Hello readers!
I wanted to take a few moments here to address some of the multiple emails and comments we continue to receive, almost daily, on Cultural Care.
Since we dropped this agency from the Top Three Agencies for 2009, based on our new report (by Bella Gioia), it seems an editorial dam has been broken and readers now feel free to post pages of negative commentary on this au pair agency.
Creating our Top Agency List each year is only one of the many services we provide here at AuPairClearingHouse.
Our goal is to publish engaging human interest stories, helpful articles and useful information overall to assist the host parent in their search for the best childcare they can find!
At times, we find that we are sometimes distracted from this work when we need to address multiple complaints directed at us about other readers' complaints! We do feel responsible for addressing each and everyone of you - but today's blog, for better or worse, is our attempt to respond to multiple readers who share the following issues with our website:
Our Family Forum at our website, www.aupairclearinghouse.com was created to allow host families to share advice, tips and experiences with the cultural exchange program. This includes sharing negative and postive experiences with different au pair agencies. We always assume that the reader has a positive intent in writing their comment, in helping other host families, and in helping the subject au pair agency mentioned provide a better product or service.
Some readers are critical that I allow such a "forum or platform" where readers are allowed to post negative comments about Cultural Care. The tide has certainly turned when Cultural Care was Number One on our list, where I was also criticized for supporting them! Readers even suggested that my website was owned and operated by Cultural Care and I was actually a Cultural Care employee.
We do understand emotions can run high around certain topics. However, our company does assume that a complaint or comment is a description of a situation experienced by an individual consumer and is only a personal opinion by that consumer, and only an individual perception of that consumer.
This personal perception of a situation and based on their own experience can be powerful, emotionally charged, helpful, useful, or meaningless, depending upon the context and content of what is written and how that information is interpreted by whomever reads it.
By posting these comments, we do not mean to imply we are in agreement with any comment. Readers' personal opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect our professional opinion on any one topic or issue.
Readers, please be reminded that our IT staff are only the moderators of the comments we receive. No conclusions are drawn by our staff as to content validity. We do not validate information posted online unless we say we did.
Comments describe a personal, firsthand experience. If a reader experienced something personally, that person owns that information about their perception of, and opinion about, that personal experience, and is free to discuss their opinion about that experience, as a host parent, counselor, LCC, au pair, and professional entity.
We do not guarantee the accuracy of any reader comments or the information they provide - it stands on its own as a personal description of what they experienced.
We do not endorse any one comment or au pair agency. We have made decisions not to post certain comments based on ones that contain profance language and inappropriate attacks, statements that we feel do not add to the flow and content of our website.
Please feel free to continue to share your experiences on the Family Forum, or here on this Blog, but please note that:
This website does recommend individual au pair agencies - that is the nature of our business! However, any reader comments that are posted by our site does not reflect our professional stance on anyone company. Our own opinions and reviews stand on their own merit and are clearly posted and signed by me or other au pair clearinghouse staff.
Thank you all for your continued support and interest in our website!
Have a terrific day.
Best,
Edina
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Newly Revised Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009
July 7, 2009
Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009
The new and updated list of our Top Three Picks reflect changes in the au pair industry including economic developments in the au pair industry, emerging and innovative programming and current results of our customer satisfication surveys.
What's New?
AuPairCare moves to the Number One position as they continue to grow in market share while still providing great customer service and well-screened au pairs. In addition, they continue to improve their award winning website and IT with the release of their new EasyMatch system that provides even faster and better matching!
ExpertAuPair jumped to Number Two despite it small size and main service area in Florida. They continue to provide excellent customer service with the lowest program fees and costs in the country and they have the best medical insurance for au pairs. They are increasing their service areas throughout the country as they continue to improve their website. A big jump for a little company!
Au Pair in America held on to its spot at Number Three. They continue to have a loyal following, but their customer base continues to shrink, as younger host families are attracted to lower program costs and better website technology - all the bells and whistles the techie generation thrives on and expects is offered by AuPairCare. Au Pair in America's costs and program fees, the highest in the nation, is a major drawback for this struggling company, particularly in these hard economic times.
Cultural Care has slipped from our Top Three List, but we feel confident they will get their act together and come back even stronger. They remain one of the leading au pair agencies in the industry but they will need to refocus their marketing energies back into customer service areas. If they can successfully improve service to both host families and the au pairs, they should bounce back very nicely.
To read the entire report, go to www.aupairclearinghouse.com
Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009
The new and updated list of our Top Three Picks reflect changes in the au pair industry including economic developments in the au pair industry, emerging and innovative programming and current results of our customer satisfication surveys.
What's New?
AuPairCare moves to the Number One position as they continue to grow in market share while still providing great customer service and well-screened au pairs. In addition, they continue to improve their award winning website and IT with the release of their new EasyMatch system that provides even faster and better matching!
ExpertAuPair jumped to Number Two despite it small size and main service area in Florida. They continue to provide excellent customer service with the lowest program fees and costs in the country and they have the best medical insurance for au pairs. They are increasing their service areas throughout the country as they continue to improve their website. A big jump for a little company!
Au Pair in America held on to its spot at Number Three. They continue to have a loyal following, but their customer base continues to shrink, as younger host families are attracted to lower program costs and better website technology - all the bells and whistles the techie generation thrives on and expects is offered by AuPairCare. Au Pair in America's costs and program fees, the highest in the nation, is a major drawback for this struggling company, particularly in these hard economic times.
Cultural Care has slipped from our Top Three List, but we feel confident they will get their act together and come back even stronger. They remain one of the leading au pair agencies in the industry but they will need to refocus their marketing energies back into customer service areas. If they can successfully improve service to both host families and the au pairs, they should bounce back very nicely.
To read the entire report, go to www.aupairclearinghouse.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Dear readers,
We just completed our newly revised list of our Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009.
Our updated list of the Top Three Picks reflect the ongoing economic situation, new innovative au pair programs and services and the current results of our customer satisfaction surveys. We ran the surveys over several months and we are now in the process of writing reports that we will post on our website in the near future.
What does the newly revised list reflect? What are the major changes? To see the entire article, read Newly Revised Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009 on our website, www.aupairclearinghouse.com.
For a brief synopsis, read on:
AuPairCare moves to the Number One position as they continue to grow in market share while still providing great customer service and well-screened au pairs. In addition, they continue to improve their award winning website and IT with the release of their new EasyMatch system that provides even faster and better matching!
ExpertAuPair jumped to Number Two despite it small size and main service area in Florida. They continue to provide excellent customer service with the lowest program fees and costs in the country and they have the best medical insurance for au pairs. They are increasing their service areas throughout the country as they continue to improve their website. A big jump for a little company!
Au Pair in America held on to its spot at Number Three. They continue to have a loyal following, but their customer base continues to shrink, as younger host families are attracted to lower program costs and better website technology - all the bells and whistles the techie generation thrives on and expects is offered by AuPairCare. Au Pair in America's costs and program fees, the highest in the nation, is a major drawback for this struggling company, particularly in these hard economic times.
Cultural Care has slipped from our Top Three List, but we feel confident they will get their act together and come back even stronger. They remain one of the leading au pair agencies in the industry but they will need to refocus their marketing energies back into customer service areas. If they can successfully improve service to both host families and the au pairs, they should bounce back very nicely.
Edina
We just completed our newly revised list of our Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009.
Our updated list of the Top Three Picks reflect the ongoing economic situation, new innovative au pair programs and services and the current results of our customer satisfaction surveys. We ran the surveys over several months and we are now in the process of writing reports that we will post on our website in the near future.
What does the newly revised list reflect? What are the major changes? To see the entire article, read Newly Revised Top Three Au Pair Agency Picks for 2009 on our website, www.aupairclearinghouse.com.
For a brief synopsis, read on:
AuPairCare moves to the Number One position as they continue to grow in market share while still providing great customer service and well-screened au pairs. In addition, they continue to improve their award winning website and IT with the release of their new EasyMatch system that provides even faster and better matching!
ExpertAuPair jumped to Number Two despite it small size and main service area in Florida. They continue to provide excellent customer service with the lowest program fees and costs in the country and they have the best medical insurance for au pairs. They are increasing their service areas throughout the country as they continue to improve their website. A big jump for a little company!
Au Pair in America held on to its spot at Number Three. They continue to have a loyal following, but their customer base continues to shrink, as younger host families are attracted to lower program costs and better website technology - all the bells and whistles the techie generation thrives on and expects is offered by AuPairCare. Au Pair in America's costs and program fees, the highest in the nation, is a major drawback for this struggling company, particularly in these hard economic times.
Cultural Care has slipped from our Top Three List, but we feel confident they will get their act together and come back even stronger. They remain one of the leading au pair agencies in the industry but they will need to refocus their marketing energies back into customer service areas. If they can successfully improve service to both host families and the au pairs, they should bounce back very nicely.
Edina
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Do's and Don'ts When Considering an Au Pair
Summer is a busy month for host parents, as the majority of them are looking for replacement au pairs and new host families sign up during this time.
It is important for all prospective host parents to carefully consider the decision to host an au pair who will be taking care of their children. If you have very young children, it becomes even more important to choose an agency that has an excellent track record of screening their au pairs and completing background checks, including criminal checks.
A review of the Do's and Don'ts:
DO choose an agency from one of the 12 Department of State regulated au pair agencies
DO interview the agency, their office and the local LCC or counselor before you sign the contract
DO interview any prospective au pair thoroughly! Call and speak to her at least 4 times by phone
DO review the au pair's application carefully and call each reference. Check and make sure the references include other people besides her family!
DON'T choose an agency without reading all you can about them. Go online and check the insiderpages.com and complaintboard.com and read all commentary from parents who have used any agency in the past.
DON'T allow the agency to pressure you into considering applications where the au pairs cannot drive and have poor English skills! Get tough with the agency and you tell them what YOUR needs are. If they cannot or will not meet your family's needs, move on!
If you are in the process of finding an au pair this summer, please read our Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Hosting an Au Pair at www.aupairclearinghouse.com!
It is important for all prospective host parents to carefully consider the decision to host an au pair who will be taking care of their children. If you have very young children, it becomes even more important to choose an agency that has an excellent track record of screening their au pairs and completing background checks, including criminal checks.
A review of the Do's and Don'ts:
DO choose an agency from one of the 12 Department of State regulated au pair agencies
DO interview the agency, their office and the local LCC or counselor before you sign the contract
DO interview any prospective au pair thoroughly! Call and speak to her at least 4 times by phone
DO review the au pair's application carefully and call each reference. Check and make sure the references include other people besides her family!
DON'T choose an agency without reading all you can about them. Go online and check the insiderpages.com and complaintboard.com and read all commentary from parents who have used any agency in the past.
DON'T allow the agency to pressure you into considering applications where the au pairs cannot drive and have poor English skills! Get tough with the agency and you tell them what YOUR needs are. If they cannot or will not meet your family's needs, move on!
If you are in the process of finding an au pair this summer, please read our Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Hosting an Au Pair at www.aupairclearinghouse.com!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)