Why do we do this to our parents?

Pop Quiz!

Q1. What are your school’s operating hours for students?

Q2. What are the standard full-time working hours for parents?

Q3. Why don’t they match?

The reality is that for many independent schools, both parents need to be working full-time to be able to afford the school fees.

And yet, the way our schools are set up can make life very difficult for working parents.

Thankfully, we are seeing a shift towards more flexible work environments and supportive bosses who understand the challenges of parenthood.

Schools, however, seem to be a lot slower in coming to the party...which is ironic given our customer base consists of children and their parents.

Outside School Hours Care is a good start (and a God-send for those of us who are fortunate enough to have access to it), but there is a clear opportunity for schools to do better.

It's time to take a fresh look at what’s possible within the boundaries of the EBA and our school's current system - or at least start the conversation. Because when convenience and care collide, that’s where real value is created for families.

You may be wondering what all this has got to do with marketing schools…

I’m so glad you asked.

Nurturing the customer experience and helping to generate positive word of mouth is our number one goal as school marketers (not posting daily on social media).

Finding ways to make life more convenient for parents, like offering extended supervision before and after school if there is no OSHC, would help the levels of satisfaction to soar.

It’s also about removing barriers preventing people from enrolling in the first place.

And the school that offers more convenience to working families?

That school is much better placed to win - and keep - an enrolment.