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View Full Version : How do you respond to enquiries, think i'm doing it wrong



Tatjana
02-06-2009, 12:47 PM
This probably sounds like a really silly question.

I've had 4 enquiries so far and have responded by saying yes I have a vacancy, when would they like to come and see my setting and sent a couples of info sheets like 'Activities available, sample menu' and tried to avoid the 'how much' question with 'we can discuss fees at meeting'.

BUT, they have all insisted in knowing how much before comitting to a meeting and then i've never heard from them again.:(

Surely it can't just be the fees putting them off as they are similar to what everyone is charging round here.

How do you avoid giving out fees information?:rolleyes:

OR is this just common practice, to enquire and then not bother????!!!

xx

PixiePetal
02-06-2009, 01:02 PM
After a quick chat on the phone and if I have vacancy needed, we arrange a visit to talk more. Money never been asked about at this stage.

When they meet me, it's never the first thing either. Sometimes I have to ask at the end of the meet if they would like to know how much it is so they can go and work it out at home!

Tatjana
02-06-2009, 01:07 PM
After a quick chat on the phone and if I have vacancy needed, we arrange a visit to talk more. Money never been asked about at this stage.

When they meet me, it's never the first thing either. Sometimes I have to ask at the end of the meet if they would like to know how much it is so they can go and work it out at home!


Wow, you're so lucky, after enquiring about the vacancy it's the next question they ask me.

xx

Zoomie
02-06-2009, 01:13 PM
Could you not word your reply to the money question on the lines that it all depends on their individual circumstances and it would be best if they came around for a short visit .....

Hopefully your next call will result in a visit.

The Juggler
02-06-2009, 01:21 PM
I always get asked to. Hard to refuse the information if they are asking specifically. Sounds to me like this is people who are phoning round for cheapest then deciding only to visit them. Probably would be nothing but trouble with payments if that's the case so you're probably best off without them!

Tatjana
02-06-2009, 01:42 PM
I always get asked to. Hard to refuse the information if they are asking specifically. Sounds to me like this is people who are phoning round for cheapest then deciding only to visit them. Probably would be nothing but trouble with payments if that's the case so you're probably best off without them!

I hadn't thought of it like that, you've made me feel alot better, thank you!

xx

Tatjana
02-06-2009, 01:43 PM
Could you not word your reply to the money question on the lines that it all depends on their individual circumstances and it would be best if they came around for a short visit .....

Hopefully your next call will result in a visit.


I have tried to skirt around it by saying this, then they say 'It would be 3 days a week, 9-5.30pm' then I end up giving them the fees!

Thank you all for your replies.:thumbsup:

xx

carla
02-06-2009, 02:05 PM
Have u though it could be other childminders in your area, checking out the competition?

singlewiththree
02-06-2009, 03:00 PM
I am always up front with my fees and have them on CIS and also my website. I answer questions as fully as I can by email/phone but I'm terrible at discussing fees face to face.

I just say thanks for getting in touch and answer their questions and say that if they would like to arrange to see me then to get back in touch. They normally do.

TheBTeam
02-06-2009, 03:08 PM
I always try and avoid giving out full fee information, i say that it is dependant on the individual needs of the family and that i would rather the relationship with the parent and child is right than a few pence an hour.

This is usually enough to stop genuine ones, but the most hardened who are only concerned about the pennies are more likely to be the ones that you will have issues with anyway (as said above) you are probably better off without them!

Tatjana
02-06-2009, 05:58 PM
Have u though it could be other childminders in your area, checking out the competition?



Yes, it has crossed my mind.

I had no idea it would all be so difficult just to get a mindee:eek:

xx

grindal
02-06-2009, 08:19 PM
Hi again - how are you? I wonder if another thing that puts people off is when you have spaces available immediately. A lot of the info that is sent out to people by Informed Families tells them that good childminders have waiting lists. I was always very careful to explain to people that I was a newly established childminder - and that it was to their advantage to use me as it meant I could fit around their start date, and not them around a vacancy - IYSWIM :blush:
I also followed up people who phoned and then did not get back in touch, and people who visited and did not contact me - and then asked why they had decided not to use me - maybe I am a bit pushy :eek: :eek:
Hope your luck changes soon

Tatjana
03-06-2009, 03:06 PM
Hi again - how are you? I wonder if another thing that puts people off is when you have spaces available immediately. A lot of the info that is sent out to people by Informed Families tells them that good childminders have waiting lists. I was always very careful to explain to people that I was a newly established childminder - and that it was to their advantage to use me as it meant I could fit around their start date, and not them around a vacancy - IYSWIM :blush:
I also followed up people who phoned and then did not get back in touch, and people who visited and did not contact me - and then asked why they had decided not to use me - maybe I am a bit pushy :eek: :eek:
Hope your luck changes soon

Hiya, I'm ok thanks, hope you are too....despite your screamer!

:censored: CIS, what a thing to say.

The one person I told I was newly registered seemed to be put off by that:rolleyes: I think she thought I had no experience with children, so I told her I was a mum of 2.

I had thought of emailing (haven't got the guts to phone:blush: ) about feedback and why they were no longer interested etc.

Did the ones you asked tell you why?

xx

grindal
03-06-2009, 03:20 PM
2 of them were location- both found minders that were closer to where they lived. I think three of them told me their children were going to be looked after by family members. One of them did not give me a reason, but when she came to look around she was horrified that DS2 was using a pen to draw with and she asked if I always let children play with pens unsupervised :eek: - as she did not want her daughters clothes to get dirty :panic:
I only phoned her cos she did not have the courtesy to get back to me - but in the end was not brave enough to actually ask why. I think a lot of people phone to make enquiries and then find out that childminders are not the "cheap" option they thought and end up using family.
Try and phone for some feedback - it will prob reassure you that you are not actually doing anything wrong.

little chickee
03-06-2009, 03:20 PM
i quite often find that parents ask how much i charge during the initial phonecall all too often it seems to be the most important thing to them. if they dont ask i dont volunteer the information because if you can get them round for a visit and they see all i have to offer the money issue isnt always such a problem - im lucky that nearly all the minders in my area charge the same which i am always quick to point out.

but if i am directly asked how much the hourly rate is then i feel i have to answer cos if you are too vague they might think you are trying to hide something - i agree that if money is the over-riding concern then theres not much you can do.

emmadines
03-06-2009, 03:30 PM
i normally start asking the parents questions after the vacancy questions.

1, i ask the number of children and they're age.
2, what hours are they after, as that effect avalibility of vacancy.
3, ask where they would be planning to place their child when at the relevant age as that would effect if im able to do that run (ive been asked to do a pre school run for the opposite side of town before.
4, what are the children are ok with dogs as we are a small zoo lol, id rarther they said no thankyou there and then, then me wasting my time getting ready for the interview..............they then normally ask how much and i tell them...

weather they take the placement is upto them.... i dont know if im doing right or wrong, all you can do is try your best

x

Spangles
03-06-2009, 03:47 PM
I was always upfront about fees when I had phone enquiries, it's on the CIS site anyway.

I wouldn't think that this was the reason that all 4 didn't contact you again. My DO said that if your prices are slightly higher it has the effect of making parents think that you must offer a higher standard of care than c/ms charging less if you see what I mean. Having said that, I didn't charge more! Ha ha!

There are so many reasons why they might not have followed through with a visit, may have found relative, decided they couldn't afford it at all so stay at home, maybe just a fact finding phone call for future decisions, maybe someone thinking of starting up themselves and wanting to know what they could earn? There are loads of reasons, I think you've just been unlucky. Don't worry.

Hope you get some new mindees soon.

x

The Juggler
03-06-2009, 04:21 PM
I hadn't thought of it like that, you've made me feel alot better, thank you!

xx

a pleasure!

Mummits
04-06-2009, 09:14 AM
All the childminders around here charge similar fees, but as someone said to me, some parents are willing to haggle over the cost of a cup of coffee, and do you want them to deal with day in day out?

westbrom44
04-06-2009, 11:22 AM
Most of the people who ring already know my fees as they have got my details from the Children's Information Centre.

I rarely discuss fees over the phone, and if I do have to discuss fees in a big way then I wouldnt want them to use me as I am sure they would be bad payers.

I charge the same as the other childminders in my area anyway.

Tired
04-06-2009, 11:52 AM
Fees really do seem to matter to some people. I had a visit from a mum who wanted 10 hours care a week for 1 child. She asked why I was 10p an hour more expensive than others on the area. I gave her a good (i thought) explination but she decided I was too expensive.
My "expensive" charges would have cost her 1 pound a week extra.
That type of customer I can do without.

Dont let it worry you, I does take ages to get going in childminding, as in any other business. It will happen eventually.

Tatjana
04-06-2009, 11:59 AM
Fees really do seem to matter to some people. I had a visit from a mum who wanted 10 hours care a week for 1 child. She asked why I was 10p an hour more expensive than others on the area. I gave her a good (i thought) explination but she decided I was too expensive.
My "expensive" charges would have cost her 1 pound a week extra.
That type of customer I can do without.

Dont let it worry you, I does take ages to get going in childminding, as in any other business. It will happen eventually.

Wow, quibbling over a whole 10p:eek: :panic:


xx

Tippy Toes
06-06-2009, 08:44 PM
Did they say when they needed the vacancy for?

Maybe they dont need the childcare for a few months so they are weighing out their options? Hopefully you could have a call back in the future?

Best of luck x

Cazz
06-06-2009, 11:46 PM
My "expensive" charges would have cost her 1 pound a week extra.


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Every little helps!! Honestly, you can't even buy a loaf of bread for that!

Some people are unbelievable aren't they? As you say, you've probably had a lucky escape!

Carole x

funtoplay
07-06-2009, 06:42 AM
I guess with the way things are at the moment parents are looking for value for money, but fees initially is most important. I think it would be for me if i was a parent looking for childcare. Two childminders with 10p/hr difference doesn't sound alot but if you have a child needing full time care 5 days a week that extra 10p can mount up over a month!! I would want to visit both and see if i am getting anything extra for that extra a month. I charge £3.50 but alot of childminders in this area are starting to put their prices up to £4.00. For me that would be a massive rise. Plus I don't think parents would always be getting anything extra by going to the most expensive in my area. I would be good value!!

So I always tell them my fees up front if it puts them off so be it, but it would be up to me to say yes I do charge this but you get all this for your money, then give them an over view of what you offer. Then hopefully they will think you are fab before they even visit!!

Julia

mrs c
07-06-2009, 06:46 AM
I once had and enquiry and they went to another cmnder who was slightly cheaper. They then knocked her right down with retainer and were always a real pain about everything. I considered it a lucky escape.
Some people think they can pay cmnders in the way they pay a babysitter so they may have just been ringing to get an idea of how you and different cmnders operate.

Toothfairy
07-06-2009, 10:20 AM
I give out my hourly fee over the phone, we all seem to charge around the same amount where I live.