How is your customer service? It may seem strange to compare church members with customers, but there are valuable lessons to be learned by making such a comparison. 

Church members, especially first-time visitors, are looking at your parking lot attendants, building décor, ushers, greeters, and children's ministry volunteers to find out if your church is the kind of place of which they could be a part. They see all of these people before and after they hear the pastor and praise and worship team during the service. They need to see friendly people with organized systems in place for handling their needs.

One of the most important areas where members need to feel served is in the children's ministry. If parents drop their child off with strangers in an atmosphere that does not scream "organized and safe," they may spend the entire service thinking about their kids and not really listening and participating in the service. If their exchange at the children's desk is extremely poor, it may not matter how good the sermon is; they won't be back.

While technology can't put friendly faces and pleasant people behind your children's registration desk, a children's check-in system can go a long way to putting parents at ease.  

If you let parents know when they drop off their child that you will be able to reach them, if you need them, that is a great first step to serving their needs.

The most cost-effective way to reach parents during the service is to hand each parent a number when they drop off their child, and then have a method of putting that number on a TV screen or LED display in the front of the auditorium when the parents are needed.  A more discrete, yet more costly, way to accomplish this is to hand each parent a vibrating pager, and simply page the parent when they are needed.

Another product that can aid in better customer service at the check-in counter is a children's check-in system. With a children's check-in system, you can still incorporate pagers and/or LED or TV displays to page parents, but you also have the ability to print unique security labels for each child and parent to secure child pickup. 

A children's check-in system should aid in your customer service in the following ways:

1. Sense of Security
Parents are going to feel more secure when they receive a label with a random security code, knowing that only the person with this label can pick up their child. They are going to realize that you are thinking about security and that you are organized. 

2. Birthday Recognition
If your check-in system alerts you when you are checking in a child with a birthday in the near past or future, then you can congratulate the child and win all kinds of favor.

3. First-Time Visitor Reports
Following up with first-time visitors is something that almost every church tries to do.  But, what if the attendees aren't filling out your visitor cards? Chances are, if you have a children's check-in system, if the visitor checked kids in the class, you have all of the information you need to do first-time visitor follow-up.

4. Missing Members Reports
Nothing makes a big church feel small like getting a call from pastoral staff saying, "We missed you at church the last few weeks. We just wanted to make sure everything was okay with you and your family." A good children's check-in system will be able to provide you with reports to help you flag when faithful members have gone missing. 

In addition to the customer service aspects of a children's check-in system, there are many management and stewardship features, which will help you make sure that classes have enough volunteers and facilities are being correctly utilized.

It is only a mater of time before almost every church will have a check-in system of some kind. Once you have experienced great service at one company, you begin to expect the same from other companies. As more and more churches implement paging and children's check-in systems, more of your visitors, and members, will be expecting the same from you.

Church visitors and members are like customers, in that they are judging their entire experience with your church, not just what you think you are selling. Just like customers, you want them to come back, but they may not return if they don't feel they have been treated well. Using the technology available in your children's department is just one way you can improve your attendees' overall experience.

Dan McCullough is the vice president of Microframe Corporation, www.microframecorp.com, which specializes in nursery security and communication products.

Product Roundup: Nursery Equipment

International Play Company
Churches with active programs are often led to install indoor play structures and outside play areas. Kids love to play! Give them the opportunity with a well-organized, well-equipped children's ministry. International Play Company has items specially designed for churches, including a Noah's Ark play unit and many toddler play structures. They adhere to ASTM, IPEMA, CSA, ADA safety guidelines, and they ship and install worldwide. Their professional and knowledgeable team will work hand in hand with your team to develop a proposal that meets the needs and budget of your project.
www.internationalplayco.com

Jonti-Craft Changing Table with Stairs
Jonti-Craft's redesigned Changing Table with Stairs now includes a 6.5-inch-deep changing surface for increased safety. Other safety features include the locking hasp on doors for secured storage and full-length KYDZHinges on doors. The Changing Table features pullout stairs with treads that conveniently glide under table when not in use. Inside, you will find three generous supply shelves, one fixed and two adjustable. Changing pad is included. Paper roll dispenser included accommodates a 15-inch paper roll (not included) and can be attached to either end.
www.jonti-craft.com

Parent SEEKER
The Parent SEEKER product line is provided by SEEKER Communication. The helpful sales consultants guide the churches in picking the right system for their church, either large are small. The SEEKER Paging Systems are used in children's ministries to assure parents that if their child needs them, the children's workers can notify them anywhere on the church campus. SEEKER's Easy Check In Software allows for additional security. The Web-based solution provides for speedy check in, a variety of labels, and ministry record tools.
www.parentseeker.com

Rubber Indoor/Outdoor Playground Tiles by Traction
Traction Sports Flooring is offering rubber paver tiles at factory-direct prices. Perfect for play areas, indoor or outdoor, these rubber tiles are made with high-quality EPDM rubber. Tiles measure 20 inches by 20 inches and are available in green or red. Tiles are available from 1 inch up to 2.5 inches in thickness. These tiles have not been tested for fall heights, so they cannot be used in areas that require approved Federal Drop Height products.
www.nasftraction.com

Baby Changing Station by Koala Kare
If you are looking for a genuine Koala Bear Kare Koala Baby Changing Station, Changing Stations, Baby Changing Table, Diaper, Commercial Baby Changing Station online, and other Koala products (ADA compliant, special needs, high chair, infant seat kradle, kids' activity toys, replacement parts, straps, decals, hand sanitizer, washroom or bathroom supplies) at the best price, low price, shipped direct to you, you have found the place. All Koala products are long-lasting, commercial-grade products.
www.BabyChangingStations.com

HME's QuietCall
HME's QuietCall secures the critical communication between staff and parents. Upon checking their child into the nursery, the parents are given a pager. This enables them to worship, knowing that their children are safe and secure in the nursery. If staff needs to contact the parent, the parents can be paged quietly and in an instant. The nursery staff remains with the children instead of leaving the nursery to find the parents. QuietCall Nursery Paging provides the security and peace of mind essential to the modern nursery.
www.hme.com