Online student registration delivers a number of benefits to school districts of all sizes. Not only does the technology help you simplify the registration process, increase compliance, and unlock additional efficiency gains, but it also reduces your impact on the environment as you use considerably less paper and ink. Beyond that, online student registration platforms can help your district improve school safety and security while reducing errors and saving time.
The benefits of online student registration technology speak for themselves. But not every student registration platform is the same. Picking the wrong platform can expose you to a number of problems—such as frustrated employees, inaccurate data, and more. Let’s take a look at some indications that it might be time to upgrade your student registration management process.
8 Telltale Signs It's Time to Switch Online Student Registration Software Providers
Generally speaking, if your district is dealing with one or more of these eight problems, it may be time to look for a new solution:
1. The Tool Isn’t Flexible
Many technologies are rigid, requiring districts to adjust their internal processes in order to fit into the framework of the tool itself. With so many people used to doing things a certain way, such an approach can often result in additional errors, increased exposure to risk, and frustrated employees.
Leading solutions, on the other hand, are flexible and can be customized to accommodate a district’s existing processes and procedures—not the other way around. In turn, this enables districts to configure the technology to the point that it becomes the perfect tool for the job.
2. Support Is Lacking
Even the best software in the world requires support from time to time. Because your online student registration system plays such a crucial role in the overall health of your district, your software provider should offer high-end support in case you ever need it.
If you’re unhappy with the level of support your current provider offers, look for a vendor that delivers top-shelf support around the clock. The best vendors are known for lightning-fast response times. FinalForms, for example, has an average response time of 2.5 hours and often responds to customer requests within minutes.
3. The Tool Isn’t Keeping Up With Changing Needs
In recent years, registration has evolved to help facilitate compliance, safety, and communication. While it remains to be seen how registration might evolve in the future, it’s safe to say it will shift on some level.
If your registration system is rigid and can’t keep up with evolving needs, it may be time to look for a new solution.
4. The Tool Isn’t Built by People Who Understand Schools
When you poke around some online student registration systems, it can seem like the engineering team hasn’t set foot inside a school building since they themselves were students.
In contrast, the right online student registration platform will feature intuitive design and all of the functionality your district needs to thrive. The reason for this is simple: Leading solutions are built by teams that know schools inside and out.
FinalForms, for example, is engineered by a team of former educators and world-class developers. Our CEO, Clay Burnett, uses the platform every day as a coach!
5. The Tool Doesn’t Provide High-End Security
In the age of high-profile data breaches, privacy is more important than ever before—particularly when it comes to sensitive student data.
Because of this, districts simply cannot afford to use technologies that are lacking in the security department. There’s an easy fix: Look for solutions that are engineered with industry-leading security measures.
6. The Tool Isn’t Easy to Use
You might have the best platform in the world. But if your employees, students, and parents can’t figure it out easily, what good does it do?
The right solution will be easy to navigate and use. At the same time, there’s often a bit of a learning curve when it comes to figuring out a new technology—particularly for the less tech-savvy stakeholders in the district. Look for a solution that comes with robust training support and resources so that folks can find their way around the platform quickly.
7. The Tool Doesn’t Give You Real-Time Data
In our increasingly connected world, all of us have grown accustomed to real-time processes. For example, you send a text message to someone on the other side of the world, and that person can read your note and respond immediately.
If your online student registration system doesn’t offer real-time functionality, it is probably time to move to a new solution. With the right system in place, data is automatically replicated across the platform when updates are made—ensuring that all users have instant access to the most current data at all times.
8. It Takes Forever to Get the System Up and Running
If your student registration system includes a lengthy build, setup, and configuration time, it may be time to switch to a new solution.
Data transfers, mapping, and setup is easy with the right provider, which will act more like a partner and less like a vendor.
FinalForms: Your Online Student Registration Software Solution
FinalForms is an online system that enables districts like yours to register students online and distribute, collect, and manage forms to ensure compliance.
The platform delivers on all of the benefits outlined in this blog post, and it also integrates with other tools, including popular student information systems—enabling you to achieve additional productivity gains.
Schedule a demo today to learn more about how FinalForms can help your district bring efficiency, convenience, and security to the student registration process. We look forward to hearing from you!
