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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Charge A Fee For Tours?
trix23 03:21 PM 04-05-2017
Lately it seems that everyone is looking for care way in advance or flakes on the interview the day before or day of. Anyone ever thought to charge a fee, like $10-$20 paid by credit card the day the tour is scheduled?
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Cat Herder 04:01 PM 04-05-2017
I have never heard of anyone doing that.

I don't do tours unless I have an immediate opening. I have had one tour in three years.

How many tours are you doing? Do you tour everyone before adding to waitlist?
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e.j. 05:04 PM 04-05-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
Lately it seems that everyone is looking for care way in advance or flakes on the interview the day before or day of. Anyone ever thought to charge a fee, like $10-$20 paid by credit card the day the tour is scheduled?
As tempting as it sounds, I don't think charging for interviews would fly around here. No-shows are frustrating, though!
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trix23 05:12 PM 04-05-2017
I'm a new provider with full openings. What if it's someone inquiring now to begin in August? I wouldn't hold a spot without compensation anyways, but I don't really see the point of getting the house ready and a folder etc for a long-shot.

WWYD?
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trix23 05:15 PM 04-05-2017
I have a waitlist but since I'm new with 4 openings, I don't have anyone on it.
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Ariana 05:20 PM 04-05-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I'm a new provider with full openings. What if it's someone inquiring now to begin in August? I wouldn't hold a spot without compensation anyways, but I don't really see the point of getting the house ready and a folder etc for a long-shot.

WWYD?
Most of us charge a fee for holding a spot, mostly the full fee. Why should you lose out on income if they bail? Holding a spot to me is the same as being in the spot, either way it is not being given to someone else so they should pay. What they pay is up to you.

I only give folders etc to people who say they want to sign up. It is a waste if they don't want to sign up. I used to email potential clients my contract but stopped doing that. I also keep "tours" short and sweet. Usually an hour to answer questions and observe the kids.

I oersonally do not think its ok to charge for an interview or tour. Lots of people are no shows at all sorts of businesses and that is kind of the price of doing business in my opinion.
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Cat Herder 05:20 PM 04-05-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I'm a new provider with full openings. What if it's someone inquiring now to begin in August? I wouldn't hold a spot without compensation anyways, but I don't really see the point of getting the house ready and a folder etc for a long-shot.

WWYD?
OK, got it. Sorry. I thought you interviewed all interested potential clients. Yes, I have read it before, here.

I would tell them to contact me in August and if I still had available slots at that time I'd be glad to schedule an interview.
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trix23 10:20 PM 04-05-2017
I mean that I have openings (no clients enrolled for part time or full time, only drop-in clients). I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or what, but having a hard time finding clients as a new provider.
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CityGarden 10:32 PM 04-05-2017
I am in a similar spot and need to fill several spots however charging for interviews will not fly in my area. What I have altered is the inquiry form on my site which now request their desired enrollment date....

If they want something soon, I book a tour

If they want something far out then I say I will put them on the list for my next open house date TBD

I am booking now for Summer and Fall openings.... I will not hold a spot until September however I will hold it form now until June for the right family since I am new and just getting established - that said I run a preschool program so it is the norm to only enroll in summer or fall.
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Blackcat31 06:03 AM 04-06-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I'm a new provider with full openings. What if it's someone inquiring now to begin in August? I wouldn't hold a spot without compensation anyways, but I don't really see the point of getting the house ready and a folder etc for a long-shot.

WWYD?
See, this is why interviews don't phase me or worry me in the least.

I do NOT get the house ready.
When I have an interview scheduled, I want them to see what the house looks like "as is" because that is what they will see every day if they are enrolled. They aren't going to see the cleaned up shiny version then so why "pretend" it's that's normal? lol!

As for getting paperwork/folder ready..... I don't do that either. I have one master copy of my policy handbook that I use to go over with families on tour and I have an "interview checklist" or guideline that I use for tours but any paperwork the family may need or will get for enrollment is e-mailed to them so again, no folder or papers to get ready.

If an interview no-shows....it's no big deal for me as I didn't have to invest any additional time getting anything "ready" in the first place.
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Meeko 06:04 AM 04-06-2017
I would never charge for tours/interviews. I think it would hurt your business in the long run.

Parents need to look at a number of daycare options before choosing one that fits their needs. They will stay away from ones who charge so they can save racking up a fortune as they hunt for care.

I personally always look for contractors etc that give free estimates. I like to get several estimates for work I need done and do not want to be out hundreds before I even begin!

Daycare shopping is no different. I have had clients who told me they looked at 20 daycare options before deciding on us. If they all charged $20 a visit, the couple would have spent $400 searching for care...ouch!!!
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Blackcat31 06:09 AM 04-06-2017
IIRC, NannyDe charges for tours/interviews.
She does them in a 3 part series.
If they are interested in enrolling in her program, they happily pay the fee. (I couldn't locate the older threads where we talked about this...I didn't look real hard though.....)
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Cat Herder 06:21 AM 04-06-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
IIRC, NannyDe charges for tours/interviews.
She does them in a 3 part series.
If they are interested in enrolling in her program, they happily pay the fee. (I couldn't locate the older threads where we talked about this...I didn't look real hard though.....)
I forgot about that. I remember her "The Art of the Interview", now. I don't think I ever realized she charged for them.

OP, what does your home look like from the street view? Not trying to sound rude, although it always does , but many potential clients pull up trulia, zillow or google maps street view before interviewing, now.

It may not hurt to update real estate websites if the photo is less than flattering. unfortunately, I don't think we can do anything about google, yet, but I am probably wrong on that.
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childcaremom 06:36 AM 04-06-2017
The market here is such that families are looking for care 2-3 months in advance, and sometimes sooner.

I try to avoid doing any interviews for spaces that are too far out but if the age of the child/hours/etc fit well with my program, then I will interview to see if they are a great fit.

I used to interview all the time in an attempt to build up my waitlist. The past year I've just been advertising off and on and building up a waitlist to draw from if I have an opening coming up and THEN interview them.

No shows seem to come with the territory. I seem to remember reading that some providers will only give out their address the morning of the interview so that they don't end up sitting around and waiting. Maybe you want to consider that?
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jenboo 07:25 AM 04-06-2017
In my area, parents need to get on waitlists the day they find out they are pregnant. It's common for people to be on waitlists for a year or two before getting in.
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trix23 01:31 PM 04-06-2017
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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trix23 01:32 PM 04-06-2017
And Black cat, my handbook is 40 pages long, so going through it would take hours....
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Blackcat31 01:44 PM 04-06-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
And Black cat, my handbook is 40 pages long, so going through it would take hours....
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.
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trix23 08:27 AM 04-07-2017
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.
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Blackcat31 08:56 AM 04-07-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
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.
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:

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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trix23 01:55 PM 04-08-2017
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?
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renodeb 08:21 PM 04-08-2017
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.
Deb
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Tags:fees, the art of the interview, tour, tours
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