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Make sure you pick a reputable instructor for your class.

A coworker and her husband scheduled and paid for their class through a local gun store in Ellis County. On the morning of the class the students (half a dozen or so) show up at the designated location but no instructor. After waiting for an hour or so, they went to the gun store and informed them that the instructor for the class the store had scheduled did not show up.

The stores response - we'll get back to you after we find out what happened with the instructor. The students later received a call that the instructor was "sick" and had just woken up.

I advised my coworker to get her money back and find another instructor (something the gun store did not even offer when informed about the instructors absence).

I was never very impressed with the store to begin with. but after hearing this, I will never step foot in this store again.

If I scheduled a class through a gun store, they have a responsibility to provide an instructor. If the primary instructor can't make it, they have a responsibility to provide a backup instructor.

If they fail at both, and don't give advance notice of the cancelation, and don't provide compensation for my lost time in addition to a full refund, I would dispute the credit card charge and send them a bill for my time. Maybe file a complaint with the BBB but definitely spread the story online and name the business to help others.

Is that store in Waxahachie?

I'd rather not name the town or the store as I am getting this info second hand. I will encourage my coworker to sign up on the forum and provide whatever detail she desires.

The purpose of my post is to urge people to research instructors so they don't wind up going thru the same thing my coworker has.

TxRVer wrote:Is that store in Waxahachie?

PM sent.

my Question now is:
As an instructor how do people know i am reputable?
I do not have ties to the ranges I use, other than renting their classroom and using their range to qualify my students.
What can I do to show I am a reputable instuctor?

Art S wrote:my Question now is:
As an instructor how do people know i am reputable?
I do not have ties to the ranges I use, other than renting their classroom and using their range to qualify my students.
What can I do to show I am a reputable instuctor?

The key is consistancy. Be and act in a reputable manner and the word will get around. Act in a disreputable or unprofessional manner and word with also get around.

Remember the old adage "it can take years to build a good reputation, and only a moment to destroy it."

I found my first CHL instructor based on a referral of a co-worker who recommended him. If you check this forum, Tom Estep has many many thumbs up from his many many students.

I remember when I called Tom to register for the class. He asked for my phone number and told me "If anything comes up and I can't make it and I have to cancel I will call you. I am 61 years old and have never cancelled a class, but I would like your phone number just in case." IMO, that is one definition of reputable.

WildBill wrote:I found my first CHL instructor based on a referral of a co-worker who recommended him

Thats how I found mine.

WildBill wrote:Tom Estep has many many thumbs up from his many many student

Yep, that's mine !

Great guy, Great instructor!!

As much as that is terrible.....stuff happens!!

I would expect a refund from someone involved unless they could reschedule and I felt secure in that.

I know in my 66 years that I have on occasion overslept and missed some appointments that were important....not on purpose, but again sometimes stuff happens.

I do wish all involved a happy outcome to the situation.

I am in no way condoning what happened.

jocat54 wrote:As much as that is terrible.....stuff happens!!

I would expect a refund from someone involved unless they could reschedule and I felt secure in that.

I know in my 66 years that I have on occasion overslept and missed some appointments that were important....not on purpose, but again sometimes stuff happens.

I do wish all involved a happy outcome to the situation.

I am in no way condoning what happened.

Indeed, stuff happens. If the instructor takes care of his prospective students and makes some corrective actions to prevent it from happening again, that would be a good thing.

Yes stuff does happen. We all get sick. If its something like I had about a month ago, up around 2am on the toilet holding the trash can is miserable and can certainly make you oversleep. Maybe he should offer either a full refund or a discount and reschedule the class.

papajohn1964 wrote:Yes stuff does happen. We all get sick. If its something like I had about a month ago, up around 2am on the toilet holding the trash can is miserable and can certainly make you oversleep. Maybe he should offer either a full refund or a discount and reschedule the class.

IMO, if he didn't deliver, the students deserve a full refund. Of course, an option for a reschedule would be fine if the student agrees. If I were him, I would give the option and offer some other incentive.

If the instructor in the OP was an independent contractor, then the gun store couldn't offer a refund or other consideration on behalf of the CHL instructor.

Unless he got really sick by surprise overnight, the adult thing to do was to cancel the class at least a day or two before and notify the students. Even if he thought he might be able to work through the flu, I doubt his students would have appreciated catching something in class and having to miss work because he infected them.

There's no indication the instructor isn't going to give a refund. There's also no information when he/she got sick, or how serious was the illness.

I've never missed a class but I've had to cancel hearings, one trial, and other events over the years, due to illness. I dare say everyone else posting has done likewise.

Chas.

WildBill wrote:

papajohn1964 wrote:Yes stuff does happen. We all get sick. If its something like I had about a month ago, up around 2am on the toilet holding the trash can is miserable and can certainly make you oversleep. Maybe he should offer either a full refund or a discount and reschedule the class.

IMO, if he didn't deliver, the students deserve a full refund. Of course, an option for a reschedule would be fine if the student agrees. If I were him, I would give the option and offer some other incentive.

If the instructor in the OP was an independent contractor, then the gun store couldn't offer a refund or other consideration on behalf of the CHL instructor.

According to my coworker, The money was paid to the store. It does appear that the store uses an outside instructor/gun range. I feel that since the store is advertising that it provides CHL classes and payment is made to the store, that the store should ensure service is delivered.