This past week I was reminded on two separate occasions that connecting with my clients is not so much about selling as it is about connecting. The first conversation I had was with a client who was patiently watching her daughter transition from being a timid and fearful student to a confident student ready to transition to semi-private lessons. Her daughter was in the Accelerator Program and was being instructed by one of our more tenured instructors.

When I said “hello” it was funny because the first thing she said was “I don’t know you do I?” I had a quick laugh and proceeded to introduce myself and noticed how she immediately relaxed into the conversation. My objective was to check in, say a quick hello and make sure that we were meeting her needs. What I though would be a quick 30-second conversation turned into a 10-minute Q & A session as she brought up some very valid points about her daughter’s lessons, her progress and the subsequent transition from Accelerator lessons to semi-private lessons. I had a great time connecting with this client and being of service to her.

The second conversation that I had took place over the phone, when I reached out to a client regarding concerns that she had over the progress that her daughters were making in lessons. She also wanted to know if I recommend 1x or 2x per week lesson attendance. She had tried getting information in the past from our customer service team and we failed to adequately answer her questions. In other words, we failed to connect with her. When I reached out to her, she was genuinely happy to hear from me and to know that her concerns mattered to me. Again, I had a great time connecting with this client and being of service to her.

So in the spirit of connecting with my audience on a broader scale, I want to share the questions that were asked of me and the answers that I provided each of my clients. I hope that the information below will serve you as well.

  1. How many lessons should we be taking per week?
  2. How do I know how many lessons it will take for my child to reach the next level?
  3. How does the transition from one lesson plan to the next work?

The best answer for all three of these questions should be clear, simple and to the point so here it goes.

Question 1

How many lessons should we be taking per week?

Your child should attend 1x or 2x per week. Immediate plans should not cloud the overall goal of getting your child water safe. For example, “we are going to Hawaii in March and I want my child comfortable in the water.” We can work with your child to create the comfort that you are looking for but comfort and safety are two different things. As I mentioned to one of our customer’s, when a child falls into a pool we have to work at 100% efficacy, meaning that we need to make sure that our students can save themselves 10 out of 10 times. This takes time! I believe that the biggest disservice to our clients would be to rush this process, just to achieve the “instant gratification” that we all crave. When making the decision as to whether you attend 1x or 2x per week, you should also factor in the following.

  1. Geography – How likely are you to drive to the swim center 2x per week?
  2. Consistency – Historically, how consistent are you with your child’s activities?
  3. Budget – Can you budget 2x per week v. 1x per week? Is cost a factor?

On a personal note, my kids have always taken lessons 1x per week. We have 4 kids and there is no way that my wife is going to drive to the swim center 2x per week for lessons. There is school, preschool, gymnastics, tae kwon do, Moms Group, etc. So attending 2x per week is out of the question.

Question 2

How do I know how many lessons it will take for my child to reach the next level?

There are a few factors that contribute to the number of lessons your child will take before being ready to move to the next level.

  1. Age – We anticipate our students to average 12 lessons per plan, however, we have noticed that the older students tend to take less lessons per plan.
  2. Willingness to participate – Is your child ready to learn at his/her first lesson? The willingness to participate immediately impacts the number of lessons a child will end up taking.
  3. Consistency – Are you consistent in your attendance? This also makes a difference. Being consistent leads to success.

Questions 3

How does the transition from one lesson plan to the next work?

When your child is ready to transition to the next lesson plan, your instructor will be the first to let you know. We have trained our instructors in our curriculum, customer service and in the ability to know when a student has successfully mastered the key skills in each lesson plan. At that point, your instructor will inform you of the good news, you will go up to the front desk and collect your child’s reward for moving up a level and then proceed to schedule the lessons for the next lesson plan. In best-case scenario, your child will stay with the same instructor on the same day/time.

I hope that through this blog I have been able to connect with you and possibly answer the questions that you may also have had. The three questions above now go into our FAQ section on our website so that everyone can have a reference. If I have not answered a question, please drop me a line as I am always here to serve.

Happy February and Happy Valentines Day

Felipe Delgado