The Challenge
Stanley Bay School, like many educational institutions, faced the complex task of managing various financial aspects - from student payments to fundraising events. The school needed a solution to streamline these processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the experience for both staff and parents.
Embracing Kindo
Stanley Bay School decided to implement Kindo, a comprehensive school payment system. The school now uses Kindo exclusively, having eliminated cash transactions entirely. "Kindo, it's just such a versatile tool. I can't see how schools can operate effectively without it," shares a staff member.
Streamlining Administrative Processes
One of the most significant improvements has been in the school's administrative processes. "What I love about Kindo is it's made my life so much easier," explains the staff member. "It's hard to equate now how much time this saves me because I've got so used to it. All I can think back to is when we used to use eTAP to manage our money."
The integration with other systems has been crucial. "eTAP fortunately does talk to Kindo, which makes my life a lot easier. It ties into Xero. So any of the payments that come from Kindo, we can also look on the back end and it's just all seamless."
Enhancing Parent Experience
Kindo has transformed the way parents interact with the school financially. "The feedback from the parents is awesome because they can pay for it online," the staff member notes. The system's versatility is particularly beneficial: "If you've got children at multiple schools, a parent here could have one child here, one at intermediate, one at high school, and they've got one login and it works for all of their children. That's perfect."
Improving Financial Health
The implementation of Kindo has significantly contributed to the school's financial health, particularly in terms of donations. "The school donation, of course. Now it's way, way higher. At the end of last year it was 96%, which my auditor actually queried with me because she couldn't believe it."
The system also helps with timely payments for school activities: "I use the email reminder function quite a lot because sometimes when we've got a trip coming up I need payment and permission and I link the two together so they can't go without permission and payment are interlinked, which is a great feature."
Versatility in Use
Stanley Bay School utilizes Kindo for a wide range of functions. "I use Kindo in two very different ways. I've got Kindo payables which I link directly to the children. So if I say, for example, we've got 4 basketball teams, I load that all in as individual charges. When you go to the Kindo shop, you have the option to buy things like uniform book bags."
The school also uses Kindo for sports registrations, lunch orders, and fundraising. "Our fundraising committee also really love Kindo, because they've got a separate account. It's linked to our account so I can oversee everything they do."
Looking to the Future
As Stanley Bay School continues to use Kindo, they see it as an essential tool in their operations. The staff member enthusiastically shares their experience with other schools: "I'm sure Kindo have given my name to other schools 'cause now I get the odd email from another school and the odd phone call and I'm always happy to talk about Kindo 'cause it works really, really well."
In conclusion, Kindo has proven to be more than just a payment system for Stanley Bay School. It's a comprehensive solution that has improved administrative efficiency, enhanced parent experience, and significantly contributed to the school's financial health. As the school continues to leverage Kindo's versatile features, it remains a valuable partner in their mission to provide an excellent educational experience.
