Banks can improve customer service by being Child-friendly

Many banking customers choose to bank online; It is convenient and time saving.

There are, however always times when customers choose to visit a branch to take care of their banking transactions and needs.

It is these times that you, as a bank, can prove your ability to be better than your competition in the area of customer care, attention, and service. It is in the branch lobbies and at the teller lines that you most often build your customer loyalty. If you occasionally or frequently have family banking customers in your branch, then you must have run into the trouble of what to do with them while they wait.

Lollipops were yesterdays answer, but may not work as well today with more health minded parents. A lollipop before a young toddler has taken a nap may adversely effect the rest of the day for your customer.

Many bank managers set out children's table and chair sets with crayons and coloring books. This makes your lobby loose its look of professionalism and the crayons could wind up on the floor or worse, kids could scribble on the walls. Kids can climb on the chairs and fall. A box of toys is a bad idea because they can get broken, lost, and pose a tripping hazard. Moreover, loose toys can be put in the mouths of young children are unsanitary. You are starting to see why it is important to be careful with what you choose to have in place.

You do need to have something in place for when they visit, but it needs to be something that is designed for this purpose.

A commercial-grade children's Play Tables to the rescue. A small investment and the problem is resolved. It will be ready for play and require no maintenance.

It can be tucked neatly at the end of the customer transaction slip tables, at the customer service waiting area, or even tucked in the corner of a private office.

you will be so thankful with the peace and quiet that this allows you. When the kids are busy you can have the attention of your customers so that you can help them with their banking needs, weather that be a new car loan, opening up a checking account, a line of home equity or any other banking needs.

The Happy Trails Magnetic Sand Table-one our most popular Play Tables for Banks and financial institutions. It's sanitary-just spay a wipe clean, and it has no removable parts, so it is safe for children of all ages. With The Happy Trail Table, your branch lobby will never looks like a playpen.

This handsome, commercial-grade Play Table is like an indoor sandbox. But it's sealed so that not one grain of sand can escape. Instead, up to 4 children can play at once, moving creatures and vehicles through the sand by moving the attached magnetic wands under the table. It keeps kid quietly engaged in cooperative play.

I hope this article addressing the needs of family banking customers of today was helpful. Want to know which banks are child-friendly? Click here.

Why Be Child-Friendly?

Less confusion and fewer interruptions in your workplace

Having a Play Table in place in your office, showroom, clinic, restaurant or waiting area will help create an atmosphere in which employees, parents of young children, and people without children can conduct business without the interruption or confusion that so often is caused by young visitors.

Free promotion for your business, practice, or clinic

When you purchase a Play Table you will get a free listing on our web site with a description of your business and services. You also we be able to use our Child-Friendly logos to let your customers, patients, clients or patrons know that you have provided for this growing need in customer service.

Enhance your business image

Business owners who are sensitive to the needs of adults with young children are recognized as providers of strong customer service. Parents are disturbed by unsafe or unsanitary public play areas and don't look favorably on those who provide them. A "tub-of-toys" is neither cost-effective nor responsible, and it might put you at a legal risk.

Play Tables by contrast are attractive, safe, easy to maintain, inexpensive, and are the perfect solution to engaging restless children in business settings. Your customers, patients, clients will applaud your forward-thinking approach to customer service.

Purchase a Play Table, Child Activity Center or Play Panel today. It is a small business investment for big business returns!

Airports Need Comfortable Waiting Areas for Families

We know that because of security issues, waiting for your flight at the airport is much longer than it used to be. I think many of us who fly regularly are getting used to the changes, and we know how to "do what needs to be done". We take along our ipods, Laptops, Kindles, and keep ourselves busy while we wait. What about the kids...the young families who are traveling on vacation? You know the ones I mean. They are pushing the strollers and have bags piled up high, and they are heavily weighed down with all of the kids' paraphernalia. The moms are so busy watching the little ones that it is a struggle to manage all of this. So, finally they get through security, plunk themselves down at the gate waiting area and try to take a breath before they need to manage to get in line and on the flight.

But, there is nothing for the kids to do while they wait! The designer of the new airport waiting area forgot about the needs of young families. The decor works, but, functionally, it is not serving its purpose of making for a pleasant wait.

Just one Play Table at the gate would mean all of the difference to that young family. How many more families will pass though your airport gates today without their needs met.

It's something to consider for all of the big and little hubs out there. Make it easy for your families to travel and they are likely to fly again. If it becomes too much of a hassle, next year they may decide to stay home.

Three Steps for Business Owners

Some waiting areas have nothing for the kids. You may think that this is a mistake. How could they forget about the needs of young families? You may be correct in your assumption, but there is something worse than having nothing in place for children in your waiting area-That is having the wrong kinds of toys in public settings. They can easily get broken, dirty, and can get scatted across the floor and be a tripping hazard. What a nightmare! Now the kids have nothing to do, because you spend your time pulling them away from broken and dirty playthings. I bet you won't go back to this place again. It is too frustrating.

Business owner can do better that this. I encourage all business owner to take these three steps:

1. Pay attention: Gather some bits of data, and start to count how many families with young children come to your place of business each week.

2. Take a look: What you have in place for the kids? Would you let your children play with these things?

3. Come to a realization: After taking steps 1 and 2, you may realize that you need to do something about your current situation. Unkempt play areas no nothing but tarnish your business reputation. Buy a Play Table, and get rid of the mess. Clean up you act, win the favor of your family customers and get listed for free as a Child-friendlybusiness on childfriendlybusiness.com

"The Worst Waiting Area for Kids" Contest

We are launching a "worst ever kids waiting area"contest. If you have a cell phone to easily grab a picture of a play area that needs attention, please take a quick shot of it, and send it in to us. We are looking for places that have loose toys, broken toys, dirty toys. We know they are out there, and if that happens to be your pediatrician, your dentist, or your local restaurant, let us know. The "winner" of the "worst ever waiting area" will be given a Finger Fun Play Table, as long as they promise to clean up their act and get rid of all of the hazards to children by replacing loose toys with with this safe alternative. The person who enters the photo will win a choice of either a $50 Kiddinaround.com gift certificate or $25 in cash.

So get your cameras out and if you spot a non-kid -friendly waiting area let us know by sending the name and location of the place with a photo. Pictures speak louder than words, but if you need to vent and send along a few words about how they "just don't get it", feel free to do that also.

All entries can be mailed to customercare@kiddinaround.com. The "winner" will be announced in our newsletter.

New Child-Friendly Places

Our list of Child-friendly businesses is growing. The biggest category is Hospitals, and that means that hospitals know how important it is to provide safe play areas for children.

We are so happy to see so many places purchasing Childrens' Play Tables for waiting areas. It makes such a difference for families with young children. Click here to see a list of Child-friendly Hospitals.


If you need a Play Table of Wall Play Panel for your business, please visit Kiddinaround.com