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Payment Collection Optimization for K-12 Schools

When it comes to deciding on whether or not to accept digital payments, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. In fact, using a school payment solution is becoming more commonplace as the world continues to change from traditional methods to new technology. When you do not have the means to accept electronic payments to pay for school meals and other fees, you are missing out on the following pluses:

1– Parents Tend To Be Happier

Being able to use a credit card to cover all of Little Johnny’s expenses at school is a big deal to more and more parents these days. Nothing beats the convenience of taking care of all costs (school supplies, tuition, lunch, donations, etc.) with a single tap or swipe of a piece of plastic. It gets all payments at once and takes the burden off of parents who would otherwise have to write numerous checks or make other arrangements for multiple costs during the school year.

Having the option to pay with a credit or debit card online gives parents the freedom and flexibility to pay anything required of them anytime during the day or night. No longer are office appointments necessary when you make it easy on parents. Even with the best school payment solutions reoccurring payment schedules can be implemented which not only makes sense, it saves busy families and households time. When parents are happy with how they can pay school fees, everybody wins.

2– Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

Did we mention that when you collect online school payments that it saves time? Here’s where you really see a difference. Not only does it save time for busy parents, it saves a great deal of time in the school office. In other words, school staff will have less stress and paperwork to deal with on the average day.

Automated reoccurring payments further reduce the workload of school staff that will not have piles of envelopes to open, sort out checks and record payments and balances. Plus, when you employ the best school payment solutions, staff can download various reports that enable better tracking and management of the payments being collected online. This alone is a huge time saving option.

3– Parents Become More Generous

Because online payment options are easier for the person making the payment, it almost always translates into more donations. It’s true. Digital payments tend to encourage generosity and when it comes to charity, online payment solutions are a great fit for donation collection.

If you are a part of a school that provides tax deductible tax receipts, having an online school payment solution will generate a lot of additional donation traffic in December, when hearts open wider at the traditional time of year for giving. Without an online school payment solution, you miss out on a higher volume of donations.

4– See Reports, Many Reports

One of the major paperwork-related advantages to school pay systems that use online digital platforms is the data they collect. We’re not just talking about who paid how much and for what…although that is part of the program. With an online pay platform everyone who has access to the data pool will be able to see all the same data as it is compiled.

The software will be able to generate comprehensive payment reports in just a matter of clicks instead of you having to wait for an accountant or bookkeeper to wade through the data and punch out the reports you request. Plus, because generation of various reports takes little time, it makes for much easier sharing of the data to school stakeholder’s so they can get a better picture of what is taking place. These reports can assist in future planning within the school or just provide a way to keep everyone in the loop caught up on what is taking place.

5– Better/Faster Flow Of Cash

Probably one of the most important benefits of online school payment solutions is speed. What we mean is those payments get processed much faster which can truly make a difference when cash flow is essential at the start of or during a school year. The system basically flows this way: a parent uses a credit or debit card to pay booster fees. The funds will transfer from the parent’s bank account and into the school account within the following 72 hours.

Had the parents paid with a check, there would have been anywhere from 5 to 7 business days that would have to pass before the check would clear at the bank. This extra time can create a major gap between payments coming out of the school bank account to cover the fees being paid by the parents. If the school happens to be operating on a tight budget with little in the way of wiggle room, timing can prove to be far more than crucial in this case.

Digital Payment Options Are The Best School Payment Solutions

There is no doubt that utilizing digital pay system for school fee collection is far easier for both sides of the equation. It is fast and less burdensome for all. Payments can be made all at once, or scheduled in a reoccurring manner. These payments move faster into bank accounts and with the ease of credit or debit card payments, parents can provide additional financial support in the form of donations.

There really is no downside to switching from traditional payment methods to those that exist in new technology. For more information on how you can upgrade to collect online school fees, contact Skookii at 844-438-7566 or share your feedback via our dedicated hashtag: #K12DigitalPayments. Our digital payment program will save your school time and money and will speed up the cash flow you require in order to continue to provide students with the services they require each school year from K-12. Visit our website (www.skookii.com) to learn more and get started for free.

 

This sponsored article was written by Skookii.