How Lightbridge Academy Utilizes Parent Surveys to Meet the Ever-Changing Needs of the Working Parent

Lightbridge Academy®, the leading early education and child care franchise, responded to the results of a systemwide Parent Survey for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York families to help determine changes in trends, consumer sensitivities and projected demand in the marketplace as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

A total of 6,998 surveys were sent out to families, and the brand saw an impressive 45.5% response rate. Parents were able to give suggestions for the ways that Lightbridge Academy could meet their needs in response to COVID-19. The overarching theme was that parents value security and health above everything else, a focus that Lightbridge Academy takes very seriously.

Lightbridge Academy’s high-care culture demands that they listen to their customers in order to create a meaningful customer experience. It is a primary reason that Newsweek named Lightbridge Academy as one of America’s Best Customer Service Companies in 2021. These types of surveys help drive Lightbridge Academy’s brand development as they innovate to meet the changing needs of working parents and implement solutions that will help keep children, families and staff members safe.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked closely with families and staff members to listen to and address their concerns,” President and Chief Operating Officer Gigi Schweikert said. “In order for parents to return to work, whether that is from home or in the office, they need peace of mind knowing that their children are well cared for and educated in a safe environment. For this reason, we took an aggressive approach and looked across industries for the most advanced technology and procedures to implement in our centers.”

In response to the survey, the brand has rolled out the Lightbridge Promise which reinforces the company’s top priority to ensure the health and safety of all of those in their Circle of Care. The Lightbridge Promise is the Gold Standard in the child care industry for cleanliness, security and peace of mind. Although many safety protocols were already in place, Lightbridge Promise implemented several enhancements and new technologies after the survey to ensure that Lightbridge Academy was meeting and exceeding the current needs of working parents.

One exciting new solution is an air purification and filtration system that uses an advanced oxidation process to continuously purify the air and all surfaces. The technology works by producing ionized hydrogen peroxide molecules that are continuously distributed through the air of the facility, breaking down and destroying air contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and mold spores.

Lightbridge Academy has also enhanced protocols to ensure the health and safety of children and staff members at its centers. To start, franchise owners and administrative teams stay up-to-date with the latest health and safety guidelines provided by resources such as the CDC, as well as state licensing regulations. All Lightbridge Academy facilities follow specific guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing classrooms and frequently touched surfaces and toys throughout the day and in the evening. The entire franchise system is also following health-focused protocols, including limited access for visitors, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for all adults, external drop-off and pick-up for children and a strict temperature-screening process before entry.

Additionally, staff members have received training to identify signs of illness, and the center has a strict illness policy. Classroom sizes will have the lowest possible teacher-student ratios, and field trips have been suspended and replaced with virtual or hands-on experiences.

“Utilizing these new solutions and extensively training our staff members has provided us with the confidence that Lightbridge Academy is offering the very best to our parents, children and staff members as we all transition to a more normal state,” said Schweikert.

These new measures complement the brand’s established safety protocols, which include online video monitoring features for parents, random quality-assurance visits from state regulators and brand inspectors and more. Lightbridge Academy also will continue to use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that each and every center is safe and secure. From coded entry to silent alarms to internal video monitoring and limited points of entry, Lightbridge Academy’s security system and emergency drills are some of the most advanced in the child care industry.

When it comes to choosing staff, all members must also continue to meet or exceed state-mandated educational requirements and pass thorough background checks to ensure everyone’s safety. Additionally, all staff members are required to attain their CPR and First Aid certification.

“At Lightbridge Academy, we pride ourselves on being The Solution for Working Parents®,” Founder and CEO Guy Falzarano said. “It’s no secret that working parents have juggled quite a bit lately, as many of them have worked from home while also taking care of their children’s needs and trying to provide some type of curriculum throughout the week. As our centers reopened, the Lightbridge Academy leadership team listened and continues to monitor the feedback of parents to ensure that they are confident that their children are receiving a high quality of care and education in a safe and healthy environment.”

The initial start-up cost for a Lightbridge Academy location is $549,228 to $767,635, with a franchise fee of $40,000. To learn more about franchising with Lightbridge Academy, visithttp://lightbridgeacademyfranchise.com/.