If you are an early childhood educator or the director of a child care center, you are aware of the importance of maintaining positive relationships with all of the parents at your facility. It takes more than attracting consistent enrollments in order to keep your center up and running successfully. It’s also essential that you build solid relationships with your parents in order to establish trust, which is more likely to result in their continued enrollment at your facility. So what can you do to ensure that parents are happy with your center?
The child care industry is a competitive one. You need to ensure that you stay ahead of your competitors. Here are a few tips that will help ensure that parents are happy with your center.
Create a fun and friendly culture.
Your relationships with each family start with the kind of environment and culture you cultivate in your center. When your center’s overall vibe has roots in fun and positivity, and your teachers and staff keep the kids engaged in fun activities, it will delight the parents enrolling their children at your center too.
This may seem like a basic concept, but “attitude culture” is one of the most important things you should focus on. In fact, this is one of the factors that will set your center apart from others. No matter how well-equipped you are with the latest teaching tools or how experienced your teachers are, if members of your staff seem grumpy or too serious, and you don’t maintain a welcoming environment, parents won’t want to send their kids there.
Be open to parents’ ideas and suggestions.
Another way to keep parents happy with your center is by being open to their feedback. Parents only want the best for their kids Their children’s well-being is their first priority. Be receptive to feedback. Ask for their input when it comes to ways in which you might improve your center. Find out if they have any suggestions or ideas that could make life easier for both parents and teachers.
Be transparent and communicate frequently
Parents need to know how their children are doing at your center each day. Ensure that your teachers keep parents updated about their children’s progress and activities through posted pictures or written notes. You can also send out weekly updates via email. This way, parents stay informed and feel confident that their kids are in good hands.
Additionally, you may want to consider making regular phone calls to parents. Phone calls may seem like a more traditional form of communication, but they can go a long way. Some parents may not have a lot of time to talk, but when they pick up the phone and hear from you about how their kids are doing, it makes them feel reassured. It also lets them know that you care about each student’s progress and development.
Be responsive to concerns or complaints
If any parents reach out to express concerns, make sure you address the issue immediately rather than letting things fester. Parents will notice how quickly you respond. If your center doesn’t handle these situations well, parents will lose trust and confidence in your center’s ability to care for their kids.
Make sure that all policies are clearly communicated
Every school and child care center should have a set of established policies and rules. Parents need to know what these policies are and how they apply to their children. Ensure that you include a section on your website or inside the center for parents to view all your policies and procedures so everyone remains informed and happy.
Maintain very high standards of cleanliness
The overall well-being and safety of children are every parent’s top priority. Be sure to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness in every area of your facility. Parents need to know that you are taking every precaution so that kids are not exposed to germs.
Conduct parent satisfaction surveys regarding your center’s performance
These surveys can help you gain a better understanding of how parents feel about your center. If any changes need to be made, you can take the necessary steps to make improvements as needed.
Building a solid relationship with parents is essential when it comes to running a successful child care facility. Follow these tips to ensure that your parents are happy with your center, and you’ll be well on your way to success.
LCCM offers a variety of integrated digital and offline marketing solutions that are specifically designed for child care businesses. We exist for only one reason: to help you, the child care owner, create and maintain your web presence, dominate business directory listings and search engines in your market, generate enrollments through paid advertising opportunities, and put your center on the map. Give us a call to learn more!