Contact Management Software - only $195

First, let me say that you DO NOT need an expensive, web-based, server-located, complicated software program to start out with a “bang” in this business. Many less-costly, off-the-shelf programs work just as well (and they’re much easier to use). Once you’ve started building your network of teachers and have clients to track, you will want a contact management program of some type to keep track of your important contacts, calendar and tasks.

I’ve used ACT! since 1999 for contact management and have found it to meet my needs wonderfully. In 2006, I launched a “contact management software” research project and carefully examined a number of other programs that might fit the business needs. (Sage CRM, Goldmine, Prophet, ActEmp, etc.) Many worked as well as ACT, and a couple even better, but most were considerably more expensive. In actuality, with my custom ACT layout, the instant tutor/student lookups work so well, nothing else came close to satisfying me. ACT! costs about $200. For more information or to purchase, go to www.act.com.

If you choose to use Act! Version 6.0 or 8.0 (we do NOT recommend Version 7.0),  I suggest purchasing our customized lay-out. This software interface allows you to perform essential tutor/student matching instantly. Custom fields for information on tutors, students, start date, and source (both for teachers and clients) have been created as well as a full page of tutoring subjects/grade levels and a full page of travel areas. You break it down for your service, pop in the numbers, and get instant matches!

Tutoring Log Software - a bargain at $65

Part of the record keeping for your business is recording the sessions the tutors have had so you can track when your clients need to pay you for a new package of lessons. You will also need to indicate the sessions for which you’ve paid the tutors, in case a tutor mistakenly bills you for a session twice.

In all honesty, for most of the 20+ years of managing a tutoring service, I’ve tracked the above information on binder sheets. Yes, with a binder. It’s quite user friendly, flexible, inexpensive, and very portable. In the last couple of years though, I realized that my method needed updating. I still protest, however, those unnecessary, gigantic, space-hogging programs that combine tracking a student’s lesson dates with entering the teacher’s bill, billing the client, and ?? telling your fortune (ok, that’s an exaggeration). First, most are not seamless – they require integration tools to use with Quickbooks or other customized accounting software, as well as other programs like “access” or other database creation programs. Additionally, all the same steps are not there…. you must create something that has to be entered into something else…so what’s it all for? So someone can sell you a custom “tutoring” program.