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Organizations and companies all over the world are going through major digital transformations to modernize the way they conduct business. By creating new — or modifying existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences they are able to meet changing business and market requirements. Schools are no different.
“When digital transformation is done right, it’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, but when done wrong, all you have is a really fast caterpillar.”— George Westerman, MIT Sloan Initiative on the Digital Economy
The most successful digital transformations begin and end with how you think about and engage with your customers. Using digital technology offers you a tool for reimaging how you interact with your families, from admissions and enrollment processes to attendance records and daily classroom communications, all while optimizing your operations processes, improving data security and integrity, and increasing software adoption across your staff.
There are four key areas to address in your digital optimization: technology, data, process, and organizational change.
Technology:
Finding the right solution for your needs takes time. In school systems, time is money, so utilizing disparate systems to conduct all school operations – like admission, enrollment, financial aid, communications, and tuition and student management – also creates more hours of work for staff and faculty.
Tip #1: Begin with your families in mind. You need a tool that gives your families the experience they expect and deserve. Look for built-in tools that allow you to manage school-branded applications, documentation, and correspondence online. Online family portals that allow families to view communications, track application processes in real-time, and update contact information are essential to a positive experience. Increase your collections rate with easy online payments at the time of contract signing.
Tip #2: Bundled software saves you money and time. By bundling your school management software, you save money in license and service fees long-term and reduce your need for IT support. Integrated software allows for data sharing, reducing the need for redundant data entry and needless mistakes. Check out these product demos to see how one software solution can meet the needs of different functions within your school.
Data:
By utilizing bundled and integrated applications you reduce the risk of errors and data loss and improve overall data security and privacy protection. Data that is shared and managed across applications opens opportunities for additional reporting and real-time dashboards thereby driving more effective decisions.
Process:
Simplify how you work. Digitalization isn’t about transforming your school; it’s about transforming how you work at your school. It’s about making your everyday tasks easier, faster and more efficient and accurate.
Organizational Change:
There is no advantage to investing in new technology if no one uses it. Well-designed and streamlined software applications that are easy to learn and intuitive drive adoption and utilization. They open the door to approaching problems differently, improving your output, and changing thought processes. Change is never easy, but, investing in your own digital transformation will see benefits long–term. From more engaged and delighted families to better internal processes, reporting and security, the opportunities are endless.
To start your own metamorphosis, check out these resources:
