Grâce works as a private fitness coach in Gombe. Her clients train in a hotel gym on Avenue du Port, early in the morning before heading to the office. For a long time she billed per session: 40 USD paid in cash or by mobile money at the end of each workout.
The problem with single sessions
With per-session billing, every last-minute cancellation is a straight loss. The hotel still charges for facility access, whether the client shows up or not. Grâce saw money coming in every week without knowing what she actually earned in a month.
A package, with a deposit
Grâce now offers a package of 10 sessions for 350 USD. She asks for a 50% deposit at booking, 175 USD, and the 175 USD balance before the sixth session.
- Realized revenue: 350 USD, counted once when the package is confirmed.
- Collected today: 175 USD.
- Receivable: 175 USD still owed by the client.
- Direct cost: 60 USD for hotel facility access.
- Contribution margin: 350 − 60 = 290 USD.
The trap to avoid
The 175 USD deposit is not extra revenue. When the client pays the balance, Grâce collects another 175 USD, but her revenue stays at 350 USD. Counting it twice would show a fictitious 525 USD in sales.
What changes
With a package, Grâce knows her margin at booking and knows which balance to follow up on. The 290 USD is still a margin before fixed overhead and payment for her own work: she needs to check that it covers her phone, her travel and her own salary.
In KOBETA
Record the package with its deposit: KOBETA separates revenue, cash collected and balance due, and schedules the sessions in your appointments.