Please Stop Sending Me Clients!

[mrsnj]

Never thought I would say those words.

I have a client here who keeps giving out my info. Very nice and obviously makes me feel good cause she rec me to everyone they know. Only, two weeks ago I interview with the wacko mom that I posted about in the "Best interview ever" thread. I threatened to egg my clients car if she sent me someone like that again! Then we just laughed.

Today I get another call from another referral. They are from a local DC that everyone complains about. Ok......so I ask what she doesn't like and she says to me that the main thing she wants to talk to me about and let me know if that she is a germaphobic. Ok......I am too in that I am always washing hands and spraying down and using hand sanitizer, etc. No. She means a HUGE germaphobic. Like HUGE. Like OCD bad. So bad that she just wants to give me a heads up. Okkkkkkk....you might not want to come here. If she is looking for someone to bleach everything down every hour this is not the place for her. I am not OCD in any way.

Then she says another issue is that she feels her DD is regressing in potty training. That her DD is fully potty trained and that the DC doesn't take her and she keeps going in her DIAPER. So I ask her why she is in a diaper if she is potty trained. She isn't two yet and they put her in a diaper cause 'THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE HER EVERY 30 MIN". Seriously? *beat head against the wall* Oh yes. She has been 'potty trained' since she was 3 months old and hasn't had a BM for her since she was 5 months. *sigh* Now I am not at all in any way supportive of baby training. I believe 100% in child led training. I will not take a 1 yr old to the bathroom every 30 minutes. Not even remotely.

I am thinking on writing her back and canceling the interview. I already feel she isn't a good fit and I haven't even met them. I just do not feel like wasting more of my time on someone who is not going to be worth it to me.

Once was bad enough. Twice....I am ready to tell my clients to stop referring. LOL They should know me well enough to know who would be a good fit here and who wouldn't. I love them and appreciate it but enough is enough. O. M. Goodness. Stop sending me wackos!

[Shell]

Yep, I would suggest cancelling that interview It's nice that the family wants to help you out, but I wouldn't want any of those families either! Sounds like they need a little help understanding what kinds of children/families are a fit for group daycare, and the rest need to find 1:1 help, like with a personal nanny.

[cheerfuldom]

I would cancel the interview. If you are feeling uncomfortable already, that is not a good sign. Sounds like this woman needs a nanny. OCD is very difficult to live with and it is not fair to place all these expectations on a group care situation.

[mrsnj]

I think I am canceling the meeting. Just trying to figure out how to best do so. My usual response is "I filled the position" but I cannot do that without talking with my current client cause they certainly will know. I could opt to come out and state they aren't a fit but 'I am filled" is much nicer. So thinking on how to handle it. I have till Friday

I should have stated it on the phone. But I often like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes a lot of things comes down to first time/nervous parents and when you get to meet them face to face they aren't so bad. But truth is I don't NEED this client. So to waste my time on an interview for someone I know isn't 100% right, isn't worth my time right now. The age is a perfect fit. It would be extra pay in my pocket but not needed. So.............I am thinking she might be better suited to stay where she is.

Now to decide on best to tell them

[daycare]

I think I am canceling the meeting. Just trying to figure out how to best do so. My usual response is "I filled the position" but I cannot do that without talking with my current client cause they certainly will know. I could opt to come out and state they aren't a fit but 'I am filled" is much nicer. So thinking on how to handle it. I have till Friday

I should have stated it on the phone. But I often like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes a lot of things comes down to first time/nervous parents and when you get to meet them face to face they aren't so bad. But truth is I don't NEED this client. So to waste my time on an interview for someone I know isn't 100% right, isn't worth my time right now. The age is a perfect fit. It would be extra pay in my pocket but not needed. So.............I am thinking she might be better suited to stay where she is.

Now to decide on best to tell them

I would still meet with them. I would write down what we have already talked about and address these things with them. I would make sure that the parents understand EXACTLY WHAT GROUP CARE IS. After defining it for them, I would make sure that they understood all of my policies. Closing line I would use, so after hearing about how we run our business and have a full understanding of our policies, are you still interested in moving forward?

BUT............ I am one who will also do a really good phone interview, making sure that we sound like a good fit before offering to even set up an appointment. At that time if I don't feel like it is a good fit, I won't schedule anything.

I think that since you have already agreed to the appointment, you should just follow through with it, at this point give them a clean slate and just make sure to ask your questions...

I tell DCP that I love their referrals, but I cannot guarantee that I will be able to take them.

[blandino]

I had a client who every referral she sent me wound up being a little wacky. After a while we just came to expect it from her. She was never a problem, but all her friends were just