Committing Sight Unseen?

[TwinKristi]

I have a mom who contacted me from CL and is relocating to my area at the end of April. She's coming up the 8th to see her new house and meet prospective providers. It's FT, normal hours, 18 mos DCB, been in group care since infancy, etc. Great fit for my program!
She has called my references and is very impressed and wants to decide and give a deposit ON the 8th before flying back. She wrote me today to say she wants to know if she need to commit NOW to avoid losing the spot. This happened to her when she first was finding care where they are and someone swooped in and snagged the last infant spot. I don't know that I want her to make a commitment before meeting me and seeing my home. It IS my last spot, it IS over a week before she gets here to see and I'm just not sure what to say. As much as I'd love to just say no problem waiting, I get calls weekly now for infants. Some PT some FT. I just had the spot filled and mom was coming by to sign and give her deposit and then she cancelled and quit her job. So this spot literally was supposed to be filled this last week. I'm flattered that she's so eager but I just don't know if I'm setting myself up for a problem if she changes her mind.
I'm gathering from her tone that she's probably going to choose me but doesn't want to commit without meeting me and seeing my home which is fine. But it is my last spot. My last FT enrollee came by Wed to meet, signed papers Friday and started Monday.

[AslansG1rl]

Thatsounds like a tricky situation.

Maybe you can keep the spot open for a week, and let all potential interested clients know that you are conducting interviews to fill it, and you will close it to the best fit within a certain time, like within that week o next.

I hope I'm making sense.

So, the mom from CL, doesmt have to commit before meeting you, you also are not saving the spot for her, because you can be interviewing other interested people, and that way after the week is over, the CL mom will have met you, and if she doesn't commit, you can take on one of the others you interviewed dring the week.

If you don't understand my explanation, let me know and I will try to explain better.

Best ofLuck!

[CraftyMom]

It goes the other way too, do you want to commit before meeting them?

[jenn]

That's tricky.

I would want to meet her before agreeing to anything. I have had some parents want to come to me, but after interviewing them, I was the one saying no thanks!

I would do one of 2 things.
1. Agree to hold the spot for her, but for a non refundable fee. That way even if she decided to not come to you, you would have still made some money for that open spot. I am a softy, but I have had some families pay to hold a spot and then take that "holding fee" off of their payments due later.

2. Tell her she can interview and any other potential clients that you will be interviewing beginning on the 9th. That way if she decides not to use you, you will others ready to interview. If she seems like a good fit and everything works out, you can call the others and say that the position has been filled.

[Naptime yet?]

I don't remember, do you have a website for your program? Can you conduct some kind of more in depth telephone or email interview? What are your spidey senses telling you?

If you held the spot & it fell through, would it take you long to re-fill, since you're getting weekly calls? Do you have a wait list? Am I asking too many questions?

[TwinKristi]

Thank you for all the replies, it is true that it goes both ways. I don't currently have any other FT interviews coming up so this spot, as of now, isn't in jeopardy of being filled next week. BUT I don't know that I want to show her my cards if you know what I mean.

I don't remember, do you have a website for your program? Can you conduct some kind of more in depth telephone or email interview? What are your spidey senses telling you?

If you held the spot & it fell through, would it take you long to re-fill, since you're getting weekly calls? Do you have a wait list? Am I asking too many questions?

I don't have a website but I do have a Facebook, Yelp, etc and she was very impressed with my reviews, references and we did chat on the phone for about 10 mins the other day. I don't know how long it would take to fill. I literally had 1 PT DCB 1 after-school DCB and my 3 DS's as of Jan 23rd. I got a call, added 1 FT DCG the end of Jan because their nanny quit and needed care ASAP. Then the next month I got a PT DCB and have held like 5 interviews for my last spot. It was about to be filled last week when mom quit her job after being back 2 days and her mom was helping her with the baby the first week back. I was supposed to have 2 interviews last week, 1 PT 1 FT but both found other providers before even interviewing me. So then I have this mom's interview and one Monday but that's for a 1 day a week deal that won't effect this FT spot. I have no idea how long it would take. Basically we're talking 9 days. I don't anticipate filling the spot in 9 days but I can't promise her I won't and have been burned turning away infants only to have the spot open again within weeks when someone changes their mind. I've had 1 mom quit her job before even starting care and 2 who quit to stay home within 4-6wks. Both FT infant spots.

Basically I guess my question is... Do I risk holding her spot for 10 days and then have her not choose me anyway, or risk having her commit now and then change her mind in 10 days and have to deal with potential deposit drama. I could tell her she could pay me a certain amount to hold the spot for the next 10 days if she's serious about choosing me but just wants to meet to make sure she gets the right vibe. What kind of fee would be appropriate for a spot that may not even be filled in the next 10 days. I could always take a small deposit for 10 days and if she does sign up I could apply it to her first month's fees (she'll be paying a 2wk deposit for his spot anyway if she chooses me on the 8th) and if she doesn't sign up on the 8th there's no refund on the last 10 days.

[Crazy8]

I wouldn't even deal with money from a person before meeting them. Its only just over a week away, I would just tell her that while you will continue to interview right now that you will not make any decisions on who fills the spot until the 8th. While normally I don't take on the spot deposits I would take it on the 8th if you both seem to be happy with the arrangement.

[DaisyMamma]

Don't do it.
You haven't meet her. And you haven't meet her child.

I had someone commit over the phone, mail paperwork and a check. I loved her over the phone. She seemed to be everything she wasn't. When she arrived she was a complete and total nightmare in Soooo many ways. She lasted on and off for one or two weeks after I held her spot for a couple of months. She even called the state on me because she thought I should refund her deposit.
Be careful.

[KiddieCahoots]

Don't do it.
You haven't meet her. And you haven't meet her child.

I had someone commit over the phone, mail paperwork and a check. I loved her over the phone. She seemed to be everything she wasn't. When she arrived she was a complete and total nightmare in Soooo many ways. She lasted on and off for one or two weeks after I held her spot for a couple of months. She even called the state on me because she thought I should refund her deposit.
Be careful.

I agree.
My CDA instructor had said we should never even tell potential clients over the phone that we had an available opening. To continue with interviewing by telling the client of an anticipated opening, then decide after the interview if it would work out, and call back.
I know that sounds kinda hard to do, but he mentioned that could keep the potential client from filing a discrimination charge against you, for matters unforeseen, if you decline them.

[TwinKristi]

Well I suppose the difference is I have emails and a contract to back up my side if she did go rouge and try to start problems. She asked me about giving me a deposit, she said she was okay with it being non-refundable and it's worth it to her to have a good provider and not lose it because of a small deposit. I really anticipate this working out well, and if she decides that she doesn't want to commit after the 8th than so be it. She doesn't have to commit and can choose another provider then but between now and then I won't just "hold" her spot based on a verbal commitment. I have made that mistake in the past.

I definitely see all of your points and appreciate you sharing them. But I'm not holding her spot for months or anything, only 1 week until she can travel up here to interview potential providers and see their new home. If she commits on the 8th then it will be 20 days before she starts. I have a 2 week trial period where either of us can cancel with 24hrs notice for whatever reason we choose. I feel protected by a contract when it comes to the deposit especially with our email documentation to back me up.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I would tell CL mom, sure, I can wait till next week. I would then set up interviews for after that time, giving varied reasons of being unavailable until then. If it doesn't work with CL mom, I'd have something else on the wire, and if it does, great, and just cancel and waitlist the others.

[sharlan]

I had a mom call last night when we were an hour away having dinner for my sil's bd. She needed care for a 6 yo and a 7 yo starting this morning at 6:30AM. She only needed care for 1 week. I told her I was sorry, but I wouldn't be able to accomodate her.

It seemed like she waited until the last minute to arrange care for spring break. My dh was saying to take her and jack up my rates. Yeah, you deal with them.