Market Research - Can you help?

[Buzz Lightyear]

Hi all, sorry for the blanket email. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with my market research. I'm currently studying to become a registered childminder and for our next session, the tutor has asked us to complete some market research.

Basically, they want me to contact competitors in my region. I'm from West Yorkshire and would love any potential or registered childminders to get in touch or reply to this thread if they are interested in helping me out. (it saves me having to phone round local childminders)

Any replies, takers most appreciated :laughing:

[breezy]

sorry I'm an Essex Girl!

[gemhei]

Im from west yorkshire, I know which market research you are talking about, try ask at school or local playgroups. I work mon to fri 8am until 6pm and i have children in the holidays for the same. I charge by session not by hour as this works best for me. Most childminders in my area charge around £3.50 to £4.00 per hour. I charge by session which is in 5 hour blocks. Hope this helps :)

[Andrea08]

well i live ere on the forum but i will help you if the area doesnt realy matter:blush: little white lies hehehe

[Pipsqueak]

II'm fairly close - Co Durham!!! if that helps:D

[Buzz Lightyear]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name
Area
Ages of children you care for
Days and times you care for children
Special Benefits offered
Pricing Policy
How do you promote yourself
Yours strengths and weaknesses
Impact you will have on my service

Arrggh, isn't this kind of thing just awful?

Thanks for the info Gemhei, does the information really have to be about local childminders? Do the tutors use the information afterwards or is it purely for the course day?

Thanks again for the replies, it's very much appreciated :)

[Andrea08]

[QUOTE=Elliebee;249241]Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name
Area
Ages of children you care for
Days and times you care for children
Special Benefits offered
Pricing Policy
How do you promote yourself
Yours strengths and weaknesses
Impact you will have on my service

1 andrea08
2 forum
3 ages 4,3 and two 1yr olds
4 mon-fri 8am till 6pm
5 £5 off for 2nd child during school holidays
6 fees to be paid on first day of minding week and includes all meals, snacks and entrance fees to outings,
7, now word of mouth and people see me at school and drop ins etc
8, weeknessess.... let parents walk all over me and treat me like a 2nd class citizen,
strenghts,,,, my right arm as i lift this glass of vodka to my lips pmsl sorry
8, try again ,,,strenghts,,, good wid my paper work thanks to the forum
weaknesses, standing up 4 myself (we worry if parents leave we are left with no money and my own children to care for)
9 i will steal all your mindees hehehe nooo the impact will be support and friendship

sorry 4 the little jokes on the way but hope that helped ok

x

[Pipsqueak]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name VR - aka Pipsqueak
AreaCo durham
Ages of children you care for 2yrs, 5 yrs and 7 yrs
Days and times you care for children before and after school everyday 8-9am 3.15-5.30pm - temp 6 week contract, thurs/friday 8.30am to 5.30pm
Special Benefits offered large garden, stimulating, warm fun environment, homework help, homemade foods, healthy options, home from home atmosphere
Pricing Policy£3.50ph,
How do you promote yourselfword of mouth, flyers, FIS, business cards, bags, stickers in car
Yours strengths and weaknesseschildren are relaxed and comfortable, good safety, good understanding of children, good listener, good at working with parents, weaknesses - need to improve my outdoor area
Impact you will have on my service

Arrggh, isn't this kind of thing just awful?

Thanks for the info Gemhei, does the information really have to be about local childminders? Do the tutors use the information afterwards or is it purely for the course day?

Thanks again for the replies, it's very much appreciated :)

hope that helps a little

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks to both Pipsqueak and Andrea08, loving your answers Andrea :laughing: The info you hsve both provided will be very useful. I imagine getting set up and established with fees, contracts, etc is quite daunting! I have soooo many questions, lol!!

[sarah707]

Name

sarahnev

Area

Cheshire

Ages of children you care for 1 1/2, 3 1/3, 5, 9 and 12

Days and times you care for children Mon, tues and Thurs 730-6 / Weds and Fri 730-9 and 3-6. All are part timers so it's a bit more complicated than that.

Special Benefits offered

Read my website for more info!

Pricing Policy depends... before and after schoolers pay one rate, full day is another rate, 2nd child is a slight discount. Fees include meals and snacks (healthy of course).

How do you promote yourself Word of mouth and occasional adverts at local school if I've got a place to fill. CIS ring me every month and I ring them if they don't.

Yours strengths and weaknesses

Strengths - ex teacher, very strong on learning through play, outstanding Ofsted... Weaknesses - re-planning my garden at the moment as it needs some tlc.

Impact you will have on my service

I wish they'd have support minders round here - I would always be there to listen and guide. It would be great!



Hope this helps you! :D

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks Sarah, that's great. Just had a look at your website, it's fab!! I looked at that design but then couldn't fatham things out. I need to go back to the site and try again on a less busy day with my daughter but she's only 5 months so you come to expect distractions while trying to work on bits.

Thanks again for the info, another one bites the dust. Any more takers? :huh:

[michellethegooner]

Name; Michelle

Area:N. London

Ages of children you care for: 16mth old, 8mth old, 6mth old

Days and times you care for children:8am - 6pm mon - Fri

Special Benefits offered: term time packages for teachers: i.e. charge them half fee for 12 wks holidays, as I offer emergency care in term time, and have some schoolers that come to me.

Pricing Policy: charge per session whether child attends or not.£5 discount on oldest sibling per session.

How do you promote yourself: word of mouth, netmums, C.I.S, Website

Yours strengths and weaknesses. felxible care, patient, paperwork, good listener & supportive. (weaknesses) not great at saying no, but getting better!!

Impact you will have on my service, will offer support & pass on offers of work if I am full

Hope that helps

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks Michelle, that's brilliant. You girls are all so very helpful. I did think I'd have to be making all this up. It's great reading all your different replies. Thanks again :)

[hbomb1]

Name: Helen

Area: Halifax, West Yorks

Ages of children you care for: 12 months

Days and times you care for children Mon, Tues (8-5), Weds (8-1)

Special Benefits offered: 10% discount for younger sibling.

Pricing Policy : Charge £3.50 ph, same as the local area.

How do you promote yourself : Word of mouth, adverts at local school and local shops, advert on netmums and on here of course.

Yours strengths and weaknesses

Strengths: Ofsted grading Good, good relationships with children, excellent service offered,
Weaknesses: Sticking to what I have planned.

Impact you will have on my service: Refer potential mindees if I am unable to take on,

[Buzz Lightyear]

That's great Helen, thank you very much :laughing:

[devoncm]

Name Marie
Area Exmouth
Ages of children you care for 4yrs and 10yrs
Days and times you care for children mon-fri 3.15-6.30 and 7am-6pm holidays
Special Benefits offered full day discount full week discount,meals included healthy choices
Pricing Policy £3.50 discounts as stated, up front
How do you promote yourself word of mouth, crads in window leaflet drop
Yours strengths and weaknesseshome from home love playing with kids all day cook ealthy meals get behing with paperwork and garden needs improving
Impact you will have on my service be here to answer questions when needed-if i can, lol

hope that helps you.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks devoncm, that's really helpful. I've made a note.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me with this. :thumbsup:

[LittleAcorns]

[QUOTE=Elliebee;249241]

[COLOR=blue]Name Louise
Area Leicester
Ages of children you care for 10months, 1 year, 15 months, 22 months, 2years, 3years, 5 years, 7 years, 9 years
Days and times you care for children Mon - Fri 7 - 6
Special Benefits offered sibling reduction
Pricing Policy £2.90 ph
How do you promote yourself Word of mouth, website
Yours strengths and weaknesses Strengths, Im quite calm and cope with most things, relaxed, fun, (mindee said yesterday that I smile the most lol) welcome children in as if they were my own, weeknesses, not always focused with the planning and paper work
Impact you will have on my service, be able to share idea

Hope that helps xx

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks you Louise, that's great :thumbsup:

[Pedagog]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name
Area
Ages of children you care for
Days and times you care for children
Special Benefits offered
Pricing Policy
How do you promote yourself
Yours strengths and weaknesses
Impact you will have on my service

Arrggh, isn't this kind of thing just awful?

Thanks for the info Gemhei, does the information really have to be about local childminders? Do the tutors use the information afterwards or is it purely for the course day?

Thanks again for the replies, it's very much appreciated :)

Here you go

Name Charlotte
Area Pontefract, West Yorkshire (So sort of local)
Ages of children you care for Non as yet still pre reg
Days and times you care for children Mon - Fri (Weekends by arrangement) 7am-6pm
Special Benefits offered Sibling Discounts, Grow your own food, petting farm, Ironing service (my daughter)
Pricing Policy £3.50 an hour (Core Hours) Overtime at other times
How do you promote yourself N/A Pre Reg still
Yours strengths and weaknesses Strengths -Organisation, Weakness - Organisation (I detest others lack of organisation)
Impact you will have on my service None, I am a long way from you. Other than being a friendly ear on here.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks Charlotte, that's great and all the best with your pregnancy :)

[Gherkin]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name ClaireArea
Ages of children you care for2, almost 3, 6, 7
Days and times you care for children business opening hours 7-7 but flexible. currently doing 7-7mon, 7-2 3.3-7 tues/thur, 7-8.45-3.30-7 wed, firday I have no mindees at present
Special Benefits offered[/COLOR
[COLOR=blue]Pricing Policy£3.50 ph which is local rate, sibling reduction of 50p ph, under1's £3.00 but parents provide their food etc
How do you promote yourselfCIS, word of mouth, school information file, advertising in local shop, advertising in local magazine, letting other local childminders know what vacancies I have so the can refer people to me.
Yours strengths and weaknesses Strengths - Organised, good cook, all children are treated equally i.e the Ofsted inspector said she would not be able to tell which was my child when she inspected me. Weaknesses - people take the pee with me about payment dates.
Impact you will have on my serviceI am not in your area so it does not matter.

Arrggh, isn't this kind of thing just awful?

Thanks for the info Gemhei, does the information really have to be about local childminders? Do the tutors use the information afterwards or is it purely for the course day?

Thanks again for the replies, it's very much appreciated :)


Know I am not in your area but hope the above helps.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Awh thanks for that Claire. Doesn't matter if you're not in my area, I'm marking it on the sheet like you are. Ooops!! I just think calling childminders in the area is a little cheeky, especially as they give their numbers for potential customers, not students doing market research although they probably had to do the same thing once upon a time.

Really appreciate you replying, many thanks :)

[ajs]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. It's great!

Basically, if you have the item, I was wondering if any of you could answer the following so I can record it for my coursework:

Name Mandy
Area north nottinghamshire (almost south yorkshire)
Ages of children you care for 14 weeks, 14 months 22months 2.4 yrs 4.5 yrs 6 yrs and 7 yrs
Days and times you care for children mon to fri 8 - 6
Special Benefits offeredex teacher,28 years of experience with children, 3 children of own who all offer extended services ie babysitting, family environment, lots of learning through play
Pricing Policy £3.75 ph 2nd child £3
How do you promote yourself word of mouth FIS
Yours strengths and weaknesses strengths i love playing with the children, we have fun. weakenesses i hate paper work more then anything else
Impact you will have on my service i am here if you need an ear




Arrggh, isn't this kind of thing just awful?

Thanks for the info Gemhei, does the information really have to be about local childminders? Do the tutors use the information afterwards or is it purely for the course day?

Thanks again for the replies, it's very much appreciated :)

hope that helps

[Pedagog]

Thanks Charlotte, that's great and all the best with your pregnancy :)

:eek: I'm not pregnant!!!:panic:

[Buzz Lightyear]

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Charlotte. With you saying Pre-Reg, I mistakenly thought you meant "pregnant", lol. Sorry, too many baby forums for me throughout my own pregnancy. I cannot apologise enough :( Please forgive me!!!! :blush:

[ajs]

that's even worse then seeing a plump woman and asking when;s the baby due

i did reread her post and try and read where charlotte said she was pregnant

[Buzz Lightyear]

I am ever so sorry Charlotte but surely that's not worse than asking a said women as you've described ajs. It's a simple glanceover error on my part and I've apologise to Charlotte. Eeeeek, I feel horrid. :(

[ajs]

I am ever so sorry Charlotte but surely that's not worse than asking a said women as you've described ajs. It's a simple glanceover error on my part and I've apologise to Charlotte. Eeeeek, I feel horrid. :(

sorry bbbb :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: