Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

Getting Parents to Pay on Time Can Be a Challenge

06 17 10


Are you having problems getting parents to pay their tuition on time? When parents do not pay tuition on time, this affects your cash flow. To assure that you maintain control over your cash flow, you must develop a written payment policy that makes it clear that parents are expected to pay on time. Moreover, when parents pay on time, you are able to service them better.

My first year as a childcare provider I noticed that most parents paid on time, however, there was a selected few that did not. Those were the parents that I had to constantly remind them to pay tuition. It was quite annoying, I thought if parents remembered to bring their children to the program, that they would remember to pay. That was not the situation with several of my parents. It was time for me to be firm and consistent with my policies. It was when I chose to be firmer and consistent with my payment policy, that parents began to pay on time.

Here are two simple steps that you can take to assure that parents pay on time each week and to assure weekly cash flow into your child care Business.

Step 1- Create a written policy that states when tuition is expected to be paid. For example: Tuition is expected to be paid on Monday mornings of each week in the form of cash, money order or by credit card. When tuition is not paid when due, there will be a late charge.  * Also specify, who payments should be issued to such as Childcare Provider, assistant, secretary, etc . A Payment box is also a great way to collect payments.

Step 2- Post your payment policy. When you post your payment policy, parents are able to see it as they enter and depart your program. Also, when there is a question about the policy, it is readily available and posted on the wall.

For more information on how to create an effective tuition policy, be sure to join the Family Home Empowerment Club or the 21-Day Mastermind Club for Center Owners.

Shiketa Morgan

Category:

Administration

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5 Ways to Build Enrollment

06 11 10

The #1 way to have a successful childcare business is by building and maintaining enrollment. Child care is a need all over the world. Working parents and College students all over the world need childcare. The key is to find out where they are and draw them to you. Here are five ways to build enrollment:

1. Offer a Trial Day. Offering a trial day sends that message that you are confident about your program and you want them to give it a try.  In most cases, if the child loves the program, the parents will too.

2. Create an incentive program for your current customers/parents to tell other families about your program. Offer a discount when the referred family enrolls.

3. Get the Staff involved. At weekly meetings, announce your enrollment openings and encourage staff members to tell families about the program. Offer a monthly bonus or incentive to staff members that refer families.

4. Hang Balloons along your playground fence. This will draw attention to your building and give the impression that you are open for childcare business.

5. Advertise, Advertise! If parents do not know that your business exist, they will not come to you. Here are some suggestions to boost exposure to your program: advertise with your local yellow pages, the local child resource and referral agency, place flyers in local businesses, send flyers to the local schools, create a free website and join free social networking sites such as facebook, twitter and myspace.

Category:

Child Care Center, Enrollment Building, Home Daycare

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