Here’s a great solution to putting people on your waiting list. From LeRae Kinney with the Adult & Community Education program for School Administration District #1 in Presque Isle, Maine, here’s what they do.
Anyone who goes on a waiting list gets priority for the next offering. They’re in, they don’t have to register again or contact you again. In fact, LeRae contacts them when the next offering is about to begin, either with a phone call or email.
Waiting lists are an awful problem for lifelong learning programs. Your first preference is to set up another section or offering and get those on the waiting list into the class. But sometimes you cannot set up another offering or take more participants.
Turning a person away doesn’t just cost you a registration, it could cost you a lifetime customer. Because if someone gets turned away two or more times, they are likely to never bother trying to register with you again. And if you are a recreation department, community education program, or community college, that could also cost your organization a valuable vote on a big dollar referendum.
Giving your wait list people first priority for the next offering is win-win, and saves a customer for you for years to come.