“I had so much fun on Thursday taking the parenting class with my husband & we made some new friends too while we were there. I will definitely keep going back every time.”
“Such an awesome resource for children and families. Their staff is kind and caring and always make you feel welcomed.”
“A-M-A-Z-I-N-G STAFF!!!!! Incredible resources! I love this place! There is a free library and playground where you can bring your children. They also have events on certain days!”
These are just a few of the Google Reviews for the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) in Canton, Ohio, which is a member of Child Care Aware® of America.
With more than 60 reviews that largely echo the sentiments above, and nearly a 5-star rating, what is the secret to ECRC’s success? Turns out: it’s about providing great client service and support.
Angela Moses, director of Early Care and Education Services at the Early Childhood Resource Center, shared how she and her staff have worked hard to create a welcoming experience for the families they serve. Here are four tips for child care staff to address a client's concern:
- Work quickly. When a concern arises, don’t delay. Work quickly to resolve the issue.
- Seek understanding. Try to get a full 360-degree view of the situation, including the client’s perspective and the staff’s perspective.
- Provide training. Equip your staff with resources, training and effective communications strategies so they can better support the clients.
- Take an empathic approach. View the concern from the client’s point of view. This helps the client feel understood and can reduce overall tension and conflict.
When you proactively manage your reputation and effectively address customer concerns, the results can be quite rewarding. Positive client experiences boost the reputation of your business, and can ultimately translate to increased referrals, funding opportunities, and general public awareness of your business and the services you provide to the community.
And, when properly channeled, positive public perception can help you serve more families in your community. So what does this look like when put into action? We outline these strategies in the latest topic for the Marketing Toolbox, a member benefit that features resources with information and advice on marketing best practices in activities such as branding, reputation management, social media and much more (Not a member? Click here.) The Toolbox’s reputation management resources include tip sheets on how to manage your Google My Business profile, ways to manage your online reputation, and a webinar on reputation management best practices and practical strategies.
Maya Angelou said, “People will forget the things you do, and people will forget the things you say. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
And that’s exactly why the experiential aspect of serving families is so critical to the success of child care businesses and CCR&Rs. Our CCAoA members provide much-needed services in their communities, but it can be hard if families aren’t aware of them, or if client needs go unaddressed. You can take charge of your online reputation today by exploring this toolbox topic in the Member Portal. If you would like to become a member to receive our member-exclusive Marketing Toolbox and share your successes, learn more today.
