Ivy Kids Early Learning Center: How Call Ai Transformed the Enrollment Process From the Inside Out

Nikkie Handy, Franchise Business Coach, Ivy Kids Early Learning Center

As a seasoned Franchise Business Coach with 25 years of experience in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), Nikkie Handy specializes in transforming childcare centers into thriving, high-quality educational environments. 

Overview

For many childcare organizations, successful enrollment begins with the very first conversation a family has with a school. Recognizing how critical that moment is, Ivy Kids Early Learning Center incorporated IntelliKid Systems’ new Call Ai product into a broader enrollment strategy focused on improving consistency and confidence across locations.

With guidance from Nikkie Handy, a Franchise Business Coach with more than 25 years of experience in Early Childhood Care and Education, the team implemented Call Ai to capture better information and create a smoother enrollment journey for families. Drawing on her background as a teacher, campus and regional leader, business consultant, quality assurance auditor, and professional development coach, Nikkie brought a practical perspective grounded in the real needs of childcare teams.

The Information Gap Before Call Ai

Before adopting Call Ai, the organization struggled with a high volume of incomplete and partially captured lead profiles. Critical information was often missing after initial phone inquiries, making it difficult for administrators to confidently nurture families through tours, follow-ups, and enrollment decisions.

“In childcare, a single lead can represent more than $12,000 in annual revenue, so every incomplete profile was a direct hit to potential growth.” 

As a result, the enrollment process became reactive, with teams working hard but not always having the full information they needed to support families smoothly.

The Call Ai Impact

Dramatic Reduction in Incomplete Leads

Since implementing Call Ai, the organization has seen a dramatic reduction in incomplete leads across the system. 

“We now have a higher percentage of high-intent, fully-vetted inquiries remaining in the funnel, which gives us a meaningful advantage when nurturing families toward a tour or enrollment decision.”

Rather than spending time tracking down missing information, teams are able to focus on building relationships with families, scheduling tours, and supporting parents as they move toward confident enrollment decisions.

Data Quality Is Accelerating the Enrollment Cycle

The most noticeable improvement has been the quality and completeness of enrollment data.

With cleaner lead profiles:

• Admins follow up faster and with greater confidence

• Communication feels more personalized and intentional

• Families move deeper into the enrollment cycle without losing momentum

“Conversion opportunities have simply increased because the foundation is stronger.”

Building a Culture of Consistency and Professionalism

Beyond improving data quality, Call Ai has made a meaningful difference in how staff approach enrollment conversations. 

“Once they saw how many work hours Call Ai saves on the backend, they became far more consistent and intentional in how they capture information on the front end. It has elevated skill, confidence, and follow-through in a very real way.”

Rather than simply automating a task, Call Ai helped create a culture of consistency and professionalism, allowing staff to focus on building trust and connection with families.

A Solution That Strengthens the Enrollment Foundation

From Nikkie Handy’s perspective as a Franchise Business Coach, the value of Call Ai is easy to see. When schools capture clear, complete information from the start, they are better positioned to support families and protect enrollment opportunities.

Incomplete inquiries often mean families slip through the cracks without anyone realizing it. Call Ai helps prevent that by making sure every call is handled with care and that each family receives the attention and follow-up they need.

Advice for Other Centers

For organizations wondering whether Call Ai is the right fit, Nikkie suggests starting with a simple check:

“Look at your incomplete lead queue. If you aren’t consistently capturing full information, you’re likely losing enrollments you never even had the chance to convert.”

Seen this way, the value of Call Ai becomes clear. By helping schools capture complete information from every inquiry, Call Ai protects enrollment opportunities and quickly proves its worth.

One-Sentence Summary

“Call Ai transformed our lead management from reactive and inconsistent into a clean, complete, and highly convertible process, making enrollment growth far more attainable.”

About Ivy Kids Early Learning Center

Ivy Kids Early Learning Center is a family-focused early childhood education provider that offers high-quality childcare, preschool, Pre-K and after-school programs in safe, nurturing environments where kids can grow in confidence, curiosity, and character. 

Their mission centers on delivering exceptional early education that fosters whole-child development, prepares young learners for future academic success, and supports families and communities through trusted, engaging childcare.

Ivy Kids provides franchisees with a comprehensive support system including training, operations guidance, and a strong brand foundation, all built on decades of experience and a proprietary curriculum designed to help children reach their full potential.

Looking to create a more confident and consistent enrollment experience like the one shared here?

Call Ai was designed to support childcare teams at the very first point of contact, helping ensure every family inquiry is handled with care and captured completely. By bringing structure and consistency to enrollment calls, Call Ai helps staff feel more confident, reduces missed opportunities, and creates a smoother experience for families from day one. The result is a stronger enrollment foundation that allows teams to spend less time fixing gaps and more time building meaningful connections with the families they serve. 

Find out more about Call Ai here!