The basic service provided by all day care centers is to create a safe environment for children when parents cannot be with them
. Beyond this foundation, you will have leeway to create your own unique service offering.
How to Choose Services
To choose what services you will offer, look at the needs and wants of the customers in the community that you seek to serve. "Customers" includes both parents and their children. Consider what age groups of children you will be serving and the needs of the children at those ages.
In a perfect world, every service you offer could be priced so that is was just as profitable as every other service you offer. In reality, some services will cost more or less as a percentage of their price. Consider the cost and profitability of each service, but don't simply discard ideas with higher costs than others. Certain services can be "loss leaders", sold at cost or even below cost in order to encourage purchases of your day care's other services. One day care business model might be to offer a low price basic care package in the hopes of upselling customers to premium services which are much more profitable.
Some Options to Consider
Consider service options that would deepen your relationships with the customers in your target market. This might include special classes for certain age groups or after school care for the older children of parents who have a child in care full-time. Other examples are throwing parties for a child's birthday at the center or selling learning products or toys.
Also consider service options which are not costly to add because of the existing skills of your staff and infrastructure of your center. An example is classes or support groups for new or expecting parents offered in the evenings to teach them some basic skills and share your staff's expertise. Not only could this bring in revenue during off-hours, but it could build the reputation and brand of your company as experts in child care and pave the way for those parents to use your services at a later date.