Think something, say another...

[jokalima]

I was sure and ready to change my rates with new families, but Idk why when they ask me for the rate I kinda freeze. Then I start thinking "Come on, you can do this tell them the rate you want" and then another completely thing comes out of my mouth! This ****s so bad! There is no contract signed yet so I wanted to know what you think. I have to e-mail her the contract so she can read it and sign it, my printer was not working yesterday so I could not give her a copy during the interview. Anyways.. In the e-mail, should/could I apologize and tell her that I messed up when telling her my fee and tell her the new one? I really want 10 more than what I told her, but I am thinking of just going up 5.00 so is not that big of a difference for her.

I also do baking and it happens with that to, I am always afraid of charging people and always under price my services

[jamiem]

I recently did the same thing only in regards to hours. I open at 7:30 and the parents I was interviewing start work at 7:30 so they asked if they could drop the baby off at 7:15 and of course I agreed, even though I really want to open at 7:30. I like having that time in the morning to clean, eat breakfast, and just get ready for the day. I am thinking about emailing them and saying I really cant open early so they will need to adjust their work schedule. I dont know though since I did already agree. What to do, what to do.

[jokalima]

I am great at my job but **** as a business owner...

[Laurel]

I was sure and ready to change my rates with new families, but Idk why when they ask me for the rate I kinda freeze. Then I start thinking "Come on, you can do this tell them the rate you want" and then another completely thing comes out of my mouth! This ****s so bad! There is no contract signed yet so I wanted to know what you think. I have to e-mail her the contract so she can read it and sign it, my printer was not working yesterday so I could not give her a copy during the interview. Anyways.. In the e-mail, should/could I apologize and tell her that I messed up when telling her my fee and tell her the new one? I really want 10 more than what I told her, but I am thinking of just going up 5.00 so is not that big of a difference for her.

I also do baking and it happens with that to, I am always afraid of charging people and always under price my services

I think I did that once before. Changed my mind, I mean. I apologized and said something like "I'm so sorry but I realized that the rate I gave you was too low to meet my expenses and when compared with other rates in the area I was cheating myself. I want to be fair to us both, and I'll understand if you want to look elsewhere, but I need $10 more to make it more fair." People seem to respond well to 'fair'.

They seemed fine with it. I was prepared to look for someone else if they didn't want to pay it though.

Laurel

[jokalima]

Thanks Laurel, I will try that.

[Laurel]

Thanks Laurel, I will try that.

You're welcome. Let us know how it goes.

Laurel

[rmc20021]

I do the exact same thing. I just raised my rates in my handbook and low and behold, when a new potential client called last week and asked my rates, I stopped and thought a second and told her my old rates.

I'm ready for a raise. I've realized my rates are NOTHING compared to what most of the people on here charge. I just can't seem to get into that mind frame...

[LK5kids]

I recently did the same thing only in regards to hours. I open at 7:30 and the parents I was interviewing start work at 7:30 so they asked if they could drop the baby off at 7:15 and of course I agreed, even though I really want to open at 7:30. I like having that time in the morning to clean, eat breakfast, and just get ready for the day. I am thinking about emailing them and saying I really cant open early so they will need to adjust their work schedule. I dont know though since I did already agree. What to do, what to do.

I did the same thing with a family regarding hours. My hours are 7:00-5:30, but all my families come between 7:45 & 9:00 am. This family needed 6:45. I thought, "I love my extra hour!". Turns out they would be here only four days, there's one day saved and then only needed early hours two days per week.

It's hard to say no when you need to fill, and this was only 15 min. earlier than my opening time stated in my policies, but I was mourning my loss of my morning hour even before the family started .

Jokalima, hope you were able to stand firm! I tend to under price services too!

[mrsnj]

Maybe just me but I think it sounds fishy to change it last min. You told her the rate, interviewed and now plan to say "Oh yeah. Sorry. Made a mistake". I would have eaten the cost and learned from it for the next interview. Maybe put it in writing so even if it slips out as $10 less it is in writing and they will either say they heard it wrong or question you about it. LOL!

I think we all do that and kick ourselves later.

Once I told a mom I would give her a sibling discount and she assumed it meant for both children. When I mentioned it she said I told her it was for both. I know I didn't. But....Well. It was during interview. I had nothing in writing. Totally verbal. If I fought it I would have lost cause I was the one who didn't make it clear and write it. An the marshmallow I am felt bad so I ****ed it up and ate the cost. I was so glad when the child became SA. :: Now I put it all in writing.

But I am curious on how it goes. Fill us in!!

[Leigh]

I explain to families that my rates are not negotiable. That I report my rates to the state and that if I charge less for even ONE child, then I need to charge that lesser rate for all.

I would simply explain that you recently changed your rates, and that you made a mistake. Tell them that you MUST charge that rate in order to keep your reimbursement eligibility.

[jokalima]

Well it went OK... She said that she understood but that she needed time to see if she could do arrangements to get the extra $ a month but to please hold the space until next week and she would give me a final answer by then. Because I know it was my bad I told her that we could leave it like that for now but to keep in min that the rate could go up anytime during the year before her 1st year is over. I did it like that because I totally believe her about finding the money ( I know, I know...) I don't know, she comes across as a very honest person and I fell OK with doing it for that price for several more months, but not for a year.

I hope I am not making the same mistake with the family that is leaving, I trusted them when they told me about their financial problems and they ended up going on vacations, buying an expensive brand new car and always, I mean always buying brand name clothes for the kids. I tell you, I am a terrible business owner, I know, I really don't know how to deal with people.

[melilley]

Well it went OK... She said that she understood but that she needed time to see if she could do arrangements to get the extra $ a month but to please hold the space until next week and she would give me a final answer by then. Because I know it was my bad I told her that we could leave it like that for now but to keep in min that the rate could go up anytime during the year before her 1st year is over. I did it like that because I totally believe her about finding the money ( I know, I know...) I don't know, she comes across as a very honest person and I fell OK with doing it for that price for several more months, but not for a year.

I hope I am not making the same mistake with the family that is leaving, I trusted them when they told me about their financial problems and they ended up going on vacations, buying an expensive brand new car and always, I mean always buying brand name clothes for the kids. I tell you, I am a terrible business owner, I know, I really don't know how to deal with people.

Don't feel bad, I'm the same way! I'm great with the kids, but **** at the business side! It's so hard for me to have a backbone and I'm too trusting and I've always been like that. I don't know how to change, but I'm trying and it's so hard to do!
If she really likes you, she will come up with the money! I had a family who interviewed and was a little wishy washy about coming here, but low and behold, 15 minutes after interviewing, they suddenly loved it here and enrolled. They had visited other homes that I'm almost positive were cheaper than me, but must have really liked it here.
And I am raising my rates if a family should leave, by $10 so hopefully if I do have to find a new family I can stick to that $10 raise!