Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/tactics-for-increasing-retention-referrals-and-reviews/5026762/
It is no secret that COVID-19 changed the game in enrollment building and retention. No longer is it a given that, when a family registers with you, they will stay in your program for the duration of their child’s early childhood years. Those who loved you pre-COVID and even flexed with your school closings during the pandemic, may now choose NOT to come back. Staffing challenges may have limited your ability to fill to capacity, leaving eager-to-enroll parents on waiting lists. Others who do register may have higher expectations (and less patience) than ever before, and may want increased flexibility and more on-demand access to their child’s daily activities.
Once families start their children in your center, there is a “probation period” for the first 90 days, during which they see how their child adjusts, their family fits, and whether or not they should stay or find an alternate provider. It is a critical time for you to focus on engaging with new families beyond orientation, quality program delivery, and daily drop-off/pick-up greetings. If you register early in the year for fall school-year programs, this process begins upon registration.
What can you do to assure your family’s user experience not only retains them, ...