Whether they’re in the summer or after school, camps are an excellent way for children to learn new skills, make friends, and have fun while being away from home. However, anyone who runs a camp knows it’s not an easy task, especially when it comes to keeping parents satisfied. They entrust their children to your care, so it’s essential to ensure that their expectations are met while still maintaining your core philosophy and agendas. It’s easier said than done, but with the right tips and tools, you can drum up words of praise and word-of-mouth marketing that anyone’s parents would be proud of.
Communicate regularly
Good communication can start even before signup. The registration process can say a lot about how your organization is run, so why not keep it as user-friendly for parents as your activities are for kids? After all, this is where having the best tools pays off–literally. Captyn’s online registration system makes signing up for camp a breeze. Parents can quickly and easily register their child, choose their preferred activities, and provide important health information. This feature streamlines the registration process and saves parents time, reducing the likelihood of frustration. Payment collection is also equally hassle-free. Parents can easily pay for camp using a secure online payment system. This feature eliminates the need for cash or check, making it easier for parents to make payments and for camps to keep track of payments received.
Once their child is safely in your care, parents will also want to know what their children are doing at camp and – more importantly – how they are doing. Be transparent about the camp’s schedule, activities, and policies upfront and regularly. To this end, keeping communication centralized can help both you and them stay organized. Luckily, all communication is not only seamless and customizable but also fully account-branded on the Captyn platform. This way, if there are any changes or updates, you can inform the parents immediately. Should you choose to do this in bulk text or email, Captyn boasts those features as well! Ultimately, this type of conduct builds trust, and parents will appreciate your efforts to keep them in the loop.
Ensure safety
Safety is the top priority for parents, and they expect their children to be safe at all times. Therefore, the steps you need to take are clear:
- Provide a safe environment by hiring qualified staff, conducting background checks, and implementing safety procedures.
- Make sure that the facilities and equipment are well-maintained and regularly inspected.
- Create an emergency plan and inform parents about it in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
It can be a lot to think about on a day-to-day basis, but being responsible means being thorough!
Provide quality programs
Camp can be the place where kids really come into their own. All your parents want is for their children to have fun and maybe pick up some new skills and friends while they’re at it. That means, on your end, it’s important to ensure that the camp programs are engaging, age-appropriate, and meet the needs of your specific population. Provide a variety of activities that cater to different interests, such as sports, arts and crafts, board games, outdoor adventures, and more.
When it comes to actually scheduling these efforts, Captyn’s activity scheduling feature easily provides parents with a clear and concise outline of activities, so they know what their child will be doing each day. It also allows parents to track their child’s progress and interests.
Let’s not forget about your facilitators either! Encourage the staff to be enthusiastic and passionate about their work, and provide them with training to enhance their skills. What’s more, Captyn has proven its ability to streamline staffing and operations, so your counselors can save time and energy while you save money.
Create a sense of community
In the end, parents just want their children to feel a sense of belonging and community at camp. If you create a welcoming and inclusive environment where children can make friends and build relationships, they’ll be satisfied. Communities take work to maintain though, and it can help to address any concerns or complaints promptly to keep all parents and children happy. To keep parents involved, you could even organize parent nights or family events, so they can see how their children are developing leadership skills and learning teamwork. Keep in mind that a happy parent is a satisfied customer, and word-of-mouth can be a powerful marketing tool.
Importantly, you can have Captyn in your camp’s corner. Our software provides a comprehensive solution that enables organizers to provide an exceptional experience for both parents and campers. By utilizing Captyn’s features, you can streamline your operations, save time, and ensure that parents trust your camp to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for their child.
