How is your summer camp registration going? Is your staff and activity schedule completed to accommodate new kids every week? Have all the parents completed the required documentation and made payment?
How long does it take you to find out the answers to these questions and follow-up where necessary?
Summer camp management software can sound intimidating but today’s solutions are easy to use, and save time and money in ways you may not suspect. Here is an overview of how to locate and purchase the software solution that matches your specific needs and the benefits summer camp management software can provide.
How to get started
Don’t make the mistake others make by immediately searching the internet for “summer camp software.” You will find an endless selection to wade through without knowing the problems you need to solve.
- Review your current process and write down all the steps.
- Now determine your requirements using the problems you need to solve, like bottlenecks in the registration process or lack of clarity when tracking payment.
- Decide whether you want the solution installed on your computer or workstation or select a cloud-based solution.
- Create a budget.
The point of performing these steps before looking at software is to ensure you find the right software for your purposes. There are endless features available, but do you need every one of them? Don’t pay for features you will never use and make certain you select features that solve your problems, not just because they seem somehow useful.
One of your first decisions once you have determined your requirements is whether to subscribe to a cloud-based solution or purchase software to be installed on your computer. More and more software is provided using the SaaS (Software as a Solution) model, or what is popularly known as cloud-based software.
Since so many vendors are offering cloud-based services, competition has created an environment that makes it easy to find something that fits your budget and provides the flexibility you need in software that you don’t necessarily use the entire year.
A big plus for most users with cloud-based software is the ability to access it anytime, anywhere, using any device with a web browser. You are no longer tied to your office desk or trying to manage with minimal access to information through a web link.
Purchasing a solution
Now that you know the problems you want to solve, how you want to work with the software, and what you can afford, you can get on the internet and start your search. Don’t limit your search to the phrase “summer camp management software.” Consider looking for “childcare management software” as well.
- Put together a long list (but not too long) of vendors offering software delivered the way you want, that meets your budget, and appears to resolve some or all of your problems.
- Read reviews of the software on sites such as Capterra and SoftwareAdvice. Talk to other camp operators about the software they use and what they think of the vendor.
- Create a short list of vendors using what you've learned. Call each vendor and ask for a business case that shows you the expected total cost of ownership, return on investment, and value the solution brings to your business.
- Ask about security and disaster recovery arrangements and uptime guarantees, the support comes with the subscription or purchase price, and ask about contract lengths. Most cloud-based companies agree to a month-to-month arrangement.
- When you are down to two solutions, ask for a demo and a free trial. Take the time to try out the software. If possible, have the staff try it, too, and get their feedback.
- When you are ready to buy (or subscribe) be sure to ask about discounts, fees, and other “extras” you may not know about.
While all these steps sound like a lot of work, consider that you are looking for a software solution you will use for the next few years. Once you are set up with a solution and a vendor, you will not want to go through a migration to a new solution after only one year.
Benefits of summer camp management software
Summer camp can mean almost any organized activity offered to kids in the summertime for at least a one-week period. The camps are not necessarily geared toward outdoor activities either. There are STEM camps, nature camps, animation camps, horseback riding camps, and gaming camps.
One thing they all have in common is the need to offer quick, convenient registration, enrollment, and tuition payment while also tracking payment processing, financial reporting, and logistics. The right software solution automates and digitizes all of these processes, eliminating data entry and reducing errors.
Select summer camp software that performs the steps you identified at the beginning of your software search.
Automation of repetitive tasks
Data entry, inputting payment, and invoicing are tasks that must be performed every time, period, but that doesn't take a lot of thought. Depending on the number of campers, you could be deluged with dozens or hundreds of registration papers. You will need to invoice all the campers’ parents and process the payments they send.
Summer camp management software can perform those tasks, making it easier for you and the parents. Parents can register, enroll, provide documentation, and pay online. No papers or documents, no trips to the bank, and little data entry for you to perform. Summer camp enrollment needs to be flexible — automating processes increase that ability.
Meet customer expectations of digital communications and payment
Parents today expect to be able to communicate electronically. Often, they prefer to pay electronically from the comfort of their homes or offices. Summer camp management software has the tools to send emails, texts, or phone messages electronically. You can notify parents in real time if needed. And you can show them pictures and video of what their kids are doing every day.
Logistics
Meal tracking is easy with the right software solution. You can plan meals according to nutritional guidelines, accommodate special diets, and report to parents what their children ate. You can get a report that helps you restock supplies and food according to the number of campers you have each day.
Financials
Summer camp management requires real-time information to make actionable decisions for the future and on the fly. Select software that supplies all the financial and tax reporting you need to keep track of your cash flow, document revenue and spending, and make sure your camp is on track to continue into the future.
Summer camp management software streamlines summer camp registration and operation, taking over busy-work tasks that invite errors and take up valuable time that could be used planning a really terrific camp experience.
Start early and determine your requirements. Search for software that meets the needs of your specific camp operation. Implement it and start enjoying all the benefits of an all-around summer camp management solution.
