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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Charge To Put Clients On Your Wait List?
trix23 08:47 AM 06-02-2017
I just don't want a huge long list of people that are just looking for the first opening possible. Do any of you charge a fee to add a client to your Wait List?
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daycarediva 09:22 AM 06-02-2017
Yes, just to be placed on my waiting list is $25, non refundable until your child goes to kindergarten. I have a limited waiting list (8 people for 6 18m+ spaces, one is a young infant and one is a pregnant mom) That way I KNOW the inquiries are serious, and it applies to the deposit when they get a space.


I'm closing though and just refunding them all when I announce it.
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Jupadia 09:37 AM 06-02-2017
No.
It's they passed a law a year or so back that centers could not charge a wait list fee. I don't think it actually covers home providers at all but I don't charge one.
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CityGarden 09:43 AM 06-02-2017
I do! I charge 1/2 my registration fee to be added to the wait list and it is non-refundable.

Since I currently have openings - this applies to parents with children not yet old enough to enroll in my program. In my area parents with infants starting putting themselves on preschool wait list and I don't want to maintain a super long wait list of people who are not committed.
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Cat Herder 03:25 PM 06-02-2017
I don't charge. It is a courtesy to them and proof of job security to me. Loan officers like to see several years worth of them if you are planning on being in the housing market some day.

I take their information and add them to the list. I call them in the order received since most get on while TTC.

It is not uncommon for them to still be TTC when I have an opening, I just keep them up top until they are ready to come off the call list.

If they have given birth and turn down a interview *temporarily* (maternity leave/grandparent care/SAHM), I move them down to the bottom. If they turn down the slot after an interview, I remove them and do not add back later.

The wait list does not get too long because I remove all children from the list after 12 months of age.
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trix23 12:39 PM 06-04-2017
What's the housing market thing? I don't get that part.
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Cat Herder 05:38 AM 06-05-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
What's the housing market thing? I don't get that part.
Proof of job stability.

Self employed clients are risky for lenders.
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trix23 11:19 AM 06-05-2017
Yes I know. But what does that have to do with having a wait list fee?
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Cat Herder 11:24 AM 06-05-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
Yes I know. But what does that have to do with having a wait list fee?
Really

"It is a courtesy to them and proof of job security to me."

I don't charge because it benefits us both.

Do you want my input or to argue the point?
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mommyneedsadayoff 11:31 AM 06-05-2017
No I would not charge a fee. I just keep their info and tell them I will call if I have an opening. I make a note of families that would be a good fit for me, and call them first, so my wait list is kind of ordered by my own personal feelings on a family, not necessarily first come, first served. If it is not a family I want to work with, I don't give the option of the wait list. Figured I wouldn't waste their time, since I have no interest in working with them.
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trix23 03:12 PM 06-05-2017
I'm not arguing, just genuinely asking because it seemed off topic.

In my area, and even what I've noticed, is that parents just go hopping around, putting themselves on wait lists to get the first opening. They aren't looking for the right fit, just putting their name on any list they can find.

- - - - - - - - -
What's your process for screening people to put on the waitlist? Questionnaire? Phone interview?
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grandmom 03:22 PM 06-05-2017
I charge $150, non-refundable. I only get serious folks that way. Why have people on the list who aren't truly interested.
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CityGarden 03:52 PM 06-05-2017
Originally Posted by grandmom:
I charge $150, non-refundable. I only get serious folks that way. Why have people on the list who aren't truly interested.
I agree!!!
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:45 AM 06-06-2017
There is no fee here. In my area, I have a hard enough time getting people in off the Waiting List if they've been waiting for longer than one month or so.

I have an imaginary Waiting List and a real Waiting List. The real Waiting List has people I feel WOULD be a good fit (with stars by their names) and people who MIGHT be a good fit (no star by their name).

I use a pre-interview questionnaire of 10 questions before adding them.
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trix23 09:06 AM 06-06-2017
What kind of questions do you ask?
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CityGarden 09:09 AM 06-06-2017
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
There is no fee here. In my area, I have a hard enough time getting people in off the Waiting List if they've been waiting for longer than one month or so.

I have an imaginary Waiting List and a real Waiting List. The real Waiting List has people I feel WOULD be a good fit (with stars by their names) and people who MIGHT be a good fit (no star by their name).

I use a pre-interview questionnaire of 10 questions before adding them.
Would you be willing to PM me your pre-interview questionnaire? Also do you call them prior to the tour/interview? Most contact me via email on my website contact us form it does include their phone number but I typically respond via email.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:28 PM 06-06-2017
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
Would you be willing to PM me your pre-interview questionnaire? Also do you call them prior to the tour/interview? Most contact me via email on my website contact us form it does include their phone number but I typically respond via email.
Sure thing!
No, I do not call them. If they call me to inquire then I always ask for their e-mail address to send all of the information to them. I always have inquiries e-mail addresses so once we schedule the Meet and Greet I add the following...
"This time is reserved especially for your family. Please provide no less than 3 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Barring extenuating circumstances, missed or late arrivals will not be rescheduled. Thank you!"
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ilgirltrist11 07:27 AM 06-07-2017
I don't charge a fee. My wait list has gone down considerably. I just called everybody that I've had on my wait list back in April and half didn't need childcare anymore and the other half never called back. Now I have about 4 people on my list.
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Blackcat31 07:32 AM 06-07-2017
I do not charge families on my waitlist but I DO interview them before allowing them to be on the waitlist.

Then I e-mail everyone on the list monthly.
They must reply back within 3 business days or their name is removed from the list.

If a family takes the time to interview/tour with me and replies to my monthly e-mails, they WANT to be on the list so it works great for me.

I had a family unexpectedly leave a couple weeks ago.
Same day I was notified (a Friday)was their last day in care.

I enrolled a child from my waitlist.
Child started the following Monday

So one out, one in....all done within a very short period of time and NO business was conducted over the weekend because the family on the list had already done everything except pay their first two weeks and show up.

Easy peasy.
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trix23 12:21 PM 06-07-2017
You do an in-person meet and greet for wait list people?
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Blackcat31 12:30 PM 06-07-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
You do an in-person meet and greet for wait list people?
Absolutely! I want to take care of as much PRE-enrollment stuff I can before enrolling.

Saves time and makes filling vacancies efficient.

It also reiterates a potential families desire to be enrolled here verses anywhere that has space available.

Like I said, potential families aren't willing to go through all those steps (interview/tour etc) unless they are serious about enrollment here.
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hwichlaz 05:24 PM 06-07-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I'm not arguing, just genuinely asking because it seemed off topic.

In my area, and even what I've noticed, is that parents just go hopping around, putting themselves on wait lists to get the first opening. They aren't looking for the right fit, just putting their name on any list they can find.

- - - - - - - - -
What's your process for screening people to put on the waitlist? Questionnaire? Phone interview?
They do this here too, because there is a child care shortage....at crisis level. So it's necessary.
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trix23 09:41 PM 06-07-2017
Maybe. But it wastes my time.
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