Told Off For Charging A Late Fee!!

[TinyTwigs]

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[torontokids]

I don't understand why you continued to engage with her. I think sometimes we need to "turn the other cheek" and ignore snide remarks and remain professional.

[Fireyesblue]

Fully agree with torontokids. You need to remain professional and not let emotions get involved. This is a business we run, and need to conduct ourselves. Moving forward, you respond by saying "thanks for inquiring, good luck". I would also suggest if you close at 6pm you tell them you close at 6 and leave out your late fees during this initial inquiry. That is something they will read in your handbook or can be said during interviews if asked.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

You get into lot of unprofessional exchanges. It would have been simple to say latest pick up is 6pm and there is no ability for care later.

[TinyTwigs]

Some people might let people talk to them that why but Im not, professional or not. I'm not understanding the concept to not telling a parent my late fees upfront when she was planning on waltzing in in whenever she wanted. If I let her come to my home and then told her about my late fees how would that have been any different ? It would have resulted in the same conversation and then my own personal time would have been wasted.

[lplplp]

I don't think bringing up your late fees was appropriate. This person was upfront in saying they are specifically looking for a daycare that is open until 7pm. If you close at 6, it would have been more appropriate to say, "Unfortunately I close at 6pm so I am unable to provide care until 7pm. Good luck." Of course you should be honest about your policies. However, this person wasn't inquiring about your late fees. They simply wanted to know your hours. Would you have let them come to your home anyway, knowing they aren't a good fit for you?

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Some people might let people talk to them that why but Im not, professional or not. I'm not understanding the concept to not telling a parent my late fees upfront when she was planning on waltzing in in whenever she wanted. If I let her come to my home and then told her about my late fees how would that have been any different ? It would have resulted in the same conversation and then my own personal time would have been wasted.

This business rely on professionalism. There are ways to communicate matters professionally. For someone who rant a lot about parent bad manners and disrespect, you echo that often.

How hard would it be to say that your business closes at 6pm and care unavailable after that time? If someone need care until later, they would then see this not a match and move on.

The unprofessionalism not come from having late fees. It come from lecturing parent and make snide comment after parent has said not interested. You not only let a parent irritate you, but you continued to poke the bear and make sure insult were exchanged. You antagonized situation by need to be right and "win" the conversation.

This family clearly stated they need care until about 6pm or 7pm. It not case of letting come to home and then mention late fee. It case of seeing they need care longer than you offer and turning down for that reason.

[5 Little Monkeys]

WOW, that parent has an attitude that does NOT sit well with me!! I'd want to tell her off like you did but I agree with the other ladies that it would be unprofessional. I would have just left it alone and said thanks for the interest but I'm not the right fit for your family. Our business relies on word of mouth the most so we need to keep that in mind when having discussions with potential clients and not let our emotions get the best of us. She has the right to think your late fee is high but she doesn't have the right to make you feel bad about it. It's your business so you can implement whatever rules you like (within reason and without scaring of the majority of clients of course!)

I think both of you were rude to each other without need to be but I'd shake it off and move on.

[TinyTwigs]

This business rely on professionalism. There are ways to communicate matters professionally. For someone who rant a lot about parent bad manners and disrespect, you echo that often.

How hard would it be to say that your business closes at 6pm and care unavailable after that time? If someone need care until later, they would then see this not a match and move on.

The unprofessionalism not come from having late fees. It come from lecturing parent and make snide comment after parent has said not interested. You not only let a parent irritate you, but you continued to poke the bear and make sure insult were exchanged. You antagonized situation by need to be right and "win" the conversation.

This family clearly stated they need care until about 6pm or 7pm. It not case of letting come to home and then mention late fee. It case of seeing they need care longer than you offer and turning down for that reason.

But I just told you for me it doesn't matter. If I get disrespected by a parent I will not keep my mouth shut. If you don't agree with that that's your opinion. So weather I need to be right or if I need to win so on and so fourth doesn't really matter. I treat all my clients with respect and I go above and beyond. BUT that kind of crap I don't deal with and never will. I get what everyone is saying I do but that is just my personality and I really can't change that. It has never hurt my business and I have reopened and filled my spots within a month and was in business for 10 years prior to reopening. Maybe she will think twice before disprecting another provider who isn't like me and isn't willing or too scared to stand up for themselves!

[Artsand crafts]

Seems like you dodged a bullet! How disrespectful to tell you that you do not care about children just because you value your own time! Reality check for this la woman. It would have been hard for me to let this one go. The nerve of some people! You know, IMO not allowing others to try to bully you does not count as unprofessional in my books. I have worked in executive positions in the automotive companies in a male dominated industry. If I would let something similar go I would have been eaten alive. I am almost sure, most male leaders in high positions would not let something similar go (unless it was a strategy). So don't feel bad about it, you stand for yourself. You may have even prevented another daycare provider being bully by this one.

[TinyTwigs]

I don't think bringing up your late fees was appropriate. This person was upfront in saying they are specifically looking for a daycare that is open until 7pm. If you close at 6, it would have been more appropriate to say, "Unfortunately I close at 6pm so I am unable to provide care until 7pm. Good luck." Of course you should be honest about your policies. However, this person wasn't inquiring about your late fees. They simply wanted to know your hours. Would you have let them come to your home anyway, knowing they aren't a good fit for you?

Oh, I didn't add the whole conversation in the post. Right before she asked for late fees I let her know hours and late fees?

[TinyTwigs]

Seems like you dodged a bullet! How disrespectful to tell you that you do not care about children just because you value your own time! Reality check for this la woman. It would have been hard for me to let this one go. The nerve of some people! You know, IMO not allowing others to try to bully you does not count as unprofessional in my books. I have worked in executive positions in the automotive companies in a male dominated industry. If I would let something similar go I would have been eaten alive. I am almost sure, most male leaders in high positions would not let something similar go (unless it was a strategy). So don't feel bad about it, you stand for yourself. You may have even prevented another daycare provider being bully by this one.

Thank you :)

[Artsand crafts]

Just go tell anyone from any other profession or level in their companies that they are incompetent or do not care about their job because they do not want to work for FREE past their working hours and you will see the answers aren't far different from yours

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Oh, I didn't add the whole conversation in the post. Right before she asked for late fees I let her know hours and late fees?

So you took out parts from middle of conversation and just posted other bits?

Why you edit first post so not there to re-read and check understanding?

[TinyTwigs]

Nope never said that.

[superfun]

Oh now I'm curious. I came into this conversation too late apparently.

[playfelt]

Yeah I'm late the conversation too. My guess from talking to many parents on the phone is that the mom isn't so much telling you off about the late fee as she is voicing her frustration at not being able to find a daycare open long enough to cover her hours. The late fee has nothing to do with the fact the mom asked for a late pick up time. A simple sorry I am not open that late is all that is required and then wish the parent well in their daycare search. Our closing time is not something we have to justify to anyone nor do we have to let anyone talk us into something we don't want to do. Telling a parent fine I will stay open for the extra 2 hours but it will cost you $30 or whatever while it might be the truth from the provider's perspective it comes across to the parent in a very negative condescending way and yes would get anyone's dander up. It is because you are talking about two different things - a late fee is for a parent that abuses their pick up time. A parent needing an extra two hours of care in their day needs a simply sorry my daycare is not the one you are looking for.

[mickyc]

Sorry if this comment seems off as the initial post has been deleted.

For myself if anyone inquires about care that are not within my hours I just tell them thank you for your interest in my daycare but I am not flexible on my hours. It is important to remain as professional as possible.

[Van]

Filling the spots too fast can be a reality check of dealing with the parents daily!!!

[adaycarelady]

I never seen the original post, but read the parent said the provider must not like kids since she has a closing time LOL. No matter how much a person likes their job, they also enjoy other things in life too! Don't let that parent make you feel guilty because you like you enjoy your evening after a long day. Don't let that parent take that enjoyment away from you. She must of been in a bad mood to talk to someone like that.