid-19 outbreak class manager has been absolutely crucial to my business, it’s so easy to stay in touch with my clients which at the moment is essential. And they were super quick to add helpful elements!

Pros:

There are so many things I could list here as there are many great elements to Class Manager. But for me the main 2 are...1. The invoicing/payment element. Invoicing has gone from taking me 1-2 days to less that 30mins since I started using Class Manager!! 2. The ability to message specific classes without having to type in everyone’s individual email, one click and everyone I need is there! There are lots of other helpful things, such as a live chat, birthday list, registers, timetabling. There is just so much for your money!

Cons:

There really isn’t anything I dislike about Class Manager. It has saved me time, is cost affective, the team are always on hand (they literally reply within 10 minutes almost everytime!) and they are constantly adding new things.

100% perfect!

Comments: I have been using them since they launched, they have listened to feedback, customer suggestions and respond to anything so quickly. Excellent service and so easy to use.

Pros:

The most useful feature for me is invoicing and payments using stripe. Before using class manager I would spend hours of my week creating invoices for parents and chasing up payments. Class manager generates all these for you and cut down admin time by more than half. I also really like the messages feature, being able to quickly communicate with parents in an official capacity. Being able to communicate with just one class, the whole school, or selective parents, And the new feature to see if email have been read and how many times is an absolutely game changer!

Cons:

I honestly don’t think I could say anything bad about class manager, I have never had any problems that haven’t been resolved and were usually my own fault anyway!

Excellent product and support team

Comments: The support from the team has been amazing since we took on Class Manager. Previously we had done everything manually and via paper copies, but the COVID year has driven us to do things differently and Class Manager has really helped with this. The team have been brilliant at answering questions and the facebook group has been great for sharing tips and getting quick responses

Pros:

Class Manager is so easy to use and follows a common sense / logical approach. The ability to plan classes for multiple teachers, venues and genres has revolutionised the way we can manage classes. The links to be able to electronically take the register and have it updated in real time has been invaluable (especially over the last year!), and being able to invoice in one easy click has been amazing. Our outstanding fees have never been so small and this has been driven by how easy the system is to use for both the staff and the parents.

Cons:

I'd like the ability to print off a timetable from the system. I might be missing something, but a calendar that can be printed off would be really helpful as sometimes you just need to see the overall picture to pick out the clashes!

Simple and Affordable

Comments: I’ve had no problems. I’ve been with them from the start and it’s made my life so much easier and saved me hours and hours of admin time

Pros:

I love that I can use this software on multiple devices wherever I am in the world. I can coordinate with my team and customers with ease- and can see at a glance what invoices, registers etc are outstanding. Customer service is amazing too- so any problems, I know somebody will help me

Cons:

Sometimes, when using a new feature it’s not always obvious but once I’ve done it, it’s easy and quicker the next time. It’s not really a con as actually CM are always improving and adding to their package so it’s better value all the time.

Class Manager

Comments: I used to really struggle with sending invoices, making sure I had added the correct children to the correct classes, charging them correctly, taking off holidays etc. Now all I have to do is add the child to the register, which I then use in class, it automatically generates an invoice for that child, and when I have added my schools holidays to class manager it then automatically deducts these too. It makes invoicing so easy.

Pros:

Class Manager is really easy to use, if there is a time when you need help someone reply’s on the online chat really quickly to offer support. This is really useful for me as I’m not very good with Tech. The support is really helpful too and nothing is too much trouble.

Cons:

I don’t really have anything negative to say about class manager, even when we all had to go online, up popped a new feature to enable easier accessibility for my customers to the online classes.

Revolutionising my business

Comments: Great service, friendly team, open to new ideas = top notch!

Pros:

This software was in its infancy when I started using it. I had been looking for a package to turn my business admin electronic for some time and was always put off by the price hikes for over 300 pupils. The software has now developed into a state of the art fully functional piece of kit. I love how the team listen to feedback and implement changed and are constantly improving and making additions.

Cons:

They are constantly making improvements and I think this software answers everything I want from it.

Alternatives Considered: membermeister

Reasons for Switching to Class Manager: Pricing

Amazing Product!

Comments: It’s been a revelation and saves me hours of admin time. The regular updates have improved the way we run the business and they are always happy to add new features requested by the customers. Staff are always to help out and provide a friendly service.
Thank you class manager for a fantastic service.

Pros:

The dashboard is a great way to see all the information and quick and easy to move around the site. Entering customer and student details was efficient and detailed. Having all their details at the click of a button is a safe and efficient. I like that it’s accessible from my smart phone when I’m out of the office or at the studio. Being able to see who has received and opened the e-mails is a real bonus too.

Cons:

The discount section didn't work for us because of the fee structure we use.

Great time saving software!

Comments: All in all a very good software for administrative work that helps keep you organised and saves you lots of admin time.

Pros:

This software has saved me so many hours of admin work, my classes, clients and students are organised and invoicing is all done for you. It is quite straightforward to use and admins are always updating and making it better. They listen to their clients needs and do their utmost to ensure the software caters for them.

Cons:

The Point of Sale still needs a little work so that items sold within the school can be chosen by colour and size too. Also being from abroad, payments through Stripe and GoCardless are still not available in my country, hopefully these hiccups will be resolved soon.

Swapping to class manager

Comments: i have been very impressed with class manager - the customer service is quick to respond to questions. This is the 3rd software I have used - I originally was with dancebiz then dance studio pro & now class manager. I am most happy with class manager & hope they bring further features (mailchimp intergration & recital planner) soon.

Pros:

easy to navigate price raises invoices parent portal - ease of use for my customers registers on one page

Cons:

i would like to see further features added especially: link to mailchimp for my customers show/ recital planner

Good value and eased my admin load

Comments: Overall I’m happy I chose this software. It has helped reduce admin hours. Although a few hiccups at the beginning, the support team are on the ball and helpful

Pros:

My favourite thing is definitely the payment system. Although a few hitches at the beginning, it is a lot easier to keep track of payments.

Cons:

The registers. Every time I click on a reason for a child being absent, it takes me back to the top of the register. Not great when you have double figures in the class