AIBU?
To stop helping business enquiries so much?
LuckyLopez · 20/06/2015 09:27
It's getting out of hand!
I'm a childminder and very often get email or telephone enquiries for childcare. I don't have spaces at the moment and the reply is often 'thanks for letting me know, can you give me details of anyone else in X town with spaces?' I will then pass on numbers and emails if I think of anyone but it doesn't stop there, they chase me up when the other cm doesn't reply or can't help, wanting more numbers of cms.
Sometimes I will tell them a great place to look is our family information service or childcare websites but then they ask for a link or 'do you know of any free websites I can check?'.
Most enquiries turn in to 4/5 exchanges back and forth. Not really a good use of my time when it's not even potential work for me. I try to be nice and helpful because I know reputation counts for a lot in this business but I really just want to reply, 'FFS do your own research!'
Any ideas how to politely end this vicious circle of me helping too much? Or am I right to keep hand holding them?
RepeatAdNauseum · 20/06/2015 09:32
Stop being Google. Of course they'll come back to you if you do all the work for them.
Apologise, say you can't recommend anyone specifically but you'd recommend they visit X website or speak to the children's centre or HV for access to the latest lists. Wish them luck, and end of conversation.
TendonQueen · 20/06/2015 09:36
You need a line for dealing with this, and no, you shouldn't have to help them out over and over. Other CMs may have their own script, but I would go for something like 'You'll understand of course that I can't endorse anyone else's business, and I don't know who has spaces free at any point, so I would recommend looking on X website and taking it from there'. If they persist, repeat 'as I said, I can't make recommendations..'
If they're ringing you back repeatedly, I think you're actually being too nice - it's not your job to find them an alternative if you're full! - and need to be firmer.
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