A good show round, then silence
A couple visit on a Tuesday morning with their baby. The manager shows them round, they meet the baby room staff, they love the garden. They say they will think about it and be in touch. They leave with a prospectus. Nobody writes down the date they want to start or the days they need.
Two weeks later, the manager wonders what happened to them. She cannot find their phone number: it was on a sticky note by the phone, or in a Facebook message she cannot now find. They registered at another nursery, which sent them an email the evening after their visit with the fees and a registration link.
Why enquiries slip away
- Enquiries come through the phone, website, email, social media and walk-ins, and none of them land in the same place.
- Show rounds are booked in a diary, often by the manager, who is also working on the floor.
- Nobody owns the follow-up after a visit.
- The family's start date, days and child's age are not recorded, so availability is not checked.
- There is no view of how many enquiries became registrations, so the leak is invisible.
Parents often visit several settings in the same week. The one that follows up clearly and quickly is often the one they choose.
What cold enquiries cost
Every enquiry you lose is a place that stays empty longer, or a family who would have been with you for several years. Marketing money and word of mouth brought them to the door, and the process let them go. Managers feel busy with show rounds that do not convert, without knowing why.
The enquiry tracker we build
- Every enquiry is captured in one list: the website form writes to it, calls are logged in a few seconds, and social media messages are added by whoever answers them.
- Each enquiry records the child's date of birth, the start date wanted and the days, so availability can be checked against your rooms.
- Parents can book a show round online in slots you set, avoiding meal times and busy periods.
- A reminder goes to the parent before the visit, and a note appears for the member of staff showing them round.
- After the visit, a follow-up email goes out with your fees, availability for their days and a link to register. Its wording is yours.
- If the family has not registered after a set time, the manager gets a prompt to call them.
- The manager sees each enquiry's stage: new, visit booked, visited, registered, lost, and why it was lost if the parent says.
| Stage | What happens automatically | What staff do |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry received | Added to the list, reply with visit booking link | Log calls and walk-ins |
| Visit booked | Reminder to parent, note for staff | Show them round |
| Visited | Follow-up with fees and availability | Answer questions |
| No registration yet | Prompt to the manager | A personal call |
What changes
The couple visit on Tuesday. That evening they get an email with the fees, confirmation that Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are available in the baby room from April, and a registration link. A week later, the manager gets a prompt and calls them. They register.
Over a term, the manager can see how many enquiries came from each channel and how many became registrations, which helps decide where to spend marketing time.
Signs your enquiries are going cold
- Enquiries are written on paper or kept in several inboxes.
- Show rounds are booked by phone only.
- There is no follow-up after a visit unless the parent calls.
- You do not know how many visits become registrations.
- Families tell you they chose somewhere else that got back to them first.