help misquoted price!
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  1. #1
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    Hey I've just had an enquiry on the phone and I misquoted the price it works out 80 a month difference. .... help what shall I do?? She's coming tomorrow for a show around etc.
    Shall I just mention it or just let it go and put it down to experience? ?
    I'm so cross with myself I was flustered and out shopping didn't think properly ahhhh
    Last edited by crumpet54; 04-01-2016 at 03:26 PM.

  2. #2
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    If you have her number perhaps call her to explain and give the correct fee, before she comes to visit. That's what I think i'd do.

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    I would wait for the parent to arrive and then say "the price I gave you yesterday on the phone was an estimate and now I have had time to work out the hours and fees correctly on a calculate I have realised it's actually going to cost you this much ?" I normally just give them the hourly rate and let them work it out for themselves.

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    I'd say £1000pa (or near as) is a pretty expensive piece of experience.

    Personally, I'd be up front and tell her I'd made a genuine mistake. I'd maybe give her my best girlie-giggle* and say, "I'm better at childcare than I am at maths."

    The face-saving approach, if needed (well, it's lying really, but we don't use words like that here ) is to say you've just reviewed the fees for the new year after having held your prices for goD-knows how long and you'd mistakenly done the calculation on your old rates. January makes it a good time to get away with this one, unless you're thinking of reviewing fees again soon.


    *Yes, I know, but none of you can say I don't have a girlie giggle unless you've heard it......................

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    I would phone now and say you're sorry, but she caught you off guard as you were out shopping and you've since realised that you miscalculated the quote and it will actually be £X.

    I certainly wouldn't leave it until tomorrow to tell her as that's quite a big difference. Look at it from her point of view. If you'd phoned somewhere for a quote (which probably seems very cheap compared to others), but when you turned up they said it was going to be an extra £80 a month, you'd probably tell them to forget it! Personally, I'd much rather they phoned me first than leave me to find out when I was there. By letting her know now, you give her the opportunity to cancel if she doesn't want to pay that amount, or come along anyway, knowing the true cost in advance.

    Whatever you do, don't write it off and think you have to offer her a place based on the figure you initially quoted. You'd end up resenting the family and there's a good chance you won't get any thanks from them for doing it so cheap!

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  8. #6
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    Thanks all I think she still thinks it's too much cos she's just posted on a selling page on fb -any childminders in the area..... lol
    My friend has posted suggesting me and shes said I've contacted her thanks

    lol lol lol

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    Quote Originally Posted by crumpet54 View Post
    Thanks all I think she still thinks it's too much cos she's just posted on a selling page on fb -any childminders in the area..... lol
    My friend has posted suggesting me and shes said I've contacted her thanks

    lol lol lol
    I wouldn't red too much into that.

    9 out of 10 cats think childminders are too expensive................... because we don't do it for free!

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  11. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by bunyip View Post

    I wouldn't red too much into that.

    9 out of 10 cats think childminders are too expensive................... because we don't do it for free!
    Ha how true ay!
    Yeah my partner just said I've read t9 much into it. He said well you shop around don't u?? I was like Hmmmm yes I suppose so!
    I'll see how it goes tomo. I really want a full timer now I've had so many time wasters it's ridiculous. X

  12. #9
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    No show! !!

    Seriously getting fed up now I've had so many time wasters and no shows.

    So disheartening

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    Quote Originally Posted by crumpet54 View Post
    No show! !!

    Seriously getting fed up now I've had so many time wasters and no shows.

    So disheartening
    Sorry to hear that.

    There are times I wish we could sell tickets for parent visits, rather than just work the time for free: so much worse they can't even be bothered to show up. If only we could all take a refundable deposit against them wasting our time like that, but then we'd just be seen as greedy, or mad, for doing it. I know one CM group that shares information on parents who do no-shows, as well as keeping what amounts to a 'blacklist' of bad-payers and other troublesome types.

    On the subject of shopping around, I've had a handful of odd enquiries in the last few weeks, where they were more than usually interested in my fees. Some even quoted their current CMs' rates. It looks very much like fees are going up a bit in my area, in which case most the CMs will put theirs up at the same time, as the CM group in the next town is run like a cartel/mafia and do everything together cos they're incapable of independent thought.

    I know this is a business, but I'm horrified at the idea of mums shopping around to save a few bob with no regard for how much it could disrupt an arrangement their child is probably happy with.

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  15. #11
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    How annoying for you. Hopefully you get some better interest soon. I hate it when people just don't show up, no one thinks about how they waste the time of others.

    For what it's worth with your original enquiry I would definitely have sent a message just saying that you miscalculated, and make a bit of a joke about the whole thing. Just so they don't feel like you'd mis sold yourself in order to get an appointment. I would definitely not let the £80 a month go.

  16. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by bunyip View Post

    Sorry to hear that.

    There are times I wish we could sell tickets for parent visits, rather than just work the time for free: so much worse they can't even be bothered to show up. If only we could all take a refundable deposit against them wasting our time like that, but then we'd just be seen as greedy, or mad, for doing it. I know one CM group that shares information on parents who do no-shows, as well as keeping what amounts to a 'blacklist' of bad-payers and other troublesome types.

    On the subject of shopping around, I've had a handful of odd enquiries in the last few weeks, where they were more than usually interested in my fees. Some even quoted their current CMs' rates. It looks very much like fees are going up a bit in my area, in which case most the CMs will put theirs up at the same time, as the CM group in the next town is run like a cartel/mafia and do everything together cos they're incapable of independent thought.

    I know this is a business, but I'm horrified at the idea of mums shopping around to save a few bob with no regard for how much it could disrupt an arrangement their child is probably happy with.
    Oh I know I can't believe how some are in regards to their children I had one last week didn't want me meeting child I said we would need settling in sessions she said no I need care to start Monday (this was on the Saturday ). .... I refused as she wanted 6.30-6.30 worked an hours drive away and said she will prob b later than 6.30 at night ......
    I could go on and on with my enquiries I've had I can't believe it. I'm so fed up with it now.

  17. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by greenfaerie View Post
    How annoying for you. Hopefully you get some better interest soon. I hate it when people just don't show up, no one thinks about how they waste the time of others.

    For what it's worth with your original enquiry I would definitely have sent a message just saying that you miscalculated, and make a bit of a joke about the whole thing. Just so they don't feel like you'd mis sold yourself in order to get an appointment. I would definitely not let the £80 a month go.
    Yes looking back now maybe it was a blessing that she's not turned up saves me the awkward conversation about the fees problem lol lol I've learnt my lesson definitely! !

  18. #14
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    Just had another enquiry - 1 day a week 9 month old .....
    Thoughts ??
    May be hard to settle only coming one day a week?
    Paperwork for 1 day.... worth it??

  19. #15
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    It's great to hear you've had another enquiry. I've got a child on a one day contract as grandparents had her the other 2 days but mum now wants another day. This may happen to you. It may take a while for the child to settle but you will work with the parents to make this as smooth as possible. Can you ask the parent if they may need more days on the future before you make your mind up?

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    I've had and have lots on one day a week contracts. It can take longer to settle, but not always. I often see my 'one dayers' at toddlers/other groups/school. It's nice having a different mix of children too. Most of my 'one dayers' add occasional extra days, and some permanent extra days. I'd go for it. xx

  21. #17
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    Thanks for your thoughts I'll take them on board
    Last edited by crumpet54; 05-01-2016 at 09:09 PM.

  22. #18
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    So pleased you've had another enquiry.

    I'd go for it, but then I've become very much at ease with lots of 'bits and pieces' work. I've had a 1-day-a week child since last summer, and mum just increased to 2 days starting this week (woo-hoo, hark at me: bunyip hits the Big Time .) I also half a lo who does 2 mornings a week. For some time, nearly all my EY mindees have been shared-care arrangements with them going to nursery, pre-school or grandparents on other days of the week.

    I appreciate the point about the paperwork, but I don't find it too onorous. Frinstance, I wouldn't do so many LJ observations for a child who only comes once a week.

    Would you be the only EY setting, or are they at a nursery/preschool at other times?

    Settling might be an issue. I'd be absolutely straight with mum about this, and keep a reasonable settling-in period in the contract.

  23. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by crumpet54 View Post
    Just had another enquiry - 1 day a week 9 month old ..... Thoughts ?? May be hard to settle only coming one day a week? Paperwork for 1 day.... worth it??
    I'd definitely follow it up, you could wait ages for the perfect scenario and it might never come. One of my first customers was one day a week so don't knock it! :-) good luck x

  24. #20
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    The beauty of one day a week mindees is that they often are flexible about the days. Like bunyip my work is all part timers ..
    Currently I have one in four days a week, one in three days. One on shift anything from one to four days a week and one on a half day a week. In my scenario I could feasibly fit someone who is studying and prepared to vary days, another one like my half day a week one whose mum just wants a break or a little one who is shared
    Care with grandparents who often don't mind which day they do just don't want to do every day. As a pp said sometimes it leads to more days too. It can be harder to settle but if you get Lo in now (and I mean in next week or two as they are young yet and not quite at the making strange stage) and settled it could go beautifully. It might not but you won't know until they actually start. I have done this often and most have settled fine. It's a risk but I think probably worth trying. Ask if they are happy to move days if necessary as you may need to fit in another parent . Good luck !

 

 
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