Ready, Set, Go! How to start a nanny placement agency.

Ready, Set, Go! A Workshop for New Agencies

International Nanny Association

Annual Conference

May, 3, 2012

Las Vegas, Nevada

Wendy Sachs

Nanny Agency Consultant

The Philadelphia Nanny Network, Inc.

since 1985

www.nannyagency.com

610-645-6550 1

Presented by:

Sharon Graff Radell

Nanny Agency Consultant

TLC For Kids, Inc.

since 1985

www.tlcforkids.com

314-725-5660

Research and Market Analysis

Research agencies in your area

• Compare elements such as services offered,

procedures, screening, fee structures

• Do they specialize, what is their sales pitch?

• Do they belong to professional organizations?

• Begin to get an idea of how you can differentiate your

agency

INA Annual Conference 2012

Sharon Graff Radell and Wendy Sachs 2

Research and Market Analysis

Decide on Types of Services

• Will you provide your services local, regional or national?

• Will be available as a full service, or boutique or online

service?

• Will you service full time, part time, temporary, summer

care, on call care, afterschool care

• Which job descriptions will you fill, nannies, babysitters,

housekeepers, day cleaners, tutors, newborn care

specialists, cooks, household managers, etc?

INA Annual Conference 2012 Sharon Graff Radell and Wendy Sachs 3

Develop Procedures and Policies

Procedures

• What are the steps to each client who contracts with your

service. Will it be different for permanent or temporary?

• What are the steps for each nanny who applies to your service

• When are the background checks performed

• When are fees collected

• What are the procedures for filling a temporary job order?




Procedures

• After the placement, what is the follow up

• What is required by the nannies who are registered for

with the service while they are interviewing

• How is a failed referral handled

• What are the functions of staff members



Policies-Candidates

• Qualifications

• Interviewing, screening, and orientation procedures

• Job rules and regulations, disciplinary action, theft

• Compensation and taxes

• Communicating with the office

• Referrals




Policies-Clients

• Membership fees and policy

• Cancellations

• Contract and Payment policies

• Placement policies, replacement

• Applicant disclosures

• Theft of service

• Discounts and refunds

• Customer service




Policies-Staff

• Office hours

• Salaries, benefits, bonuses, vacation

• Dress code

• Phone/Email etiquette

• Client/Nanny documentation

• Process policy



Pricing and Budget

Pricing the Service

• Compare pricing of competition and decide where to

fall in the range or outside of the range

• Review budget to be certain your pricing model can

carry the budget

• Project revenue and readjust budget items

• Consider cash flow and how to support the service

during slimmer times



Pricing and Budget

Line Items Advertising Candidates Advertising Clients Advertising Staff Bank Card Fee Bank Fee Background Checks Benefits: Medical Insurance, 401K Candidate Training Conference Copy and Print Dues/Memberships Employee Training Equipment/Software

Insurance License Office Supplies Payroll Gross Payroll Taxes Professional Fees Referral Fee Refunds Rent Telephone/Internet Travel/ Food/Lodging Utilities Web Site Monthly

• Set realistic revenue goals to cover budget

• With an increase in budget, can business grow

• Does the pricing model achieve budget goals


Marketing/Sales/PR

Marketing/PR/Networking

• New business/services announcements

• Press releases

• Market to existing clients as you accrue them

• Send out seasonal emails and newsletters

• Develop referral program

• Market to HR Departments, Day Care Centers, OB/GYN

and Pediatrician offices

• Web links, SEO, google local

• Build relationships with chambers, business, religious,

child care and women’s organizations


Marketing/Sales/PR

Advertising/Sales

• Parenting sites, Google, community sites

• What is your message, what sells your service

• Comfort level, safety in screening

• Experience and expertise

• Empathy-understanding client needs

• Ability to save client time

• Discretion-respect of privacy



Marketing/Sales/PR

Web Site

• Promote your corporate identity

o Warm, professional, safe

• Keep it to the point

o Easy to find

o Easy to navigate

o Easy to do business with you

• Benefits

o Markets your company 24/7

o Allows business to occur when you are not in the office

o Gives you control over the image you present



Recruiting and Screening

Recruiting Candidates

• Determine live-in or live-out, where do your clients live? Use a

“common to your area” commute radius from where your

clients live

• Determine access for in person interviews, philosophy on

phone interviews

• Sources for recruiting-, WOM, Internet, colleges and

universities, referral programs

• Talk about what you do, put the name of your service out

there.




Screening/Interviewing Candidates

• Prescreen to qualify candidate, establish rapport

• Legal work status

• Does she have a valid driver’s license, smoke, availability

• INA Basic Skills Assessment

• Establish child care and work history

• Explore timeline for gaps in work history

• Education, special training

• Ask situational questions

• Explore red flags




Reference Checking Candidates

• Get an accurate picture through another person’s filter,

frame of reference and perspective

• Use a patterned questionnaire

• Explore sensitive issues

• Check for consistent information

• Criminal Check

• Driving Record Check

• Social Security Number verification

• Child Abuse Clearance

• US Justice Department Sex Offender Registry/Trustline



Insightful Business Practices

Household Staffing Industry • Adhere to INA Recommended Practices for an agency

• View yourself as a professional, charge what you are worth

• Don't let bad clients stress you out

• Collect money before the nanny starts, rarely give refunds

• You can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time!

• Document and notate all conversations with client and candidate

• Just because the client asks, don’t feel as if you need to say “yes”, learn to say, I am sorry

I can’t help you”

• Track your sources and production to formulate metrics by which to measure

• Consistently evaluate your processes and systems seeking more efficient and streamlined

ways

• An agency’s job is to gather information and disclose that information, then note that

you have done so

• Pay attention to “red flags” when you review applicants and clients



Ready, Set, Go! How to start a nanny placement agency.

Business

Transcript of Ready, Set, Go! How to start a nanny placement agency.