Tour- No openning

[daycare]

I don't have any openings expected until Fall of next year, however, I keep getting calls, families want to come tour prior to being put on the wait list.

I get it, no one wants to be on a list when they don't know what they are waiting for.

However, last week and this week almost every night I am having tours. I am sick of it. Some are 30min, some have been 1.5 hours or more.

I thought about telling them well I will have an open house everyone can come then, but then how do you really get a good feel when you have that many people in your house at the same time?

I run a preschool program and currently I am the only all day preschool program in my area, so lots of people trying to get in.

HELP!!! I don't want to do tours like this anymore.

any other ideas?

or advise on how to conduct a proper open house??

currently my tours are like interviews and I ask them tons of questions, which a lot of them are private, I am just trying to envision what it would look like at an open house.

[Crazy8]

that is a problem I wish I had!!! I think the open house idea is more for THEM to see if they like you, so then they'd either want to be put on your wait list or not. Then when you have an opening is when I would schedule the one on one interviews. You can always make note of the clients from the open house that you maybe can tell right off the bat that they won't work - maybe have a questionaire for them each to fill out that can help you decide who is even worth the time to interview later on.

[Leigh]

I have started conducting interviews ONLY on Monday evenings. Any other day is off limits. I can't handle the idea of having several nights in one week consumed by them! I have a parent coming next Monday who has waited 4 weeks for her turn. It's not worth it to give up my already hectic evenings to more work. Since you don't have an opening right now anyway, it's something to consider (choose one day per week that works for YOU).

[kendallina]

I also have a preschool program and usually only have openings in the fall time. I always have several people on my waitlist as I get calls all year long, but I never do tours when I don't have space. Instead, I do tours for the following fall in March the previous year because that is when preschools around here do their sign ups. I often send several kids onto kinder in the fall, so will tour 5-7 people or more and fill those 4-5 spots in March for the next year. I have them pay a small deposit and sometimes people do pull out for different reasons before fall, but this way still works for me. I hope you find something that works for you-you have way more patience than I do to be doing tours when you don't really need to be.

[CraftyMom]

that is a problem I wish I had!!! I think the open house idea is more for THEM to see if they like you, so then they'd either want to be put on your wait list or not. Then when you have an opening is when I would schedule the one on one interviews. You can always make note of the clients from the open house that you maybe can tell right off the bat that they won't work - maybe have a questionaire for them each to fill out that can help you decide who is even worth the time to interview later on.

This would work, one open house so they can see the place and decide to go on your list. Then interview when you have an opening.

[Unregistered]

What a great problem to have! That said, no way would I personally offer to tours to waiting list families! But that's just me. They must hear wonderful things about your program if the want to be on the waiting list this far ahead. Heck, I'd just put them on the waiting list. I'd send them to my Facebook page if they wanted to see more.

[LysesKids]

I have started conducting interviews ONLY on Monday evenings. Any other day is off limits. I can't handle the idea of having several nights in one week consumed by them! I have a parent coming next Monday who has waited 4 weeks for her turn. It's not worth it to give up my already hectic evenings to more work. Since you don't have an opening right now anyway, it's something to consider (choose one day per week that works for YOU).

I offer Tuesday or Thursdays and only after 5:30pm.. it pisses some families off; I am an infants only home and parents have plenty of notice when their child will need care . I don't do Mondays because everyone is just getting in the swing of a new week, and Friday... ummm NO because it's end of the week.

[Blackcat31]

I don't have any openings expected until Fall of next year, however, I keep getting calls, families want to come tour prior to being put on the wait list.

I get it, no one wants to be on a list when they don't know what they are waiting for.

However, last week and this week almost every night I am having tours. I am sick of it. Some are 30min, some have been 1.5 hours or more.

I thought about telling them well I will have an open house everyone can come then, but then how do you really get a good feel when you have that many people in your house at the same time?

I run a preschool program and currently I am the only all day preschool program in my area, so lots of people trying to get in.

HELP!!! I don't want to do tours like this anymore.

any other ideas?

or advise on how to conduct a proper open house??

currently my tours are like interviews and I ask them tons of questions, which a lot of them are private, I am just trying to envision what it would look like at an open house.

My advice is to set aside certain days for tours.

I only allow interviews on Tues/Thurs.

I wouldn't decline touring with ANY interested family as it is in everyone's best interest if they want to be on your wait list.

A few short months ago, you were venting about not being able to find enough kids to fill your spaces so I'd take this as a positive sign that you are doing something great!

Keep marketing yourself and your program even when you are full as things can change drastically overnight in this line of work.

[daycare]

My advice is to set aside certain days for tours.

I only allow interviews on Tues/Thurs.

I wouldn't decline touring with ANY interested family as it is in everyone's best interest if they want to be on your wait list.

A few short months ago, you were venting about not being able to find enough kids to fill your spaces so I'd take this as a positive sign that you are doing something great!

Keep marketing yourself and your program even when you are full as things can change drastically overnight in this line of work.

I have been full for awhile, but at the start of this year, I was not able to find kids. I didn't have openings, I just wanted to kick some kids out to replace, but could NOT find kids for the life of me.

Remember that table I shared with you that I set up at a preschool night event. Well ever since I did that event I have been getting calls left and right. I am excited to do that even again this year.

I think I like the idea of doing one a month and then when I know I have an opening I will contact those that I got a great feel for and ask them to come back for an interview.

I guess trial an error is what will work.

I don't have a ton of patience having to do interviews when I have no spot open. I have been giving up way way too much personal time.

[crazydaycarelady]

I like the idea of limiting doing tours/interviews one day per week.

I have found that waiting lists, while great in theory, don't really work that well. By the time I get an opening (which can be months or even a year) and call them back they have had to find alternate care.

[daycare]

I like the idea of limiting doing tours/interviews one day per week.

I have found that waiting lists, while great in theory, don't really work that well. By the time I get an opening (which can be months or even a year) and call them back they have had to find alternate care.

Even at one a week that is still a lot of work.

For my wait list, I have an email list that I made through constant contact. They get our monthly news letter and even planner.

I don't call down the list. I just shoot out an email when I have an opening and tell them its open, whoever calls back about it, puts deposit is the first to take it.

[melilley]

One option would be to stop doing tours and when it gets closer to fall, start doing them again.

It's great that you have so much interest in your program! I can't get preschool aged children in here for the life of me, personally I like it that way, but I was stuck to fill an opening a couple of months ago with a child 30 months and up and no one called, until I let two p/t children go to get a f/t baby in here, of course.

[daycare]

One option would be to stop doing tours and when it gets closer to fall, start doing them again.

It's great that you have so much interest in your program! I can't get preschool aged children in here for the life of me, personally I like it that way, but I was stuck to fill an opening a couple of months ago with a child 30 months and up and no one called, until I let two p/t children go to get a f/t baby in here, of course.

unfortunately, I do get turn over through out the year. Kids move, parents change schools, parents loose jobs etc.. We only have monthly 30 contracts so this often leaves openings.

[melilley]

unfortunately, I do get turn over through out the year. Kids move, parents change schools, parents loose jobs etc.. We only have monthly 30 contracts so this often leaves openings.

True, I didn't think about that.

[daycare]

we only take kids 20months to 5yrs not enrolled in school

I will take 18months if they have an older sibling enrolled.