I Quoted A Potential Client Incorrectly!

[wdmmom]

I had a woman contact me back in May about daycare. Now that's she's closer to her due date, I agreed to meet with her a few weeks ago.

She contacted me again scheduling a second interview...for tonight!

I was going over my paperwork and I misquoted her! I would love the opportunity to work for this family! It's Monday through Thursday and since I take off 2 hours early on Fridays, it would work perfectly! My only dilemma is, do I **** up the loss, do I tell her that I misquoted her and tell her the new rate or do I wait and see how these kids are and if they are easier, let it slide, if they are more difficult, raise the rate in a few months. I also considered seeing if she'd meet in the middle...since it's a matter of $50 a month, I'll take the $25 a month loss.

What do you think?

[dEHmom]

Did your rates change? If they did you could say the new rates are ***/mth. Or week or however. I think saying weekly sounds better than monthly.

How did you misquote her? Different hours? Just said the wrong rate? There must've been a reason you gave the rate you did.

I would recommend NOT raising the rates after giving care for so long. That will not work out well. Raise them now, or charge what you quoted. I think that's the only options available right now.

[wdmmom]

Did your rates change? If they did you could say the new rates are ***/mth. Or week or however. I think saying weekly sounds better than monthly.

How did you misquote her? Different hours? Just said the wrong rate? There must've been a reason you gave the rate you did.

I would recommend NOT raising the rates after giving care for so long. That will not work out well. Raise them now, or charge what you quoted. I think that's the only options available right now.

I'm really wanting to get them in the door and I'm already only charging them for the 4 days they are here per week versus charging them the regular weekly rate.

I was running a special awhile back and it was $25 off your child's first month enrollment.

Do I tell her that I quoted her based on the offer and tell her that the rate will be regular price after the first month?

[JaydensMommy]

I did the same thing, since I was just starting I had quoted a parent a part-time rate at the full-time rate. So she finally decides to enroll three months later. I did tell her I would give her the rate I had quoted her but if I had a full time client interested then she would be offered the full-time slot or lose her spot.

I think you should just explain to them that you quoted them with the special in mind. Tell them that you no longer are running that special but that since you had offered it to them that you would still give it to them for the first month and tell them what your rate is after that. If it's not a huge amount, if it's just 25 dollars I don't think it should be a deal breaker.

[dEHmom]

I think you should just explain to them that you quoted them with the special in mind. Tell them that you no longer are running that special but that since you had offered it to them that you would still give it to them for the first month and tell them what your rate is after that. If it's not a huge amount, if it's just 25 dollars I don't think it should be a deal breaker.

ditto to this

[daycare]

I did this before and this is what I did to get out of it

I told the parents this:

I was running a promotion at the time of your inquiry for DC. I am no longer running that special, however, what I will do is honor it for you for the first month. So your first month will be at a discounted rate of $*** and after that it will be $***.

The family did not see a problem with it at all.

[KEG123]

I did this before and this is what I did to get out of it

I told the parents this:

I was running a promotion at the time of your inquiry for DC. I am no longer running that special, however, what I will do is honor it for you for the first month. So your first month will be at a discounted rate of $*** and after that it will be $***.

The family did not see a problem with it at all.

This is what I'd do.

[wdmmom]

Thanks daycare! I will bring it up to her when I meet with her again tonight!

[Google Apps for Day Care]

Post rates online

As mentioned already, explaining the special is over should be adequate.

An idea to help out going forward is to post rates online either on a website, document, or calendar that you can edit and share with just your potential clients. This way your normal rates and any "special" rates are clearly identified and easily accessible. Just by clicking on a link, potential clients can see if/when you have a special and for how long you are running it.