1. How safe is this application?
The application is very secure and no one can gain access without a user name and password. The system is protected from outside attack using industry standard virus software and is maintained by a reputable software development company. For peace of mind and as another safety measure we do not store home addresses or unnecessary personal information on the site; we just need a name, an e-mail address and a mobile phone number to make the system work.
2. I or my friends don't seem to be receiving your emails?
If you or your friends use an @aol.com or a hotmail.com email address the settings of your "AOL mail controls" or
your "hotmail junk email controls" may mean our emails have problems getting to you.
You will need to update your controls (even if temporarily) to allow email from babybank@thebabybank.com.
This can also happen with other service providers with vigorous spam filters.
3. How many people do I need in a group?
That is entirely up to you. There can be as few or as many as you like. We think the optimum number is between 8 and 10.
4. What if I want to add someone to a group I am a member of?
Only the Group Owner can invite members to join the group. If you are not the Group Owner you can email the Group Owner from the "My Groups" page.
5. What if I forget my password?
If you forget your password, simply click on the "Forgotten your password" link on the log in page and we will send you an e-mail with a new password. You can then change your password to one you can remember on the "my details" page.
6. What happens if I keep using a babysitter and don't ever baby sit in return?
Every time you use a babysitter you will be debited points. Your balance can be seen on the "my statement" page. Your account will only let you go to a 50 point overdraft in any group. Once you are 50 points overdrawn in a group then you will not be allowed to book any babysitting with that group until you have built up some credits by babysitting for other group members
7. Do I need to reciprocate babysitting for the person who babysat for my children?
No, it doesn't matter who you babysat for, requests are sent to everyone in your group and anyone in your group can respond. The system operates by awarding you points whenever you do any babysitting and debiting points when others babysit for you.
8. How do points get allocated to my account?
Points are automatically allocated to your account 48 hours after the babysit. However, you can allocate them sooner by clicking on ‘confirm completion' on the "my statement" page. By doing this you can also change the start and end times to reflect reality. You can then see all your points on the "my statement" page.
9. My friend babysat for me but I can't see the debit points on my statement.
This is probably because you haven't confirmed the babysit yet and the babysit was less than 48 hours ago.
10. How much does using The Baby Bank cost?
Membership is free. The email service is free.
If you register for the text service your mobile provider will bill you as follows:
£1.50 per 10 members (or less) in your group for each babysitting request you make.
£1.50 per 10 members (or less) in your group when you cancel a babysit you have agreed to do.
So, if there are 15 people in your group you will be charged two lots of £1.50 when for example you make a request. The texting service is described in more detail below.
11. What if I need to cancel an agreed babysit?
1) Less than 24 hours before the agreed babysit:
If you requested the babysit then log in, go to "my requests" and cancel the request. The Baby Bank will then send an e-mail and a text to the friend who had accepted your request. There is no separate charge for this text. However because of the late cancellation you will still be debited the points for your request. The babysitter should then confirm completion of the babysit by going to "my agreed babysits" as if the babysit had actually happened so they still get their credit points.
If you are the babysitter then you need to go into "my agreed babysits" and cancel the appropriate babysit. The Baby Bank will then send an e-mail and a text to the friend who was expecting you to babysit (but it would be nice to call your friend as well). There is no separate charge for this text. The Baby Bank will then send out a new e-mail and text message to your group asking them to fulfill the babysitting request. You will be charged the £1.50 per group of 10 text charge for this. You will also get a late cancellation penalty and will be debited points equivalent to the credits you would have got if you had done the babysit.
2) More than 24 hours before the scheduled babysit:
If you requested the babysit then log in, go to "my requests" and cancel the request. The Baby Bank will then send an e-mail and a text to the friend who had accepted your request. There is no separate charge for this text.
If you are the babysitter then log in, go to "my agreed babysits" and cancel the agreed babysit. The Baby Bank will then send out a new e-mail and text message to your group asking them to fulfill the babysitting request. You will be charged the £1.50 per group of 10 text charge for this.
12. What if I accidentally delete a request?
If you delete a request before anyone has accepted it then just go into "request a babysitter" and enter it again. However if you use the text service then you will be charged again.
13. What if I want to amend my request?
Once your request is in the system you can't amend it but if no one has accepted it you can go to "my requests" and delete it and start again with a new request. However if you use the text service then you will be charged again. If your request has already been accepted you will need to contact the babysitter yourself and hopefully you can agree the changes. Any changes in the length of the babysit can be sorted by going to "my agreed babysits" or the "my statement" page and clicking ‘confirm completion' where you can alter the "start" or "end" time there. The Baby Bank will then re-calculate the debits and credits so everyone gets the appropriate number of points.
14. How does the texting work in more detail?
How do I register my mobile phone?
Just text REGISTER to 80160.
How do I stop the text messaging capability?
Just text STOP to 80160.
What if I don't register for texts?
You will not be able to send any babysitter requests to your circle by text-your circle will only receive emails. If you accept a request on the website or via text message which was originally sent out to the circle via text message, and then need to cancel, you will need to register for texts first.
What if some of my group have not registered for texts?
You will not be able to send any babysitter requests to your circle by text-your circle will only receive emails. If you accept a request on the website or via text message which was originally sent out to the circle via text message, and then need to cancel, you will need to register for texts first.
I want to request a babysitter
You go to "request a babysitter" on the site and fill in the details. You then need to make sure the "send text messages" box is ticked. When you confirm the request you will be billed £1.50 per 10 members (or less) of your group by your mobile provider and texts will go out to your group asking them to babysit for you.
Each request text will have the details of the request and the instruction: "if you can babysit please text ‘ACCEPT XXXX' to 80160". ‘ACCEPT XXXX' is a unique reference number for each babysitting request.
Texts are sent to the 5 highest debtors in your group first to give them the chance to clear their balance. If none of the highest debtors accept, the text will then go out to the rest of the people in your group. You will get a confirmation text to let you know the text has been sent.
When someone accepts you will receive a message telling you who is going to babysit for you. The person who accepted will also receive a message confirming that they will be babysitting. If no one replies by the day before the request you will receive a warning text.
I want to say yes to a babysit request
To accept the babysit you reply to the text using the unique reference number. You can either reply to sender or, as some mobile phones do not allow this, you can do a new text to the number 80160 and type in ‘ACCEPT XXXX'. The reference number is not case sensitive.
If you are the first person to accept the request you will receive a confirmation text back saying "Your offer to babysit for x person on x date has been accepted". You will then be able to see this babysit on your "my agreed babysits"' page. The points will not be credited to your account until after you have completed the babysit and confirmed completion on that page.
I want to cancel a babysit I accepted
When you need to cancel a babysit you have agreed to do for someone else you need to log in, go to "my agreed babysits" and cancel the agreed babysit. When you confirm the cancellation you will be billed £1.50 per 10 members (or less) of your group for the new request messages that will go out to the group to find a replacement.
You will receive a confirmation text saying that the replacement babysitter messages have been sent out to your group. The original requestor will also receive a text telling them that you have cancelled and that new request messages have been sent out to the group.
The new request messages will go out in exactly the same way as in "Requesting a babysitter" above.
The penalties for cancellation are set out in the Rules and in FAQ 10 above.
If I respond to a text request what is the cost?
You will be charged your standard text fee by your mobile provider.
If I have registered for the text service do I have to use it?
If you don't want to use it when you send out a request for a babysitter just uncheck the box on the "request a babysitter page". If you are canceling an agreed babysit you will need to use the text service, as a new request needs to go out to find a replacement.
Why won't my mobile provider accept my request to use the Baby Bank text service?
If this happens you will receive an e-mail notification. It may happen if you are a pay-as-you-go customer with an insufficient balance. It can also happen if you have changed mobile provider but kept the same number, but not updated your mobile phone provider on your handset where prompted. If this is the case the easiest way to prevent this from reoccurring is to re-text REGISTER to 80160.
