Organize Your Childcare Office In “5 Easy Steps”

I want to tell you about a recent “Secret Shopper” promotion I held at my daycare center. It was called “Check The Office”. I selected a parent by offering 20% off their weekly tuition and they agreed to pose as a parent looking for childcare services. I gave her a list of centers to visit and I gave her a list of criteria to ask and look for. From that list I learned a few things about my competition that helped me to create a better office space. After 1 – week of gathering information I found out some alarming news about daycare “Office Spaces”.

Here are a few observations that she noted:

1. The Director did not invite her to come into her office.
2. The Director’s office was piled with boxes-The secret shopper felt like she was in a “storage room”
3. The Director’s office was unorganized, and out of date. She also noted a old computer that was on the floor and not working.

Well, I guess you may not have thought that office spaces required a lot, but they actually do.

Here is a list of MYTHS

1. Children are not in my office it “doesn’t matter”
2. I am too busy to clean it up, when it is time to go, it is time to go!
3. I am never in my office any way…

Well, as you can see you may have said or heard one or two of these myths. But your office really does matter. Let me tell you from experience a picture speaks a thousand words. Look at your office and ask yourself
1. My office image is saying: I am ready to “DO BUSINESS” .
2. My office image is saying: STOP THIS DAYCARE is not READY for BUSINESS???? (funny huh?)

Here is something to think about:I want you to put yourself in your clients shoes, would you really buy childcare services from your center based on the way your office look? I questioned my self and I made an immediate UPGRADE. Here is a list of changes that I made.

1. Organized my paper clutter. Start by scheduling time to organize my paper, purchasing binders, color files, and proper filing cabinets.
2. I removed all personal photos except for two. I placed them in a frame for display.
3. I designated a “To be filed tray”While my children are napping I complete my filing for that day or week.
4. I placed a live plant in my office space, removed boxes, made a sitting area for my clients in my office space and posted all of my certificates and awards in a visible place for my clients to see.
5. I reposition my office desk and filing cabinets so that I could have my office in a “Sunny’ area of my center. I wanted my clients to feel happy and cheerful while they are in my presence.

After all of the upgrading to my office, I gave my clients something NO OTHER childcare provider could. I made them feel comfortable enough to leave their child with me and it all started in my office.

Remember your office is where you make business deals. If you charge an average of $100 for a child and that child stays enrolled with you for 1 year you just made a business deal of $4800 not bad huh! Your office needs to reflect that you are worth $4800 per client OR EVEN MORE!

Well, I look forward to seeing your office space UPGRADED!

Feel free to post your “upgraded” photos to my I Own A Daycare Facebook page.

P.S.I no longer feel overwhelmed and frustrated. I feel worth 1 Million Dollars a Year! So I am positioning myself for that!

To Your Office Success,

Andrea Dickerson

Your Daycare Success Coach!

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