Wait Lists, Calling Back Potential Clients and Professional Etiquette

[Controlled Chaos]

1. I would like to thank Gods of daycare good fortune, that I have been so lucky with lots of children lately.

2. Wait lists: What format do you use? Do you require anything to be put on it? Certain info, interview, deposit etc ???

3. How do balance wanting a good amount of people on your wait list with not wanting to give people false hope. I want people to think there is reasonable hope I will call them soon (you never know) but I don't want to lie to them.

4. I have been having a hard time keeping up with calling people back. I am great about email and FB message reply time (1-2 days) but often completely forget voice mails. Its so hard to have a quiet moment. I struggle with phones. What is your professional/etiquette take on getting back to interested families. I am currently full, but don't want people waiting to hear back from me. I feel its rude, but it is taking a lot of my time to keep up.

Thoughts?

[childcaremom]

I don't require any commitment to be put on my waitlist. I also tell them that it does not guarantee them a spot.

I keep track of age of child,when they want to start care, price I quoted them, hours they require care, full or part time, notes on family (current sleep routines, meal routines, etc). I call back on families that I think will fit best with my group at the time. So just because a family was placed first on my list, doesn't nec. mean I will call them first. I want the best fit for my group.

I sometimes have an idea, but generally don't, if I will have space or not. I tell people this exactly, that sometimes I will have lots of notice, sometimes very little, given the nature of this business. That I will call them as soon as I know I have an opening and that they have 48 hours to decide whether they would like the space or not.

[nanglgrl]

I get everyone's email address and then send them a link to my business Facebook page and my webpage. I tell them that if they "like" my Facebook business page they will see my posts and any future openings will show up in their newsfeed. If that doesn't fill the slot I go through all of the emails I sent to prospective clients and send a mass email stating what age/hours I have availability for. It's actually helped tremendously. Out of 10 clients only 3 are full time, the rest are part time but all fill in around another part time schedule making me completely full. I make more from 2 part timers than one full timer so it's works great for me. i don't really care about getting information from them when I'm full as by the time I have an opening thsir child would be older and their needs may have changed.

[Blackcat31]

1. I would like to thank Gods of daycare good fortune, that I have been so lucky with lots of children lately.

2. Wait lists: What format do you use? Do you require anything to be put on it? Certain info, interview, deposit etc ???

3. How do balance wanting a good amount of people on your wait list with not wanting to give people false hope. I want people to think there is reasonable hope I will call them soon (you never know) but I don't want to lie to them.

4. I have been having a hard time keeping up with calling people back. I am great about email and FB message reply time (1-2 days) but often completely forget voice mails. Its so hard to have a quiet moment. I struggle with phones. What is your professional/etiquette take on getting back to interested families. I am currently full, but don't want people waiting to hear back from me. I feel its rude, but it is taking a lot of my time to keep up.

Thoughts?

Everything about how the waitlist is handled and how I manage it is on my website. I PM'ed you the link.

[jenboo]

Everything about how the waitlist is handled and how I manage it is on my website. I PM'ed you the link.

Can I get the link to your website too??

[Controlled Chaos]

Everything about how the waitlist is handled and how I manage it is on my website. I PM'ed you the link.

Thank you! That was helpful.

[AmyKidsCo]

Everything about how the waitlist is handled and how I manage it is on my website. I PM'ed you the link.

Is your website done? I haven't peeked in a while.

2. I do my waitlist through a form on my website. I ask for name, email address, postal address (so I can send a brochure), child/ren's names, date/s of birth, when they want to start care, and FT or PT. There's also a place for notes in case they want to add anything.

3. I add everyone who wants to be on the list. Usually I have a 12+ month wait time, but you never know what's going to happen. Most families already have care by the time I have an opening, but sometimes they don't like where they are or the stars align so they're looking for care.

4. Since my waitlist is through my website I don't get many phone calls. I do try to call back ASAP - I thank them for their interest in my program, let them know when I anticipate another opening, and direct them to my website if they want to join the waiting list.

[Blackcat31]

Is your website done? I haven't peeked in a while.

For now. :: I had to walk away and "live with it" for a while.

I was starting to have some massive anxiety about it and I don't get anxious about much soo.....


I should mention too that my waitlist is totally an "imitation" based on yours.

I definitely dole out the credit to you in several areas of my site but am always hesitant to simply state openly/publically "Oh, Amy was great in assisting me in doing/writing/setting up my waitlist page/site pages"as I am fearful you will be bombarded with requests so I usually try to low key it and PM it to others.