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Only my street name is published for where my business is. They wouldn't know which house is the daycare house cause there are like 50 on my street. I only give out my address a few hours before the tour begins. I wait 30 minutes then move on if they aren't here yet.
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And Black cat, my handbook is 40 pages long, so going through it would take hours....Comment
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I do not go through the entire thing, just the areas that are important to most. Hours, fees, attendance rules, exclusionary policies and hours of operation/closed days.
Other info in the handbook is up to the parent to find/read.
My interviews usually do last 2-2.5 hours but my interviews are very thorough and are something I use as a tool to weed out potential clients I do not want to enroll.
IMHO, your (general you) interview is the gate keeper for making sure you and the potential family are a good fit.
Since I re-vamped and tightened up my interview practices, I have had no issues with the families I have enrolled.
I am losing 3 kids to Kindy this coming Fall and all of them started with me in their first year of life. Families that do get into my program usually stay until they age out and that seemed to happen around the time I changed up not only HOW I interview but what I cover during the interview.Comment
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I created a form that goes over my policies that might make or break a business relationship. I guess going over that might be useful.Comment
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YES!!
I have found that when I present to parents the things I will NOT tolerate upfront, the client-provider relationship starts and stays strong.
Discussing program operations and day to day activities is important too but is also something everyone does so most parents view that info as the same at each place (even if its not).
Most providers always say the same things:
- Quality environment
- Educational activities
- Learn via play
- Love your child like my own
- Safe, nurturing care
- Healthy food options
- Outside time
To a parent doing multiple tours, it's all just regurgitated information.
Talking about the deal breakers up front and CLEARLY definitely has its benefits and is something I think is unique enough (whether taken positively or not) that it sets you apart from others and makes your no-negotiable policies clear for parents and we all understand that knowing expectations up front is key for many things.
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My handbook talks about all the benefits of my program as well as my website, so the tour/interview is to see the family dynamic and how the child behaves and etc. I go over the fact that I have paid sick/personal days, holidays, as well as a 2-week unpaid vacation if I use it. That they pay every week if they are part time or full time (drop-in care is only paid if used), and I have a supply fee and application fee up front.
Also goes over late pickups, early drop offs, that if they fall behind on payments that care will not be provided, etc. Anything else you think it should have?Comment
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Apparently infant care is very hard to come by in my neck of the woods. Almost every (expectant) mother I have talked with on the phone has said that the daycare centers around my neck of the woods have year long waiting list or longer. (I find that hard to believe) so they all want to schedule a meeting when they call me because they feel they need to line up infant care ASAP. I had to start telling them to please contact me a month before care is needed. In my head I'm thinking that I will never hear from them again but that's only part of the reason.
I would never charge for a tour, it just wouldn't fly. I just always hope that people will show up.
DebComment
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