7  Retention & churn — top trends (from interviews)

7.1 Top 5 trends

1. Time zone + scheduling friction drives churn
   • Students in far-off time zones (especially Asia/Australia relative to many tutors) often can’t sustain consistent lesson times.
   • This leads to more one-off or short bursts of lessons rather than long-term retention.
2. Short-term, goal-oriented students churn after the goal
   • Many learners book only for a specific objective (exam prep, travel, interview, etc.).
   • Once the immediate need is met, they stop—even if the lessons went well.
3. Platform economics reward retention over acquisition
   • Commission and pricing structures often make repeat students and packages more profitable than single lessons.
   • Tutors therefore optimize for keeping students and converting them to longer-term plans.
4. Low engagement signals imminent churn
   • Warning signs: minimal participation, avoiding homework, “just memorize phrases,” low follow-through.
   • Sustained engagement (materials + practice) is a strong predictor of retention.
5. Platform limitations make retention harder
   • Tutors cite gaps like weak progress tracking, limited personalized feedback tooling, and lack of quick placement/leveling.
   • Without clear continuity and evidence of progress, perceived value drops and churn rises.

7.2 Takeaway

Retention is shaped by external constraints (time zones, platform policies/economics) and internal learner factors (motivation, engagement), amplified by whether the platform provides strong tools to track progress and reinforce continuity.