When you answer the phone at your daycare/preschool, you should be doing so with a purpose and a plan. If you’re like most of the programs I know, the person who is closest to the phone should answer it after the second ring because the number one rule is to always answer the phone.

However, the truth is that unfortunately, most programs don’t go much further. The phone is answered like this:

• The phone is answered by the receptionist or other closest staff member.
• If a parent is calling, the parent will be put on hold and the child’s teacher is called to take the phone call.
• If it is someone who is calling for information, the staff member will answer the questions that he/she can- or will put the individual on hold and call for the director or assistant director to speak with them.

You must have a better plan- a more intentional plan- for answering the phone. When you answer questions from a prospective family without gathering follow-up information, you have lost out on an amazing opportunity for securing an enrollment.

If you answer a call during an active/busy time, you’re not truly focused on the person who is calling, but on what is going on around you. This means that you’re not actively listening to what they are saying. One thing you must keep in mind though is that everything that you say or don’t say during the first thirty seconds of a phone call is what determines the outcome of that call.

The enrollment at your daycare/preschool is dependent upon having prospective families being able to communicate with you and for you to follow-up with them. Most of the time, enrollment begins with the inquiry. You and your staff need to make sure that each and every single call to your facility is a priority. Following, you will find six areas that you must focus on to improve your program.

6 Things To Do When Answering The Phone

There are six things you can do to improve telephone etiquette in your daycare/preschool program. You might want to consider printing these out (or printing our PDF) and posting them near the telephones so that your staff can keep them in mind when they take a call.

Answer The Phone Quickly

Of course, first and foremost, you need to make sure you answer where you will be able to focus on what the caller is saying.

According to proper business etiquette, a phone call needs to be answered by the end of the second ring and no later than the third.

During the hours that you are open, you must answer all calls. If you have a prospective family calling, and the phone rings four times or more- or if the call is directed to voice mail- that indicates to the parent that if they do enroll their child, they will not be able to reach someone when they need to.

This is one of the major concerns for families who are looking for childcare. They want to know that someone can be reached when they are needed. This may be the first time it’s ever taken more than four rings for the call to be answered- but a prospective parent has no way of knowing this is an exception, not the norm.

Answer Warmly And Intentionally

According to proper telephone etiquette, when you answer the phone, you should do so with a smile on your face. While you might think this is silly, it truly does make a difference. If you will take a deep breath and smile when you answer the phone, it will be reflected in your voice.

If you’re skeptical about this, I encourage you to try it. Put on a serious or angry face and say out loud what you would say when you answer calls at your facility. Now, take a deep breath and smile- then say it again. See- you really can hear a difference?

In addition to answering with a smile on your face, make sure that you speak slowly and clearly.

Most of the time, we get so used to saying the name of our program that we don’t even really hear it anymore when we do say it. We tend to say it quickly. This means that there’s the possibility that the person on the other end didn’t hear what you said.

Therefore, when you answer a phone call at your facility, you need to speak the name of your program clearly. When you speak quickly, that indicates to the caller that you are rushed- even though chances are you’re simply on “auto-pilot.”

Finally, along with answering with a smile and speaking slowly and clearly, you must answer with intention. This means that your focus needs to be on the caller and not on everything else going on around you. If you are in a classroom and it’s noisy/loud, simply step right outside or take the call from an area that is quieter.

In the case that you are not able to answer the phone within three rings, make sure that your voicemail is set to answer after the third ring. Make sure that your voicemail message is not boring. You want a message that reflects you and your program- not something that is stale and business-like. After all, you are working with children- make your message fun!

You also might want to consider creating a different, fun message that will be played after-hours, weekends, and holidays.

Listen To The Caller, Take Notes, & Respond

When you answer a phone call, the most important thing you need to do is listen. While it’s true that your end goal to an inquiry call is to set up a tour and enroll them, you don’t want to be so focused on that, and end up not hearing what you are being asked.

Unfortunately, too many times, this is what happens. We do it when we’re answering a phone call and even when talking face to face with others. We find that we are formulating our answer and waiting for them to finish talking so that we can speak.

The truth is, if you’re not actively listening to what your caller is saying, there is no way you can meet their needs.

The very first thing you must do after they have asked their question is to get their name- no matter what they ask you.

Giving Rates Over The Phone

At some point, you are going to be called regarding your rates. There are two trains of thought regarding whether or not this information should be given over the phone.

There are some who believe that you should reveal your rates over the phone. The thought behind this is that if your program is more than they can afford, you’re not going to be a good fit regardless of what you have to offer.

On the other hand, there are those who say you should not give rates over the phone. This is because you need to find out more about what they need so that you can see if you will be able to accommodate them. In addition, there are some providers that have learned a family will enroll their child/children in a program that might be a little more expensive because of the rapport developed during a tour. See our article titled: “ Tips for Effectively Using Your Daycare/Preschool Tour to Market Your Program” for more information on tours.

Then, there are many people who believe that you need to get the family’s contact information so that you can communicate with them. So, it’s not necessarily the best idea to give them your rates over the phone. Instead, send it to them via email or postal mail. This way, you have their information and you can periodically touch base with them.

This way, if they find that they need your services in the future, you have developed a relationship with them and they have had the opportunity to get to know more about your program.

So, when someone calls and asks about your rates, let them know that you will be sending them a packet with some information about your program- and that you will be following up with them once they have had some time to review the packet.

Book The Tour

At the end of the phone call, extend an invitation for them to come and tour your facility and learn more about your program. When you tell them you are sending them a packet of information, ask them if they’d be interested in coming by with their child to see the facility.

Instead of just asking the question in general terms, ask them specifically- “Would you be interested in dropping by on Tuesday or Thursday morning to see what we’re all about here? We would love to meet you and your child in person!”

Make Sure To Follow Up

Perhaps the caller declines your invitation to set up a tour at the time of the call. Still, you can rest easy knowing that you did offer it- and that you have their contact info, so you can reach out in a few days to follow up.

Of course, your very first follow up is sending them the information packet you told them about. Next, you will send them a letter/email regarding the information packet you sent and find out if they have any questions. You will also want to include some information, such as an article, referring to any concerns that came up during your conversation. Your follow up after a conversation is very similar to your follow up after a tour.

Final Thoughts

Finally, there is one last thing you need to be doing- that is making sure that you take the time to train each and every person involved in your program that will be answering the phone on the following:

• How to follow the process outlined above
• How to professionally answer the phone- even if they’re simply taking a message and passing it on

It is critical that inquiry phone calls be handled consistently by everyone in your facility. At the very least, the following information should be gathered:

• Caller’s name
• Child’s name
• Child’s age

Be sure that you are taking notes while you are talking. They may mention to you that they are moving to the area in a few weeks and are in immediate need of childcare. They may have just pulled their child from another program and need a replacement right away. If the second reason is mentioned, make sure that you find out why they are seeking a new program, as this will help you with figuring out what needs the other program did not meet and whether or not you can meet them.