How to stop chasing martial arts payments (and get back to teaching)

If you’re running a martial arts school, you didn’t get into this business to chase late payments. You got into it to teach martial arts.

But here you are, sending reminder texts at 11pm, having awkward conversations at the end of class, and spending hours every month trying to figure out who owes what.

Sound familiar?

The payment chasing problem

Most martial arts school owners spend 5-10 hours per month on payment-related tasks:

• Tracking who’s paid and who hasn’t
• Sending payment reminders
• Following up on failed payments
• Having uncomfortable conversations about money
• Updating spreadsheets or paper records

That’s time you could be spending on teaching, developing your curriculum, or growing your school.

The solution: automated recurring billing

Automated billing isn’t just about convenience — it’s about transforming how your school operates.

Here’s what changes when you automate:

1. Payments happen automatically

Students set up their payment method once. From then on, their membership fee is automatically charged on their billing date. No more reminders, no more chasing.

2. Failed payments are handled automatically

When a payment fails, the system automatically retries and sends notifications to both you and the student. You’re kept in the loop without having to do anything.

3. Students can manage their own billing

Give students access to a portal where they can update their payment method, view their billing history, and manage their subscription. This eliminates most billing-related questions.

4. You get paid faster

With automated billing, you’re not waiting until the end of class to collect payment. Money hits your account on the billing date, improving your cash flow.

What about students who prefer cash?

Some students will always want to pay cash, and that’s fine. The goal isn’t to force everyone onto automated billing — it’s to reduce the administrative burden for the majority of your students who are happy to automate.

Even if just 70–80% of your students use automated billing, you’ve eliminated most of your payment chasing work.

Making the transition

The key to successfully implementing automated billing is communication:

1. Explain the benefits — Students get convenience, you get more time to focus on teaching
2. Make it optional — Don’t force anyone to switch
3. Offer help — Some students may need assistance setting up their payment method
4. Be patient — It might take a few months for most students to transition

The bottom line

Your time is valuable. Every hour you spend chasing payments is an hour you’re not spending on teaching, training, or growing your school.

Automated billing isn’t just a convenience feature — it’s a fundamental shift in how you run your school. It lets you focus on what you do best: teaching martial arts.

Ready to stop chasing payments? Try FightKit free for 30 days and see how much time you can reclaim.