This article explains the changes that are being made to our payment provider and what this may mean to you over the coming weeks.
What’s happening?
On 1st October 2024, we began the transition from our existing payment provider, Stripe, to a new service called Billwerk+.
How will this affect me?
If you are a customer who uses our instalments system, 'Split payment', please note that planned split payments have been paused during the transition period between 1st October and 21st October.
If your split payment instalment for October falls within those dates, it will instead be taken on 22nd October. You will receive an automated email advising you of the forthcoming payment 3 days before it is taken, as normal.
For most customers, the transition will happen automatically. Some students, however, may need to re-enter their card information into their account to facilitate future payments.
If you have future instalments set up with us, these will also be withdrawn on the 22nd of future months.
If you would like to change the date that your split payments are taken please email us at info@musicteachers.co.uk by 12 noon on Monday 21st October at the latest.
If you signed up for the automatic renewal scheme, you may need to re-enter your card information in your account to facilitate the automatic renewal.
What do I need to do?
We will write to you to let you know if you need to re-enter your card information. This process is easy and secure:
Log in to your account at MusicTeachers and head to your dashboard.
For renewal customers, press "My Account" and then "Payment details".
For split payment customers, you may see an alert on the dashboard with a button to "Pay now". Pressing "Pay now" will take you to "Payment details".
Press "Update your card details" and follow the instructions on the screen to save your card information securely.
Once your card details are saved, the system will be ready to process split payments and automatic renewals automatically.
Will my card information be kept safe?
Yes. Single socket layer encryption is used to protect your card information. This means no one can view your card information once it is saved. Not the office team and not even you can see the card details once saved.
Why is this happening?
We are constantly looking to improve our service. Our new payment provider brings new standards of security and stability. As our platform grows, it is important that the tools which handle payments are optimised, giving you, the customer, the smoothest experience possible. We're pleased that Billwerk+ is the right tool to provide you with the best experience.
If you have any questions about the changes to our payment service, we are happy to answer them. Send us a message from within the help centre or email Support at info@musicteachers.co.uk.
FAQ
What's a split payment?
A split payment facility is where you, the student, pay for your lessons in monthly
instalments rather than in full. Blocks of 10 or 20 lessons or Lesson Offers over £100.00 can be paid in 3 monthly instalments. Blocks of 40 lessons can be paid in 10 monthly instalments. Please read our article on split payments for more information.
What's automatic renewal?
An automatic renewal is the facility for the same lesson block to be purchased again. Payment for your new lesson block will be taken automatically at the time of the last lesson from your current block. You do not need to do anything but, if required, you can make changes to your renewal using the Edit button on your dashboard. The payment method used initially will be debited each time a new block is automatically renewed until cancelled.
What's a payment gate?
When you make a payment, anywhere online, it goes through a payment gate: A website that collects and manages online payments in a secure and efficient way. It acts as an intermediary for online financial transactions between businesses and their customers.
What's "Link"?
Link is a service offered by Stripe. You're offered to save your details with Stripe, which they will save meaning your card information will be stored, ready for use with any website that uses Stripe. Whilst convenient for some, this service can cause problems should personal details or payment method information change.