As a research engineer I believe innovation is driven by frustration. Frustration is what drives people to do things differently, to look at things from another perspective. This was the reason why I invented Kinderkribbe, a mobile app that allows daycare centers to share activities and pictures of the children with their parents in a real-time and in a secure way.
A couple of years ago, I became the father of two lovely boys. And because my wife also has a daytime job as a teacher, we brought them to the daycare center when they where 3 months old. In Belgium, where I live, this is the way people do these things. People have children, and bring them to a daycare center when they are a few months old. That's when the horror kicks in for the parents.
Because in the old days, long before the internet, mobile phones and tablets, this was the way things were being done. You brought your child to the daycare center, and in the evening you collect him back, and hopefully he is in one piece. So there we were. All of a sudden I had to give my child to a woman I don't know but I have to trust she will take good care of my child. On top of that, the moment I close the door, I don't receive any news from my boys. Nothing. Not a peep.
My boys might make their first steps, or speak a first word. But if I'm not at the daycare, that moment is lost forever for me as a parent. Oh sure, the nanny will quickly brief me in the evening in about 30 seconds what happened that day, but while this may have worked out in the old world, in todays world that doesn't fit anymore.
So what has happened? Why this change?
The reason is the world has changed. In a big way. In todays world we have social media. Young people share where they will eat at noon via Foursquare, they "like" that crazy picture of their friends party on Facebook and show their new pair of shoes via an Instagram picture. Todays parents are the "generation share".
Pay attention dear daycare centers... These are your customers. Remember, these parents are used to share everything. So why don't you? Is it because you have been working all these years in the old world and this strategy has been successful up to now? Might well be. But on the other hand, what we notice at Kinderkribbe that most of our customers are daycare centers that have just started. The starters understand the need to change. They see the benefit it brings to them and to their customers. They are in a battle for market share and they grab the opportunity to gain trust via these new media.
Please don't get me wrong. This is not a call to start using Kinderkribbe. You are most welcome to use our service of course, and it's a free service, but there are alternatives.
But one thing is clear to me. Continue working in the old world, will kill you in the end. Daycare centers are a business like any other business. If you don't listen to your customers need, you will loose them in the end.
So think about it. Are you ready to change? We are very willing to help you. Just visit us at http://www.kinderkribbe.com or come up with your own strategy. The most important thing
is that you as a daycare center stay ahead of the race. That you are positioned for the new generation of parents. "Generation share".
