HOW TO SET YOUR CHILDCARE BUSINESS APART FROM THE COMPETITION: THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDITIONAL SERVICES
When it comes to selecting a childcare provider parents are inundated with options. In the competitive childcare industry, having a unique selling point and communicating it well are the keys to success. Many childcare centres offer a variety of additional services such as daily photo updates, dry-cleaning drop-off and pick-up and extracurricular activities.
To become the centre of choice in your local area, you need to provide great value to parents. Think about how you can make parents’ lives easier and what you can offer to give them peace of mind that their children are in good hands and receiving learning benefits above that offered by most.
WHAT ADDITIONAL SERVICES CAN A CHILDCARE CENTRE OFFER?
The sky is the limit when it comes to additional services. Daily photo updates are popular with parents and some services have an app like StoryPark or Kindy Hub that parents can log into throughout the day to see what their children are doing.
Extracurricular activities are another effective service as parents see the value included in these programs. Sports, music, arts, dance, yoga, and even language classes are incredibly beneficial to young children and help prepare them not only for school but for life. Ensure that these programs are both inclusive to all children and not an additional time or financial burden on families having to pay weekly or term fees to an external provider.
Other small services like offering a free cup of coffee or tea at drop-off or having partnerships with local businesses like dry cleaners might mean one less morning stop for busy parents on their way to work.
WHY ARE ADDITIONAL SERVICES IMPORTANT?
In such a competitive industry, parents are looking for value in their childcare provider. Early education centres are seen as part of the ‘village’ it takes to raise a child and parents find it invaluable when centres offer additional services included in the standard fee without worrying about additional costs.
When it comes to considering your budget for “add-on” services like a coffee station or educational incursions, what might surprise you is the fact that you could offer extracurricular activities every day at your service for less than the cost of buying a cup of coffee!
Early Start Programs are incursion extracurricular activities. We offer a wide range of programs at a mere cost of $3 per child per day. We take care of staffing, scheduling, logistics and Working with Children checks, so your workload stays the same, while families receive incredible additional value and benefits. Contact us today and become the centre of choice in your area!
