A Few Thoughts On Refunds
One of the most important things we learned last summer, mostly by watching the generosity of great camps, was how to feel good about giving refunds. It’s a muscle that got very strong in 2020 and it was a difficult one to build. It was also scary, but we were helped by the fact that every camper who withdrew was one less responsibility. This summer we’re going to need to be tighter, and as a result we are planning to do three things.
1.Be very clear about what summer will look like.
The first way to keep families from being disappointed is to be sure they know what to expect, and one way to do that is to publish as many protocols as possible. We plan to move our Covid protocols on our website from the Enrolled Families tab to the Prospective Families tab. We also titled them “preliminary” to make it obvious that they are subject to change.
2.Be very clear about what refunds will look like.
I get scared sending emails to families that might prompt them to withdraw, but we’re thinking about sending one like that soon. I want to send an email outlining the refund policy that they should have already seen because I don’t want them to be surprised if they withdraw in June and do not get a refund.
3.Be very happy if we have a few less campers.
One thing we learned this year was how to operate with less, and operating with less campers was a lot easier. There’s definitely a tradeoff, but we enjoyed a different end of the bargain with a few less campers. I tend to call a lot of camp directors with questions, and near the top of the list is how they handle refunds. So please don’t hold me to any of this – it might all change after a few phone calls. May the Refund Fairy flutter far away from us all!
Adam Boyd
